The New York Times has acquired Wordle, the wildly popular daily word game that has become a hit, and will join the newspaper's number of puzzle games, it said in a press statement on Monday, 31 January.
"The Times remains focused on becoming the essential subscription for every English-speaking person seeking to understand and engage with the world. New York Times Games are a key part of that strategy," the press statement from the newspaper publisher added.
"Our games already provide original, high-quality content and experiences every single day. Wordle will now play a part in that daily experience, giving millions more people around the world another reason to turn to The Times to meet their daily news and life needs," it added.
The New York Times said that Wordle had been acquired for an undisclosed price in the low-seven figures, adding that it will be free to play for new and existing players, and no changes will be made to its gameplay.
“If you’re like me, you probably wake up every morning thinking about Wordle, and savoring those precious moments of discovery, surprise and accomplishment. The game has done what so few games have done: 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 honored to help bring Josh Wardle’s cherished creation to more solvers in the months ahead,” said Jonathan Knight, general manager for The New York Times Games.
“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," Knight added.
In a statement on Twitter announcing the deal, Wardle said, “If you’ve followed along with the story of Wordle, you’ll know that New York Times Games play a big part in its origins, and so this step feels very natural to me. I’ve long admired The Times’s approach to the quality of their games and the respect with which they treat their players. Their values are aligned with mine on these matters and I’m thrilled that they will be stewards of the game moving forward.”
Wardle added the game's success had been "a little overwhelming", and that he was "incredibly pleased" to announce the deal with the New York Times.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)