Candy Crush Uses NYC Skyline To Party Like It's 2012, To Some's Dismay

NEW YORK CITY — A 500-drone light show used New York City's skyline as a sweet backdrop to celebrate the mobile game Candy Crush's 10th anniversary, but the display left many city dwellers feeling sour.

More than 1,000 people gathered Thursday night in Battery Park Esplanade for what organizers called a "candified carnival" capped by a drone show over the water.

But even before the synchronized drones launched from New Jersey danced like it was 2012, many New Yorkers were unhappy the game would co-opt the city's sky for what essentially was an ad.

State Sen. Brad Hoylman, who has shepherded a bill to cut down on nuisance drones and helicopters, called it a "debacle."

"It's outrageous that the FAA and the State of New Jersey would allow a massive profit-seeking drone show that threatens the public safety, wildlife, and peaceful enjoyment of New York City's waterfront," he tweeted.

Many New Yorkers first heard about the display from a Gothamist report, which highlighted the potential danger to migrating birds, among other worries.

Commenters on a Gothamist Instagram post about the display soon weighed in, with decidedly negative takes.

"The future is so bleak it's blinding," one person wrote.

"i cant wait for adult diaper ads 40 floors high to start blocking my view of the moon," another wrote.

New York City law bans flying drones in city limits, but Gothamist reported that the Candy Crush show would take off from New Jersey and avoid crossing state lines.

That move allowed the event's organizers to fulfill their promise of taking over New York City's skyline without breaking the law.

"We wanted to mark this momentous anniversary by showcasing some of Candy Crush Saga’s most iconic elements in a larger-than-life way above the world’s most iconic city skyline," Fernarda Romano, chief marketing officer for Candy Crush, in a statement after the event.