In search of a successor to crosswords and sudoku, the famous daily newspaper The New York Times announced the acquisition of Wordle, whose growing popularity brings together several million Internet users every day.
This Monday, January 31, Wordle was bought from its creator, Josh Wardle. This computer engineer based in Brooklyn had initially created this free game during the confinements of 2020, watching his wife having fun with crosswords. The redemption price has not been disclosed but is “in the seven figures”, announced the New York Times. The company also clarified that the game will initially remain free for new and existing players.
Several million daily players
This is a good pickaxe for the American media which follows the Wordle trend. As a reminder, this online game which follows the rules of Motus was still unknown at the end of October. However, it saw its popularity suddenly skyrocket last November, going from 90 players to more than 300,000 a day in the United States.
The hit game Wordle has been purchased by the New York Times Company for a price “in the low seven figures,” the company said. https://t.co/XZhY6kW3mv
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 31, 2022
In early January, its international media coverage then pushed the small site into another dimension, with peak attendance of more than 10 million visitors per day.
This acquisition represents a new growth driver for the New York Times, which wishes to welcome new online subscribers. The New York Times games section – which includes crossword puzzles, Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, Tiles and Vertex, among others – was used more than 500 million times last year, the US company said.