The “Candy Crush Saga” Trademark Saga

Messages are circulating that claim King.com – the makers of Candy Crush Saga – not only stole their idea from a game that already existed, they are now trying to cancel that games trademark for infringing on their own trademark.

Messages are circulating that asserts the makers behind popular Facebook app Candy Crush Saga, King.com, based their idea on a pre-existing game named Candy Swipe and are now currently trying to cancel the trademark to Candy Swipe.

Currently creators King.com have not commented on the controversy, and the messages are derived from a genuine open letter from Candy Swipe creator Albert Ransom who, in the message, claims that King.com are currently trying to cancel his trademark for Candy Swipe despite creating the game before Candy Crush Saga.

So it appears the rumours are indeed based on some truth.

To briefly cap on some important highlights of the ongoing “saga”

– 2010: Albert Ransom creates Candy Swipe, a candy themed game that involved matching 3 of the same type of candy to progress. He claims to have developed the game in memory of his late mother.

– 2012: A strikingly similar game Candy Crush Saga is released by serial app developer King.com. Albert Ransom fights their trademark, claiming the game is a clone of his own, with obvious similarities, but to no avail.

-2014: After already facing controversy on how they protect their trademarks in separate incidents, King.com purchases the trademark to CANDY CRUSHER, a trademark that pre-dates both Candy Crush Saga and Candy Swipe. Despite Candy Crusher not being the same type of game, they use this older trademark in order to try and cancel the trademark to Candy Swipe.

-2014: Albert Ransom writes an open letter to King.com claiming they are “taking food out of my families mouth”. The open letter goes viral.

The obvious controversy here is that King.com are trying to utilise the law to cancel a trademark to a game that pre-dates their own by purchasing an even older trademark.

Cases that involve trademark disputes and copyright infringements are often complicated cases that can often take years to reach any kind of settlement, and often the moral “right” does not always prevail. However in terms of public relations, King.com has faced a barrage of public backlash with plenty of users boycotting the game or voicing their disapproval on King.com’s various social media pages.

As of yet, King.com have not responded to the open letter, but they no doubt soon will.

You can read the open letter penned by Albert Ransom on his website candyswipe.com.