King.com trademarks the usage of "Candy" and "Saga" within video games.

[Barbaloot 198]

And I think it's utter bullshit. Candy Crush has turned from annoying trite to essentially the cancer killing the industry. Even if this particular incident doesn't do much, who really knows what will happen in the future. Will other, more greedy (EA, Activision, Microsoft) companies get away with being able to trademark this level of vagueness? And what of Banner Saga, who is now getting warnings from King based on the "Saga" in their title, despite being completely separate games?

 

It's all going wrong I tells ya.

[Jammo 986]

I wouldn't say the game is cancer exactly. An average Bejewelled clone. A lot of those exist.

But yeah this practice is bullcrap and will gain them a lot of negative press.

This isn't going to destroy gaming. Nothing is. Things hurt it, and companies pull a lot of corrupt crap (EA especially, I don't mind Activision so much anymore because they are just giving the people what they want. I just sort of accept they exist but so do companies who take chances.)

 

But back to Candy Crush. They will likely use that trademark so they can threaten companies with litigious rhetoric. Will never go to court. They'd lose. They just want some kind of power to get rid of people they think could be exploiting their games name for whatever reason.

[NavelColt 22,883]

Trademark and copyright laws are hundreds of years old, and do not at all fit the modern day, especially with the internet and other technology factors playing the key role in communication and entertainment. That said, the way governments are going about trying to change them is so far, going the wrong way, with flat-out restriction in favor of the companies that pay the money, instead of the users who use the content. We saw and continue to see copyright and trademark shit from SOPA and it's modern-day variants, and these things here are just another example.

 

Poke and infringe and cause enough restriction, and the people will bite back. This era is a changing point in copyright, as it's trying to mature along with the way the world now works. It's going to be rough and a lot of stupid-ass decisions have and will continue to be made, and there will be lots of panic, but I don't doubt that things will shape into a more suitable process that benefit both sides sooner or later. Whether that comes from natural process, or from being hammered into being from mass-protest movements and the like.

[Concord 1,982]

Hello!

 

I've heard about this a while ago and thought that it was total madness. Personally, I don't understand how somebody could trademark a word... If it is so easy, then I just might copyright the word pony and become the new ruler of Hasbro!

 

That being said, the laws need a serious re-do.

[Nerdy Luigi 2,065]

Yeah, this is ridiculous. Simply, ridiculous.

 

This is practically like the Halo series copyrighting the use of "halo" and "elite" in video games.

[NomDeSpite 452]

I had to concentrate hard before I remember seeing advertisements for Candy Crush Saga. That shows three things: A, I'm not very observant, B: the ads for that game aren't very memorable and C: my decision to stop keeping up with new video games (i.e. made passed 2008) unless someone I trust tells me I should play it...was a good decision indeed. I'm glad I'm out of that rat race.

 

Anyways, I thought EA buying exclusive rights to the NFL games would backfire in a good way, make people realize that the vast majority of sports games are pointless and inspire them to play real sports instead. Alas, it doesn't look like that happened.

[GrimCW 658]

Best part is they're also trying to sue another company for making a game that uses the word "saga" in it.. a Game themed around norse mythology and vikings...

 

Why is this of note?

Well.. the word, Saga, is derived from the norse language  

 

Kind of ironic a norse game can't use a norse word, while some craptastic "candy" game can!!

 

http://gamepolitics.com/2014/01/22/king-opposing-banner-saga-trademark#.UuPAYxAo5aQ

 

 

also it seems king is in the IP theft/clone business in more than just the way of names...

http://gamepolitics.com/2014/01/24/indie-developer-claims-king-cloned-its-game#.UuO_-BAo5aQ

[Discordian 6,020]

Copyrighting commonly used words will get you nowhere.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Discordian

[Scootalove 10,692]

Trademarking words that are used in games can not get you so far.

[Barbaloot 198]

Trademarking words that are used in games can not get you so far.

Yeah, unless the people they're going after can't really afford to challenge them. So far, I guess that's the case.

[Scootalove 10,692]

Yeah, unless the people they're going after can't really afford to challenge them. So far, I guess that's the case.

Overall, trademarking the usage of words is completely pointless.

[Smarts 1,626]

It's one thing to trademark the name of your game, it's an entirely different story to trademark two words that have been around for many years. News flash you cancerous company, your "game" is a clone of another game and you are well aware of it. You aren't original, creative, or bright in the slightest. This will get you nowhere and really makes you look like idiots.

[Midnight Dragon 264]

They seriously copyrighted those words? That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard...someone needs to act on this. NOW.