In a recent development, the popular word game Wordle has been bought by American media giant New York Times in a seven-figure deal as said in the official statements. According to Josh Wardle, the creator of Wordle, this move by New York Times is part of their plan to be the go-to interactive platform for English speakers and learners in the field of understanding and engaging with the language.
The New York Times supposedly played a key role in the origin of Wordle and Mr. Wardle has said that this step feels “very natural”.
Wordle bought by New York Times: What role can the acquisition play
Up until now, Wordle has been a free-to-play game with all features accessible without any transactions. And if any purchases are indeed made in order to get some extra miscellaneous features, the money earned is donated to charity. Also as the reins of the app were in the hands of one person who is also the developer, the app received full attention from its maker and thus ensured better customer support.
With the acquisition coming in, procedures will be fully business-oriented due to it being under a corporate and won’t receive partial treatment. And like all companies, even the New York Times will also prioritize earning revenue from the app at some point. And then we might see the app imbibe some pay-to-play features to generate more revenue which can affect the player base if the cards are not played correctly.
On the positive side of things, however, being a part of a bigger company means more investment, and more investment means that there will be more room for development and possible expansions in the future. Expansions can be in the form of more extensions in the game, like missions, modes, etc., or making a franchise out of the original Wordle game.
It can also become an official New York Times platform for crosswords and other word games which people often associate with physical newspapers. And with the full support of the developer Josh Wardle on their side, a company like New York Times can surely make the already loved game even more beloved and change it all for the better
Final Thoughts
In a move to become the premier English language media, the New York Times has deemed it fit to acquire Wordle. It is a smart business move as creating their own similar game would’ve meant that they would have had to start developing work and building a player base from scratch, which are issues that get eliminated by buying out an already successful venture. The developer Mr. Wardle assured that he is working with the New York Times officials to keep the game free to play and preserve player profiles containing their wins and streaks. Will the game retain its positive reviews? It is a question which only time will answer.
For more Mobile Gaming news and updates, join our WhatsApp group, Telegram Group, or Discord server. Also, follow us on Google News, Instagram, and Twitter for quick updates.
