New York Times Shutting Down the Wordle Archive Could Be A Sign of Things to Come

gamerant.com:

When Josh Wardle launched Wordle in late 2021, it would have been difficult to predict what a global phenomenon the simple word game would become. However, in seemingly no time, it took the internet by storm, and soon everyone was sharing their Wordle results on Twitter and challenging their friends to do better. In 2022, Wordle caught the attention of The New York Times, and it decided to buy the game from Wardle for a sum in the low seven figures.

Since the acquisition, gamers have voiced concern over the future of Wordle. Many are worried that the game that was once free will become an exclusive game only available to The New York Times subscribers, and some fear that the corporatization of Wordle will disrupt the harmonious relationship the game has had with the various clones it has spawned. Some of these fears may have been proven correct because the Wordle Archive has been shut down at the request of The New York Times.

There Is One Little Problem With Wordle

The Wordle Archive is a fan-made service that allows users to play past Wordle puzzles and track their statistics. It is useful for players who might have missed Wordle on certain days, or for players who hopped on the trend late and would like to play the earlier puzzles. Unfortunately, anyone who tries to visit the site now will be met with a message informing them that, due to a request from The New York Times, the archive has been shut down. The message takes on a positive tone, however, and it thanks users for past support, and it encourages players to playWordle on the official site.

This will be a disappointment to gamers wishing to access Wordle's backlog. Although there are several other fan-made Wordle archives, it is likely only a matter of time before