The New York Times announced that it has acquired popular puzzle game, Wordle from its creator, Josh Wardle, a software engineer in Brooklyn, for a price “in the low seven figures.”
Created by Josh Wardle in October 2021, Wordle is a puzzle where players get six chances to guess a five-letter word. It had just 90 users on the 1st of November and grew to 300,000 by the middle of the month, and now millions play the game daily.
According to a press release from The New York Times Company, “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.”
The New York Times said the game would initially remain free to new and existing players.
“The Times remains focused on becoming the essential subscription for every English-speaking person seeking to understand and engage with the world,” a company statement said. “New York Times Games are a key part of that strategy.”
The company says its games were played more than 500 million times in 2021, and that it reached one million Games subscriptions in December.
