Wordle: The New York Times Buys the Popular Word Game

Wordle’s creator says it will remain free to play when it moves to The New York Times, but its new owner isn’t saying.

Wordle, one of the most popular word games that has gained a lot of attention recently, was acquired by The New York Times. It can be sad news for fans as it might not be free for long.

What’s Wordle?

For those who haven’t played it yet, Wordle is a recent online obsession with over 3 million daily players worldwide. The online game gives a player six chances to decipher the secret five-letter word in a day by using the fewest number of guesses. The game also allows people to share their results without spoilers and tell everyone how smart they are.

The price at which Wordle was sold was not shared. Only it was mentioned that it was in the low seven figures.

 

The Change

Though the creator of the game, Josh Wardle, who is a former Reddit Software Engineer, said that the game would be free to play for everyone, The New York Times  differs.

The statement released by The New York Times Games was not so convincing. The NYT stated that Wordle will “initially remain free to new and existing players.” It also added, “As part of our portfolio of games, Wordle will have an exciting future with the help of a team of talented engineers, designers, editors, and more, furthering the user experience.”

 

Bigger than Imagination

Wordle was launched in October, and Wardle admits that it has gotten “bigger than I ever imagined.” He also said, “On the flip side, I’d be lying if I said this hasn’t been a little overwhelming.”

 

Why Was Wordle Sold?

Explaining why he sold Wordle, Wardle said, “I am just one person. And it’s important to me that, as Wordle grows, it continues to provide a greater experience for everyone.” He added that The New York Times Games had played “a big part in its origins, so this step feels very natural to me.”

 

The New York Times’ Appreciation

The General Manager for The New York Times Games, Jonathan Knight, appreciated Wordle and stated that it had achieved “what so few games have done.” He added, “It has captured our collective imagination and brought us all a little closer together. We could not be more thrilled to become the new home and proud stewards of this magical game and are honoured to help bring Josh Wardle’s cherished creation to more solvers in the months ahead.”

Share this on social media