• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

French rockers hail 'win' over Candy Crush maker

Source: http://www.thelocal.fr/20140505/candy-crush-maker-wants-french-rockers-to-change-name
Band website: http://bubblies.net/
Band Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebubblies

French rockers hail 'win' over Candy Crush maker

d309e18d31281ca6b339658e6a0f6f086a94a43c37bff6c6b61d1a0a14b5519d.jpg


A French rock band hailed victory this week claiming the makers of the hugely popular video game Candy Crush Saga have withdrawn a demand for them to either find a new name or face a court battle.

The Toulouse-based band Bubblies announced on Monday afternoon that app maker King Digital Entertainment had decided to abandon a trademark-infringement claim against the group.

”A big thank you to everyone who supported us and took part in this fight. We never would have got here without you,” they said in a statement.

The battle came to an end just two days after it had begun, and without much explanation.

"Suddenly, the company King.com no longer seems to have any reason to prevent the registration and use of your trademark," the band's lawyer wrote in a letter.

With more than 500 million downloads to its name, Candy Crush Saga is one of the most successful games of all time. But King Digital also owns a stable of other games, including one called Bubble Witch Saga.

According to Bubblies, which formed in 1992, King took exception to the similarity between the names. Writing on Facebook in both French and English, the group appealed to fans for help.

“Their aim is to deprive us of our name... We’re going to need all your support and the [support] of your network very soon, not to let, once more, a multi-national company worth €7.5 billions on the stock exchange trample on a little rock band.”

“Let's show together to these thieves who believe that they can get away with anything, that their millions will be weaker than our ideas!!!”

But the band neglected to mention one central detail in their cry for help: when not making music, they also produce video games, as French news site Numerama reports. Even so, the band members insist they have longevity on their side.

“We have been occasionally creating games since 2001, while their outfit has only existed since 2003,” they told Numerama.

King previously set the internet aflutter with an attempt last year to trademark the word ‘candy’ in the US in an attempt to block other games makers from using it. The company later withdrew the application.
 

Fantastapotamus

Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
Wait, does "Bubblies" translate to Candy or Saga (no it doesn't)? Has King a trademark on Bubblies?

Edit: Oh, durr maybe I should actually read the OP. Bubble Witch Saga? Wow, that sounds incredibly similar.
 

nampad

Member
King.com disgusts me. I can live with the fact that a shitty match 3 game made them super rich but all the trademark trolling is just super sleezy.

I don't see how there is any possible brand confusion in the slightest and how their trademarks/brands are hurt by their allegiations. I also don't think it is one of those cases were pwople can argue they have to do it to show that they fight for the trademark so they can keep it.
 

BouncyFrag

Member
I wonder how many such lawsuits are currently active. I'd expect them pulling the suit against the band is an exception and not the norm or I could just be overly cynical towards that god awful gaming company.
 

stuminus3

Member
I feel sorry for all the people who get that first letter from King's lawyers and just fold there and then. Which is exactly what all of this is about, unfortunately. Despicable company.
 
can't wait for king to trademark neogaf.

The best was them going after 'The Banner Saga' because 'Candy Crush Saga' also has 'Saga' in the title.

Would be like if Campcom went after companies that put 'Evil' in their titles because they copyrighted 'Resident Evil'
 
I feel sorry for all the people who get that first letter from King's lawyers and just fold there and then. Which is exactly what all of this is about, unfortunately. Despicable company.

I don't even want to know how many people have done that in response to a letter from King.
 
Top Bottom