After making the buzz on social networks, the game phenomenon Wordle was bought by the New York Times.
just a few weeks ago, wordle became a real phenomenon on social networks, to the point of facing a wave of not always well-meaning copycats. Based on a simple, but extremely effective mechanism, the puzzle-game accessible from a browser and only in English, offered players the chance to guess a mystery word every day, using clues distilled over the course of the game.
An update on Wordle pic.twitter.com/TmHd0AIRLX
— Josh Wardle (@powerlanguish) January 31, 2022
A concept that quickly seduced Internet users, to the point of attracting large investors. Originally imagined to distract the developer’s wife, wordle was eventually bought out by the prestigious New York Times. It is in a official statement shared on Twitter, which the game’s creator Josh Wardle confirmed the news, explaining that he was currently working with the newspaper to not lose the saves of old players.
A seven-figure buyout
wordle should soon join the catalog of the New York Times Games, which already has a good number of crossword puzzles and other puzzles intended for cruciverbists. Details of the transaction were not officially disclosed, but the announcement reported “seven figures”, or at least $1 million.
The only concern for the fans, the idea that the game quickly becomes profitable. Remember that the titles offered in the NYT Games catalog are accessible only by subscription, at the price of 25 dollars per year. For the moment however, wordle should remain free promises its creator. the New York Times does not however exclude the possibility of changing the situation within a few months, by taking refuge behind the title’s paywall.
With this acquisition, wordle could also sign its official arrival on mobiles. Until now, the game had always been content with a web browser, leaving it up to Apple to hunt down illegal copies. The takeover by the New York Times will undoubtedly sign the arrival of the title in the big leagues.
