Paywall for Wordle Might Come; So Are Free Wordles

Mobile Games

If you are a worried fan of Wordle, you should start looking for free Wordle alternatives now. Ever since The New York Times has bought the game, many have feared that it will no longer be free sometime in the future.

The broadsheet and online newspaper company has since said that the breakthrough browser-based word game will remain free during the buyout. We’d like to believe that it will be since NYT word games like Sudoku, Spelling Bee, and Crossword are setting a precedent. However, Wordle is seemingly bound for a paywall after The NYT was quoted saying it will “initially” remain free to new and existing players.

 

Why Is Wordle Successful?

Wordle
©Cellular News

Wordle quickly became an internet trend across the world since its release in October 2021 because of its simple and unique gameplay. Since it’s a passion project, the creator did not initially intend to earn from it. Wordle was add-free and does not require an account.

When you visit the website, you will see a five-column and six-row grid representing the letters and number of guesses allowed, respectively. Unlike other word games, there are no upfront clues like scrambled letters; your first five-letter word guess will effectively be your clue.

A letter tile that turns grey is not in the word, yellow is in the word but in the wrong place, and a green tile means the letter is in the correct place. Every correct word guessed will count towards your streak. There will also be statistics of how many times you have played Wordle, your win rate, and your max streak.

What’s more interesting is that the game is not designed to be addictive. There’s is only one word to guess in a day and players only get one chance to play it per browser.

When the deal to acquire Wordle broke out, Josh Wardle — the creator of the game — said that the game will be free to play for everyone and that all player statistics will be preserved. So far, there a no changes on Wordle since its website migration.

 

The Rise of the Free Wordle Alternatives

Wordle copycats have started to sprout even before its acquisition, but more free alternatives have come out out of the fear that the game might be stuck behind a paywall. Some of the independent developers claim that they are a fan who wants to keep the experience of the free Wordle. Whether their intentions are genuine or they just riding the trend, people are biting on this narrative.

These so-called “free Wordle alternatives” even go in similar names — Absurdle, Wordle Cup, Quordle, and so forth. However, the Wordle alternative that is aptly called “Free Wordle” is the nearest to the original not just by sound, but by the experience it provides.

Free Wordle looks identical to the Wordle the rest of the world is familiar with. It’s not any different, to begin with, because it only mirrors what is on the main Wordle website. This means you’ll get the same word to guess from it.

The original Wordle may or may not stay for free, but it won’t change the fact that getting an alternative is great if it means two or several Worldle experiences in a day.