Viral word puzzle game Wordle has now officially moved to New York Times following news of its purchase, but the game still remains free, at least for now. Wordle is a free browser game that skyrocketed to viral success earlier this year, praised for its challenging gameplay and the easy way it allows users to share successes and failures across social media. Created by Josh Wardle, the game has been immensely popular worldwide, with the creator praised for the decision to keep the game free from ads and monetization.
While Wardle has insisted on keeping the game free for everyone to enjoy, there have been some concerns over whether it will stay that way. Clones of Wordle have popped up frequently since the original went viral, many of which have ads that have frustrated players, which has only led to more praise for Wardle's creation and the decision to keep the game free. Concerns over the future of Wordle cropped up earlier this month when it was confirmed that New York Times would purchase Wordle, with many fearing a paywall may be coming.
Today, February 11, Wordle has officially changed its branding, switching over to the New York Times font and style following its purchase. Users who log in to check the word of the day will now see a new font for the game's title, while finding the website through Google now shows the game as "Wordle - The New York Times." Wordle is still free to play at the time of writing, and its original PowerLanguage domain now diverts to NYTimes.com/games/wordle.
With Wordle's move to New York Times complete, fans are already wondering whether or not a paywall is imminent. New York Times already has a paywalled games section, and it seems very possible that Wordle could become part of the paid service. Both Wardle and NYT have previously stated the game would remain free initially, though the wording suggests this will only be temporary. It's currently unclear if Wordle will be paywalled in the future, though with the acquisition being an expensive seven-figure deal, it seems likely NYT would want to capitalize on its investment.
While the future of Wordle currently remains up in the air, fans can still check the website daily for the latest word puzzle, for free, at least for now. If this does change with a paid service in the coming months, there are at least plenty of other Wordle-inspired puzzle games that look set to remain free, which means there'll still be some options for puzzle lovers, albeit unofficial ones. With many fans already unhappy about the NYT move, it's possible that the company will continue to keep Wordle free forever, but only time will tell.
Source: NYTimes