The New York Times announced on Monday that its popular daily word game Wordle will be adapted into a television game show for NBC, with Today show host Savannah Guthrie at the helm and late-night star Jimmy Fallon serving as producer. Filming is expected to begin over the summer.
The New York Times is bringing one of its most popular digital properties to the small screen, announcing a partnership with NBC to produce a Wordle-based game show hosted by Savannah Guthrie.
The show will mark the first time the Times has collaborated with a television broadcaster to produce an entertainment-based program — a notable milestone for a media company that has increasingly leaned on digital subscriptions and games to offset declining print revenue.
Jimmy Fallon, the host of NBC's Tonight Show, will serve as producer on the project. Filming is set to begin over the summer, though a premiere date has not yet been announced.
For Guthrie, the show represents her first new onscreen venture since her return to NBC's Today show in April, following a personal absence of two months after the disappearance of her mother.
Wordle, which challenges players to guess a five-letter word in six attempts, became a viral sensation after its creation by software engineer Josh Wardle in 2021. The New York Times acquired the game in early 2022 for a reported price in the low seven figures. Since the acquisition, the Times has expanded its games portfolio significantly — including Connections, Strands, and the Mini Crossword — as part of a broader strategy to attract and retain digital subscribers.
The translation of Wordle's simple but addictive mechanics into a live television format will require creative adaptation. The original game is a solitary, text-based experience played once per day, and it remains to be seen how the format will be reimagined to suit a broadcast audience and competitive game show structure.
The Times has not disclosed details about how the television format will work, how many contestants will compete, or what network time slot the show is targeting.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The deal signals a new phase in the New York Times' diversification strategy, moving beyond digital subscriptions into broadcast entertainment licensing — a significant shift for a traditional newspaper brand.
- If successful, the show could demonstrate a viable new revenue model for legacy media companies looking to monetise intellectual property beyond paywalls and advertising.
- The collaboration puts Wordle in front of a mass broadcast audience, which could further drive subscriptions and brand awareness for the Times' broader games suite.
Background
Wordle was created by software engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner and released publicly in late 2021. The game spread rapidly across social media, driven by its distinctive colour-coded sharing format. By January 2022, it had millions of daily players, and the New York Times moved swiftly to acquire it.
The acquisition came at a pivotal moment for the Times, which had been aggressively building its digital subscription base under a strategy that prioritised games, cooking, and sports coverage (via The Athletic) alongside its core news product. The games vertical — anchored by the venerable NYT Crossword and boosted by Wordle — has become a meaningful contributor to the company's subscription numbers.
Game show adaptations of popular intellectual properties have a long and commercially successful history in television, from Wheel of Fortune to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Publishers and digital platforms have increasingly explored similar licensing opportunities as traditional advertising revenues weaken.
Key Perspectives
The New York Times: The broadcaster partnership represents a logical extension of its IP strategy, offering a new revenue stream while raising the profile of its games brand among audiences who may not be digital subscribers.
NBC and Jimmy Fallon: For the network, the show provides a recognisable, pre-tested brand with a built-in fanbase. Fallon's involvement ties the project to his established entertainment sensibility and existing NBC relationship.
Critics and Skeptics: Translating a minimalist, solitary word game into compelling broadcast television is an unproven proposition. Some observers may question whether Wordle's appeal — rooted in its simplicity and daily ritual — can survive the structural demands of a competitive game show format.
What to Watch
- Announcement of a premiere date and time slot, which will indicate how much confidence NBC has in the format's commercial prospects.
- Audience and critical reception once the show format is revealed — specifically, how closely it mirrors the original game's mechanics.
- Whether strong ratings translate into increased New York Times Games subscriptions, validating the cross-platform strategy.