Wordle
Over the Christmas holidays, I started noticing lots of people posting images of some sort of grid composed of coloured squares in my Twitter timeline. Then the hashtag #wordle provided a name and it became apparent that all this activity was to do with some sort of game. Eventually my curiosity got the better of me and I did a Google search and discovered the exact nature of Wordle. The game was originally created by software engineer Josh Wardle for his partner, Palak Shah. Family and friends played the game and it proved popular. So Wardle then decided to make it available online, last October. By November 90 people were playing Wordle. However, after a share online button was added to the game the audience rapidly grew. As of 2nd January it had over 300,000 players with several high profile celebrities among that number.
The game involves trying to guess a five-letter word each day. The player has six attempts available. Each time you make a guess, it will show if the letter you used was correct and in the right space, correct but in the wrong space, or not in the word at all. Wordle uses a colour code system to show players their respective success or failure, with letters turning green if they’re in the right space or yellow if they’re in the wrong space. There is only one word available each day and the word is the same for everyone playing. Players can share their results with each other. There is also a hard mode for players who want an extra challenge, forcing them to use the letter hints given by the game in subsequent guesses and restricting what they can guess next.
I am not an active player of Wordle. I gave it a go while researching this post and decided it’s not for me, which is odd for someone who likes words and language. However, that’s not to say it’s appeal and charm is lost upon me. I can understand why a game such as this gains traction with people. There is no bar to entry, no cost and the game’s rules are straightforward and unambiguous. The game is also educational and an opportunity to expand one’s vocabulary. Plus every player is guessing the same word each day, which adds a sense of a shared experience. Posting on social media means that people can swap scores and engage with each other about the game. It is this social element that has undoubtedly contributed to the games success. It’s traction on social media has attracted a lot of press attention. Josh Wardle was recently interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, which is a prestigious UK news vehicle.
My interest in Wordle stems from what Josh Wardle said during the course of his BBC interview on Wednesday 5th January. Especially in light of the triple A video game industries current infatuation with NFTs and blockchain technology; their latest monetisation fetish. “I don't understand why something can't just be fun. I don't have to charge people money for this and ideally would like to keep it that way. Wordle is very simple and you can play it in three minutes, and that is all you get. There are also no ads and I am not doing anything with your data, and that is also quite deliberate”. Wordle currently exists as a web based game. When asked regarding a mobile app version, he stated “I am a bit suspicious of mobile apps that demand your attention and send you push notifications to get more of your attention. I like the idea of doing the opposite of that; what about a game that deliberately doesn't want much of your attention”.
I wonder what Yosuke Matsuda, the President of Square Enix, would make of Josh Wardle’s philosophy? Matsuda stated recently in a corporate press release that "goodwill” and "volunteer spirit” were "inconsistent personal feelings” and essentially looked down upon them as they were difficult to monetise. I think what Josh Wardle’s comments highlight is the intrinsic difference in mindset between those who personally create art and those third parties who see it purely as a means to profit. Reflecting upon both positions, I know which one I feel most well disposed towards and which one I will afford a degree of goodwill. I believe that there is a valuable insight to be gained here as well as an important life lesson. However, I suspect that one party is too busy counting their money to learn either of them.
