The makers behind the popular mobile game Candy Crush Saga have received a sweet treat from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Almost a year after King.com Limited initially filed a trademark claim for the word "candy," the filing was approved by the USPTO Wednesday.

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Now, app developers with games on the market that include the word in the title are reportedly receiving emails from Apple asking them to remove their apps from the App Store.

These emails are in line with Apple's protocol as the company automatically sends out emails asking the two parties to connect when a claim is filed. Such emails therefore don't necessarily mean the tech giant is working alongside King; it's simply the protocol that takes place when a user files a claim against another developer.

The trademark includes games and software, educational services, and, oddly enough, clothing.

Gaming blog Gamezebo says that King Limited is indeed asking other developers to remove their games. King did not immediately respond to Mashable's request for comment, and an Apple spokesperson declined to comment.

Candy Crush Saga was the most downloaded free game for iPhones and iPads in 2013. Image: Apple

Laying claim to a word as common as candy is ruffling some feathers in the world of gaming developers, many of whom may not have the financial resources necessary to fight a trademark claim against a more established developer like King. Benny Hsu, the developer behind All Candy Casino Slots — Jewels Craze Connect: Big Blast Mania Land, told Gamezebo that he doesn't have the money to fight back. "I plan on changing the name if that is what I must do," he said.

King claims that users play more than 30 billion games per month, and its top game, Candy Crush Saga, was the most-downloaded free game on iPhones and iPads in 2013.

UPDATE: January 21, 2014, 7:10 p.m. ET — A King.com spokesperson provided a statement to Mashable on Tuesday.