Wordle is moving to The New York Times. Will the popular online game stay free?
Wordle, a popular five-letter word puzzle, is moving to The New York Times website after the company reached a deal with the game’s creator to purchase it.
The NYT bought the game for “an undisclosed price in the low-seven figures” from creator Josh Wardle, the company announced in a news release Monday.
Wordle will be added to New York Times Games, a subscription-based suite of games including Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, Tiles and Vertex. The company did not say when the game will move to their platform.
“If you’re like me, you probably wake up every morning thinking about Wordle, and savoring those precious moments of discovery, surprise and accomplishment,” said Jonathan Knight, general manager for The New York Times Games. “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.”
Will Wordle stay free?
When the game moves to The New York Times, it will be free to play for all players, and no changes will be made to its gameplay, according to the news release.
“I’ve long admired the NYT’s approach to their games and the respect with which they treat their players,” Wardle said in a statement on Twitter. “When the game moves to the NYT site, it will be free to play for everyone, and I am working with them to make sure your wins and streaks will be preserved. Thank you all for playing and making Wordle an unforgettable experience.”
This story was originally published February 1, 2022 at 10:35 AM.
