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The New York Times acquires Wordle

The popular word-guessing game Wordle has been purchased by the New York Times for a number in "the low seven figures."

Donovan Erskine

January 31, 2022 2:00 PM

Image: Getty Images

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Wordle has taken the internet by storm this month, as social media users have made daily posts to share their results in trying to guess the daily 5-letter word. After all the wild success, Wordle has found a new home. The New York Times has announced that it acquired Wordle for a number in “the low seven figures.”

The New York Times announced its acquisition of Wordle in an article shared on January 31, 2022. The browser-based game that currently pulls in millions of users a day will now be operated by one of North America’s most notable publications. With a long history of word games in its paper, it seems that the New York Times will look to add Wordle to its word game offerings. Creator Josh Wardle also issued a statement following the sale.

An update on Wordle pic.twitter.com/TmHd0AIRLX

— Josh Wardle (@powerlanguish) January 31, 2022

The New York Times neglected to share just how much it paid to acquire Wordle, but says that the number is in “the low seven figures,” meaning that the publication paid upwards of a million dollars to acquire the game. With how popular the game has become over the past month, it’s no surprise that a company as big as NYT was interested in getting in on the deal. Earlier this month, Wordle creator Josh Wardle stated that he had no plans to monetize the game following its breakout success.

With the New York Times acquiring Wordle, fans of the game are likely wondering when and how it will impact the way they play. “The company said the game would initially remain free to new and existing players,” NYT states in its story.

Wordle was first released back in October of 2021 and hit nuclear levels of success this month, becoming a mainstay across social media feeds. To keep up with everything that’s happening to Wordle, stick with Shacknews.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_