The Power of the Word(le): Gaming, its Growing Influence and The NYTimes

The New York Times’ investment of over one million dollars in the Wordle game over a year ago has proven to be a wise decision. Wordle has been played more than two billion times in the past year, attracting “tens of millions” of new users to the newspaper’s platform. This surge in popularity has led to a significant increase in subscribers to the Times’ Games section, with over one million new subscriptions.

Expanding Business by Playing Games

The Wordle deal not only expanded the subscriber base but also contributed to the Times’ strategy of offering bundle packages, such as the “All Access” bundle, which includes games along with other content. This approach aims to increase the average revenue per subscriber and retain them over the long term.

In terms of dollars:

Someone who pays for Games brings in $5 a month, or $40 a year Someone who pays for the “All Access” bundle brings in $4 every month for a year Then the standard rate of $25 a month and so on, according to The New York Times.

Shifting Demographics

Wordle also helped the Times attract a younger, more international, and diverse audience. Engaging with both news and games increases subscriber retention rates, making gaming a valuable anchor for the publisher. The Times is now planning to relaunch its Crossword app as the New York Times Games app to offer a more comprehensive gaming experience.

According to reports, The Times intends to continue its focus on puzzle games, emphasizing high-quality, human-crafted puzzles that are cost-effective to produce. These games have proven to be a profitable investment for the newspaper, contributing significantly to its subscription business and overall revenue.

Why it Matters to Us and Brands

At Monetizr, we’re in-tune with mobile gaming trends, business opporunties and the many ways brands are increasing their precense in this often underrated media channe. Consider this following graphic.

That’s a big variance. One that is changing but as more and more mainstream outlets like The New York Times discovers the power of gaming, this type of ad spending is shifting. Soon this data will be turned on its head.

If you want to learn more about getting your brand into gaming, I’d love to show you. Reach out to me directly here, or sign up for a demo here.