So the New York Times has snatched Wordle up, but will the affect the game we all know and love? Let’s find out.
The New York Times has recently picked up Wordle, the increasingly popular web-based time waster. While undoubtedly excellent news for the sole developer of the game, what does this news mean for fans of the addictive puzzle?
New York Times Buying Wordle
Released not even a year ago, Wordle is the creation of an ex-Reddit software developer named Josh Wardle. Originally only for his family and friends, this small project has blown up in a big way over the past few months, with the entirely free game going viral on Twitter and even getting a shout-out by Google.
The acquisition has been great news for the developer, who has now turned his small passion project into a figure somewhere in the seven-digit range. What does this mean for the future of the app, however? Will there be significant changes under the new management of The New York Times?
What Does This Mean for Wordle and Its Players?
It’s hard to say at this stage. The NYTimes.com website article has stated that Wordle will “initially remain free to new and existing players.”
Wardle has also confirmed an understanding that the game will remain free to play. However, with the cost of the property being so dear to The New York Times, it’s hard to imagine that a form of monetization isn’t in the pipeline.
NYTimes.com sports its own games page, which is where the infrastructure of Wordle will transfer to. However, the NYT gates some of these games behind a subscription service.
While it seems Wordle won’t initially come to this subscription service, there’s a good chance that some features may become premium. Either way, it will be a big shake up for the modest game.
For now, players only need to concern themselves with the transfer of scores and user information to The Times website. Once this occurs, it’s understood that the game will function just as it had before, and should remain free for an undetermined amount of time.
A Big Purchase for a Big Game
It can be an exciting, or, depending on your outlook, scary time when a beloved game undergoes the transition to a larger studio.
While The Times can surely handle the infrastructure and technical demands, can they keep the light-hearted, personal nature of the game alive?
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