NYT’s Wordle to become a TV game show
Published: (May 11, 2026 at 10:23 AM EDT)
2 min read
Source: TechCrunch
Source: TechCrunch
Overview
Image Credits: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch
The New York Times is betting that the Wordle craze isn’t over yet. On Monday, the Times announced that it will turn the hit mobile word game into a televised game show on NBC.
Announcement Details
- Host: “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie
- Production partners: The Times and “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon
- Reveal: Guthrie and Fallon announced the news on the 8:00 AM broadcast of the “Today” show.
- Development timeline: The game show has been in development for the past two‑and‑a‑half years.
- Premiere: The show will begin airing on NBC next year and is described as “fast‑paced” and a “great family game.”
The format is expected to differ from the mobile version, which often requires longer periods of thought as users work through possible choices.
Production & Casting
- Filming: NBC will start shooting episodes this summer.
- Contestants: The network is currently looking for participants. A casting call can be found here.
Background on Wordle
- Origins: Wordle launched in October 2021, created by Brooklyn‑based software engineer Josh Wardle.
- Acquisition: The New York Times purchased Wordle in January 2022 to expand its games business.
- User impact: The acquisition brought “tens of millions” of new users to the Times.
- Play statistics: NYT Games reported that users played more than 11 billion puzzles across all its games in the most recent year, up from 8 billion in 2023.
Significance
This will be the first time the Times collaborates with a TV broadcaster for an entertainment‑based program, marking another shift in the media company’s strategy to build a sustainable digital subscription business as print revenue continues to decline.