The New York Times has purchased Wordle, the daily word game that has recently taken the internet by storm.
The publication announced the acquisition in a press release on Monday, writing: “As The Times looks to entertain more solvers with puzzles every day — especially during these anxious times — we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve acquired Wordle, the stimulating and wildly popular daily word game that has become a cultural phenomenon. Wordle, which gives players six tries to guess a five-letter mystery word, will join New York Times Games’s portfolio of original, engaging puzzle games that delight and challenge solvers every day.”
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The press release also states that Wordle was purchased for “an undisclosed price in the low-seven figures.” The game was created by Josh Wardle, a Brooklyn-based software engineer, and released to the public in October 2021. Just a few months later, millions of people were playing the game on a daily basis. According to the release, Wordle will continue to be free to play and no changes will be made to the game. In a statement on Twitter, Wardle wrote that he is working with The New York Times “to make sure your wins and streaks will be preserved.”
“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,” Wardle said in a statement. “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.”
Jonathan Knight, general manager of The New York Times Games, added: “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. 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.”
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