What if a game developer was so concerned about protecting its viral iOS hit that it trademarked the word candy in Europe, and then succeeded in getting Apple to enforce the trademark? And what if other game developers were so annoyed by the situation that they launched a troll campaign to design and submit as many games as they could to Apple that included the word candy? Well, if all of that actually happened it would be hilarious and amazing. And it is happening right now, so be excited.
Candy Crush developer King succeeded in trademarking candy in Europe and is only a few weeks away from getting the same rights in the United States. But a group of plucky (and snarky) game developers has decided to fight the man and protest by submitting as many “candy” games as possible to Apple. The Candy Jam website explains that the game-making blitz is in protest of both the trademarking system in general and the allegedly reckless money-making on the part of King specifically. The submission period ends Feb. 3.
Developers have submitted more than 100 games already with names like Shew It Down: Candy Crap Saga, CanDieCanDieCanDie, ThisGameIsNotAboutCandy, CANDY on the EDGE, Candy Escape Goat Saga, Candy Crush SEGA, and Don’t Let the Candies Crush You, according to Pocket-lint. (There’s a bonus for incorporating the words scroll, memory, saga, and apple.)
The Candy Jam website says that the initiative is happening “because trademarking common names is ridiculous and because it gives us an occasion to make another game jam.” And Laurent Raymond, a co-founder of Candy Jam, told the Escapist, “While there seems to be some kind of consensus about the need for a company to protect blatant ripoffs of game names and/or game aspects, I think that the fact that it was done with so little finesse is what gathered people in [opposition].”
Check out the #candyjam hashtag for more trolly fun and general galivanting about.
Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University.
