Candy Crush Maker King.com Has Trademarked 'Candy' For Games

An anonymous reader writes ""King.com, owners of Candy Crush, have received a U.S. trademark on the use of the word 'candy' in games and clothing. Forbes thinks it is overly broad. 'One would think Hasbro, the maker of that venerable children's board game (which does have video game versions) Candy Land, would already have this trademark sewed up.'" According to an update on the story, the company also has a EU trademark on the same term, but (however much comfort this is) is enforcing its claims only selectively, as against a game called All Candy Casino Slots – Jewel Craze Connect: Big Blast Mania Land.

Comments

No worries

[Torp]

One can always release Confection Made With Sugar And Often Flavoring And Filling Crush!

Weak

[Sponge Bath]

That's a candy assed move. Government, please stop giving exclusive use of language to corporations. Some of us still use it for communication.

Re:Weak

[Sponge Bath]

not being able to use the word "candy" in the names for children's clothes and games affects your ability to communicate?

Yes. How else am I supposed to describe my "Stealing Candy from Babies" game and line of clothing if I can't use the generic word candy? If they want exclusivity, they should stick to made up words like bonerific and tasticle.

Re:Weak

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah but the context is monopolies on words. We've no problems with made up words, the problems are people stopping us from using words that they didn't make up in the first place.

Try to keep up.

Re:Weak

[mechanicalturk]

Do any of you actually know what a trademark is? A trademark isn't just the word, it includes the color, the font, the background, etc.

Not necessarily. In this instance, as per the USPTO here: http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNum..., the trademark itself is indeed just the word CANDY. Relevant information is copied below:

Mark Information

Mark Literal Elements: CANDY

Standard Character Claim: Yes. The mark consists of standard characters without claim to any particular font style, size, or color.

Over-reaching by miles

[MitchDev]

" U.S. trademark on the use of the word 'candy' in games and clothing."

Yet another example of how broken the whole trademark/copyright/patent system is...

Re:Over-reaching by miles

[mwvdlee]

On clothing too?
Wow, I didn't know King.com had such a history in clothing already; http://www.candystorecollectiv...

This stuff is so stupid (and so is Forbes)

[Huntr]

The issue isn't that Hasbro should have already trademarked "candy", it's that "candy" shouldn't be able to be trademarked at all. It's a common freakin' word and should be able to be used in game titles and clothing w/o licensing.

Burning copycat apps who are ripping off your game is a different issue, but this shouldn't be the solution.

Re:This stuff is so stupid (and so is Forbes)

[addie]

Never mind that Candy Crush is itself a rip-off of Bejeweled and countless other identical games that came before it. The whole thing just reeks.

Re:This stuff is so stupid (and so is Forbes)

[mwvdlee]

Except that it is a common word for computer games: http://www.mobygames.com/searc...

Re:This stuff is so stupid (and so is Forbes)

[MightyMartian]

I'm sure it will get crushed, but it will cost someone a good deal of money. That's the issue. Even many bad patent and copyright claims can be defeated in court, but you have to have the money to get there. In part, this is the fault of morons working for trademark and patent offices, and in part it is due to lawyers, of which there are far too many, and far too few severe repercussions for abuse of process.

Re:This stuff is so stupid (and so is Forbes)

[TheLink]

Probably Hasbro is surprised as well and didn't think the system had become so ridiculous that they could have done that. After all there was some fuss over Windows in the past, the initial trademark application was rejected in 1993, but somehow they succeeded in 1995: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12...

I personally believe that trademarks should not be allowed on common single words[1]. If they want to trademark single words they should make up their own words. Trademarking rare/unique word combinations or phrases should be allowed.

[1] I'm not sure if Amazon qualifies as common, I think it's not such a common word in daily usage (other than specifically referring to Amazon corp's stuff). Whereas Candy is certainly not uncommon for games and clothes.

This makes no sense ...

[gstoddart]

How can you copyright the word 'Candy' for trademark?

Microsoft can only trademark "Windows" in their specific context, and clothing targeted towards 'Candy ravers' has been around a long time. Are you really claiming nobody can make a candy themed game??

This is completely ridiculous, and whoever granted this must have been drunk, stupid, or paid off.

Re:This makes no sense ...

[gstoddart]

Is "computer games" more specific than "operating systems"?

Is it reasonable to say nobody can have a computer game with the word 'candy' in its title?

Me, I think not.

Of course.

[Seumas]

They don't want anyone to benefit from anything in their Bejeweled game.

Geez, think that's a long enough name?

[TangoMargarine]

All Candy Casino Slots – Jewel Craze Connect: Big Blast Mania Land: Glorious Slots For Make Benefit Kazakhstan III: The Search For Curly's Gold!

Umm CandyLand

[swamp boy]

The owners of CandyLand should sue them out of existence.

USPTO's New Slogan

[organgtool]

You've got money, we've got rubber stamps

Re:Trademarks

[Anonymous Coward]

They are not even biter.

Our group of survivors call it a walker.

Prior art all over the place?

[pr0t0]

Google: candy games -crush
Set date filter: 01/01/2011 - 12/31/2011 (Candy Crush was released on Facebook 04/12/2012)

I mean really? Could thousands of online and mobile games with the word "candy" in them, existing years, even decades before King Games released Candy Crush, suddenly be in violation of a newly registered trademark?

Re:Not seeing "candy" trademark

[Anonymous Coward]

It's registration number 85842584.

Thanks! "Candy" (only) trademark pasted here

[michaelmalak]

Thank you for the registration number. It's unbelievable USPTO would allow a trademark 1) on a dictionary word, 2) on such a broad base of categories, 3) when other products already use the word. But it's true.

Word Mark CANDY

Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images; Blank magnetic data carriers and recording discs; Blank magnetic disks, pre-recorded magnetic disks featuring computer games; Compact discs, DVDs and video recordings featuring computer games; Calculating machines, Data processing equipment, namely, couplers, Computers; Computer game software for video and computer games; Video disks and video tapes with recorded animated cartoons; Audiovisual teaching apparatus, namely, slide or photograph projection apparatus; Camcorders; Cameras; Cassette players; Compact disc players; Compact discs featuring video and computer games; Computer game programs; Computer keyboards; Computer memory hardware; Computer operating programs, recorded; Computer peripheral devices; Computer programmes, recorded for video games; Computer programs for video games; Computer software, recorded for video games; Downloadable image files containing photographic images and artwork, text, and games; Downloadable music files; Downloadable ring tones for mobile phones; DVD players; Downloadable electronic publications in the nature of e-books, online magazines, online newspapers, electronic journals, blogs, podcasts and mobile game applications in the field of computer and video games; Exposed photographic film; Headphones; Juke boxes, musical; Laptop computers; Microphones; Baby monitors; Battery performance monitors; Computer monitors; Mouse pads; Notebook computers; Blank optical discs; Optical discs featuring computer and video games; Personal stereos; Portable media players; Portable telephones; Record players; Sound recording apparatus; Sound reproduction apparatus; Sound transmitting apparatus; Spectacle cases; Spectacle frames; Sunglasses; Tape-recorders; Teaching apparatus, namely, electronic teaching equipment in the nature of computers, multimedia projectors, computer whiteboards; Telephone apparatus; Television apparatus for projection purposes; Blank USB flash drives. Blank video cassettes; Prerecorded video cassettes featuring computer games; Video game cartridges; Video recorders; Cases for mobile phones, tablets and other electronic mobile devices, excluding video game devices; Computer games software; Computer game entertainment software; Downloadable electronic game software for use on mobile phones, tablets and other electronic mobile devices; Video game software; Interactive multimedia computer game programs; Games software for use on mobile phones, tablets and other electronic mobile devices; Downloadable computer software for mobile phones, tablets and other electronic mobile devices in the field of social media; Downloadable software in the nature of a mobile application for use in the field of social media; Apps featuring computer games, namely, computer game software IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: Clothing, namely, aprons, bandanas, bath robes, bathing caps, bathing suits, bathing trunks, beachwear, beach shoes, belts, bibs not of paper, boots, caps, headwear, coats, dresses, dressing gowns, ear muffs, football boots, gloves, hats, headbands, jackets, jumpers, pullovers, masquerade costumes, money belts, neckties, overalls, overcoats, pajamas, pants, paper hats for use as clothing, sandals, sarongs, shirts, shoes, short-sleeve shirts, shower caps, ski boots, ski gloves, skirts, sleep masks, slippers, slips, socks, soles for footwear, stockings, suits, sun visors, sweaters, sweatshirts, swimsuits, tee-shirts, tights, trousers, under garments, underpants, underwear, uniforms, vests, waistcoats, wristbands; Footwear

IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Educational services, namely, conducting classes, seminars, workshops in the field of computers, computer games; Training in the field of compu