Streaming giant Netflix Inc NFLX wants to capture the same magic that the viral word game Wordle had in 2022, when it attracted millions of daily players and was the most searched topic on Google.
What Happened: Netflix's newest game is already attracting plenty of attention thanks to various reviews from Mashable and Tom’s Guide labeling the game as the "Wordle killer."
"TED Tumblewords" is a new daily word puzzle mobile game launching on Netflix and Ted.com on Nov. 19. The game will be available to Netflix subscribers for free with no in-game ads or in-app purchases, according to a Variety report.
The game will allow people to compete against friends, strangers or the "TED Bot." In the game, people slide rows of scrambled letters to create words, attempting to make the longest words possible, earning points for various length word chains.
The report said players can take part in three unique puzzles every day and work to climb leaderboards. One feature that could help the game get some attention is the ability to share scores and victories on social media.
"TED Tumblewords" sees Netflix partnering with the non-profit conferences company best known for "TED Talks."
Gamers can pre-register for the game on Android and iOS ahead of the release.
Why It's Important: Netflix was reported to be exploring video games back in 2021 and in recent years has released multiple games for its subscribers.
Past video game titles and new games based on Netflix movies and television shows continue to be released by the streaming company and have passed 210 million downloads as of September.
Wordle was launched in November 2021 and after a slow start grew to hundreds of thousands of daily players for the five-letter word game created by Josh Wardle.
The game went viral and became the top searched item on Google for the year and also attracted attention from The New York Times Co NYT, who bought the game.
Word games like Wordle have helped The New York Times see daily visits from people who play the game and various other games the newspaper company has launched.
While Netflix already commands a strong amount of streaming time from its subscribers, efforts to boost subscribers and time spent on the platform comes from live specials, sports rights and video games.
With the potential "Wordle Killer," Netflix could have another way to dominate screen time.
NFLX, NYT Price Action: Netflix stock trades at $752.28 on Thursday versus a 52-week trading range of $395.62 to $773.00. Netflix stock is up 61% year-to-date in 2024.
New York Times shares trade at $54.15 on Thursday versus a 52-week trading range of $39.73 to $56.49. New York Times stock is up 13% year-to-date in 2024.
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Image: Netflix
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