Start holding your breath for ‘you’ve reached your limit of free Wordles’
If you’ve been on social media for the last month, you know Wordle has been inescapable. The word game went viral late in 2021, just weeks after its initial launch in November, and it’s managed to keep players coming back again and again with its once-a-day puzzles and easily shared results. It seemed like only a matter of time before a larger corporation would come around and scoop up the beloved game, and indeed, that day has finally come.
The New York Times announced it has acquired Wordle from its creator, Josh Wardle, for a price in the “low seven figures.” The game launched in early November before finding early viral success, with millions of players worldwide now solving daily puzzles. If you haven’t checked it out, it’s a simple premise: you have six tries to guess a five-letter word, with yellow and green bricks designating matching letters in the final result. Yellow letters are correct guesses in the wrong spot, while green letters match up with the solution.
Up until now, the game has been completely free, both of ads and in-app purchases. It’s not even listed on the Play Store, instead played directly in a browser on the device of your choice. Plenty of clones and similarly-named word games have found themselves in the spotlight in the months since launch, both for good and bad reasons alike.
As for the future of Wordle, it sounds like nothing is changing in the immediate future. Wardle published a statement to Twitter in the wake of the announcement, confirming he’d be working with the Times to transfer player scores along with the game when it moves under its new ownership. He also highlighted the influence of games like the New York Times crossword on Wordle, saying it feels “very natural.”
While Wardle’s letter says the game will remain “free to play for everyone,” it’s unclear if that’s actually true. The acquisition announcement says Wordle will “initially remain free to new and existing players,” which has already caused confusion and frustration across social media. The New York Times requires subscriptions for its flagship crossword, though some of its other games can be played for free, including Spelling Bee and mini-crosswords.
Wordle: coming soon to a New York Times page near you.
Wordle may fall into this latter group, supplemented with banner ads scattered around the page. However, today’s report suggests the company sees the game as a significant draw for future subscriptions, suggesting paid accounts may become a requirement to play the web’s current obsession. Regardless of the outcome, one thing is clear: the Wordle you know and love is going away soon. Time to look forward to merch, Play Store apps, and of course, ads. So, so many ads.
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