Complex Gaming reports that the popular smartphone game ‘Candy Crush Saga’ just trademarked the word candy in video games, clothing, gambling services, amusement parks, and pretty much everything else.

Complex Gaming’s Hanuman Welch writes,

“Candy Crush Saga, the mobile equivalent to setting a pile of dollar bills on fire in order to keep warm, has been awarded one of the most ludicrous trademark victories seen in the digital landscape.”

And, according to video game review site Gamezebo, Candy Crush maker King Studios has not only managed to copyright the incredibly common word candy, they’ve also sent out a fleet of cease and desist letters to any other title in the Apple store with the word candy in it. “King has threatened developers with litigation in an attempt to protect King’s now federally trademarked property,” writes Welch.

Benny Hsu, the maker of All Candy Casino Slots – Jewels Craze Connect: Big Blast Mania Land, told Gamezebo he was being forced to pull his game from the App Store. Here’s the kind letter he received from King Studios:

“Your use of CANDY SLOTS in your app icon uses our CANDY trademark exactly, for identical goods, which amounts to trademark infringement and is likely to lead to consumer confusion and damage to our brand. The addition of only the descriptive term ‘SLOTS’ does nothing to lessen the likelihood of confusion.”

Hsu is now faced with changing the name of his game because he can’t afford to defend himself legally. Ouch. In other news, King is also attempting to trademark the word saga.

Today’s lesson? If you are a multi-billion dollar corporation, you can do whatever the fuck you want.

[via Complex Gaming]