Wordle bought for seven-figure sum by The New York Times

The internet’s current favourite game, Wordle, has become the subject of a whopping seven-figure sum that will see it change hands.

Wordle, which has taken the internet by storm this year, has been sold to The New York Times for a “low” seven-figure sum – but will remain free for players, for now.

The word puzzle game’s creator Josh Wardle announced today that the media company’s games section would take over the daily game – which every 24 hours presents a new word for players to solve – and eventually move it to The New York Times’ website.

Just weeks after declaring he’d like to keep the game free for its millions of players, Mr Wardle said it would “initially remain” that way – leaving the door open for it to move behind a paywall at some stage.

“Since launching Wordle, I’ve been in awe of the response from everyone that has played. The game has gotten bigger than I ever imagined (which I suppose isn’t that much of a feat given I made the game for an audience of 1),” he wrote in the announcement.

Wordle, which has taken the internet by storm this year, has been told to The New York Times for a “low” seven-figure sum – but will remain free for players, for now. Picture: Stefani Reynolds/AFP

“It has been incredible to watch a game bring so much joy to so many, and I feel so grateful for the personal stories some of you have shared with me – from Wordle uniting distant family members, to provoking friendly rivalries, to supporting medical recoveries.

“On the flip side, I’d be lying if I said this hasn’t been a little overwhelming. After all, I am just one person, and it is important to me that, as Wordle grows, it continues to provide a great experience to everyone.”

Mr Wardle went on to say he was “incredibly pleased to announce that I’ve reached an agreement with The New York Times for them to take over running Wordle going forward”.

“If you’ve followed along with the story of Wordle, you’ll know that NYT games play a big part in its origins and so this step feels very natural to me,” he added.

An update on Wordle pic.twitter.com/TmHd0AIRLX

— Josh Wardle (@powerlanguish) January 31, 2022

“I’ve long admired the NYT’s approach to 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.”

Mr Wardle originally created the game as a gift for his partner, Palak Sha, after the pair got hooked on word games amid America’s Covid-19 lockdowns.

While the game was released in late 2020, it recently exploded in popularity, with users sharing their scores daily on Twitter and Facebook.

Mr Wardle vowed he was working with the site “to make sure your wins and streaks will be preserved”. No other changes are expected to be made to Wordle’s gameplay.

Wordle will join a line-up of other daily puzzles on The New York Times.

Wordle will join a line-up of other daily puzzles on The Times including the newspaper’s Crossword, Mini Crossword and Spelling Bee.

“We could not be more thrilled to become the new home and proud stewards of this magical game, and are honoured to help bring Josh Wardle’s cherished creation to more solvers in the months ahead,” general manager for The New York Times Games, Jonathan Knight, said in its report.

Asked about the prospect of Wordle moving behind a paywall, a spokesperson for The Times told Polygon the company doesn’t have “set plans for the game’s future”.

“At this time, we’re focused on creating added value to our existing audience, while also introducing our existing games to an all new audience that has demonstrated their love for word games,” the spokesperson said.

“Right now, the game will be free to play.”

Originally published as Wordle bought for seven-figure sum by The New York Times