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King withdraws U.S. trademark application for "Candy"

King withdraws U.S. trademark application for "Candy"

Posted: 25 Feb 2014, 18:58, by Alan F.

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King withdraws U.S. trademark application for

King, the game developer behind the wildly popular Candy Crush Saga, has withdrawn its controversial trademark application in the U.S. for the word "candy". It continues to seek a trademark for the word "saga". The developer also will not give up the trademark it was awarded for the word "candy" in the EU. In a statement, King says that it will "continue to take all appropriate steps" to defend its intellectual property.

When King announced that it was going to file a trademark application in the states for the word "candy," it created quite a stir in the U.S. A web site called Candy Jam got independent developers to create as many games using the name candy as possible, in protest. More than 450 titles were created.

Despite the bad rap that King received from trying to turn a widely used word into an asset, the company is on track to go public. As we already told you last week, the developer is seeking to raise $500 million via an IPO. The company will have its shares traded on the NYSE under the symbol KING. To show you how profitable a hit mobile game can be, Candy Crush Saga was responsible for revenue of $1.88 billion in 2013, which generated profits of $568 million. The one game made up 78% of King's revenue last year.

The company hopes that it scored a public relations coup on Tuesday by withdrawing its request to trademark the word "candy" in the states. The application to withdraw the original filing can be seen below.

Game developer King withdraws filing in the U.S. to trademark the word candy

source: USPTO, Kotaku via Pocketlint

20 Comments

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posted on 25 Feb 2014, 20:05 17

1. ocilfa (Posts: 334; Member since: 03 Aug 2012)

When it comes to candy crush, there's nothing "intellectual" about that property.

posted on 25 Feb 2014, 20:35 1

2. NexusKoolaid (Posts: 493; Member since: 24 Oct 2011)

Best post of the day.

posted on 25 Feb 2014, 21:53 1

3. Beijendorf (Posts: 403; Member since: 27 Aug 2013)

That King think they scored a PR coup by withdrawing one of their obtuse patent applications for a widely used word is like thinking people regard Osama bin Laden a hero for not brutally murdering more innocent civilians than he did.

posted on 25 Feb 2014, 22:38 1

4. StraightEdgeNexus (Posts: 3689; Member since: 14 Feb 2014)

Candy crush saga this game is for 4th grade kids.

posted on 25 Feb 2014, 22:53

5. corporateJP (Posts: 2458; Member since: 28 Nov 2009)

Good luck with all that egg on your face, King...

Maybe you can trademark "fail" next?

posted on 25 Feb 2014, 23:05 1

6. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

King is a company of assholes, as highlighted by the fact that they copied their game from an independent developer whose game is called "Candyswipe," then proceeded to try to stamp out his rights to his game.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 02:29

7. StraightEdgeNexus (Posts: 3689; Member since: 14 Feb 2014)

Apple fanboys love these kind of games. Candy crush saga, puke machine, fart machine are their favorite grossing apps.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 06:18 3

8. Mxyzptlk (unregistered)

Like android fans don't

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 08:38

12. mrblah (Posts: 577; Member since: 22 Jan 2013)

Android fans love simple games, like putting a ball in a hole, one at a time, all the same, nice and easy, not to fast, not too scary. If that gets old after a few weeks you can just cram that pos "smart"phone in your sister.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 11:25

14. corporateJP (Posts: 2458; Member since: 28 Nov 2009)

You guys are dorks.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 06:18 3

9. Mxyzptlk (unregistered)

Trademarking something generic is ridiculous.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 06:27 1

10. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

Says the Apple fanboy.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 11:24 1

13. corporateJP (Posts: 2458; Member since: 28 Nov 2009)

LOL...Mxy owned by Sniggly...

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 13:30

16. Mxyzptlk (unregistered)

He didn't own me. He used a 3rd grade insult.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 13:30

15. Mxyzptlk (unregistered)

Says the Motorola fanboy.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 16:45

18. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

You can't just throw my "3rd grade insult" back at me because it doesn't make sense. Apple patented rounded rectangles and other stupidly generic ideas. Motorola patented specific technologies that took billions in research dollars to come up with.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 19:54

19. Mxyzptlk (unregistered)

Uh huh. It makes perfect sense. You're just not understanding it.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 21:38

20. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

That's what the heavily religious say all the time.

No, it doesn't make sense.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 07:07 2

11. androiphone20 (Posts: 1654; Member since: 10 Jul 2013)

I'm a bit skeptical about this company going public, I mean look at Twitter's IPO, these blokes had to find a way to monetize the platform and we were constantly treated to a series of redesigns. What makes it harder for King is that games can easy grow to become a fad. The worst that could happen is the game's userbase shrinking down the road.

posted on 26 Feb 2014, 13:43

17. andynaija (Posts: 983; Member since: 08 Sep 2012)

That's what I thought, they better withdraw it. Besides the USPTO was stupid to even consider granting the patent in the first place.