Wordle, the riddle puzzle game that invaded our Twitter timelines, does not currently have an official app. This may surprise anyone who has searched for it on theApp Store, a place currently filled with unofficial copies. Each of these copies uses the same name and the same mechanics of the original, which was made by Josh Wardle e distributed on the web for free. Let’s find out more details together.
Wordle and the App Store Problem
Most people who have been online have certainly had something to do with Wordle, even if they haven’t tried it firsthand. The Guardian, for example, has reported that the game boasts 2 million daily players.
It’s a simple but well done concept: every day you go to the Wordle site, where you have it five possibilities to guess one five letter word. The game gives you feedback on what letters did you put in the right place, what letters I’m in the word but not in the order you chose and which letters I’m not in the correct answer.
Some parts of Twitter have been taken over by black square emojis, gave e yellow, which players use to show their game without spoiling the word of the day.
As with most good ideas (especially those that go viral), there have been several clever parodies of Wordle. While many of the parody versions bring users back to the original, this does not seem to be the case with the versions on the App Store. These, in fact, they do not return the user to the original application. They don’t even claim to be mere spin-offs.
They simply exist.
An uncomfortable situation for Apple
The situation turns out to be embarrassing for Apple. The Cupertino company has often cited its own high standards e the App Review process as the key features of the company. However the review process has been challenged by multiple scams and controversies, but these concerning Wordle seem particularly evident.
Ultimately, they are using the same name and have an extremely similar interface to the original.
As if that weren’t enough, the applications they are copying a website, months after Apple found itself in court face to face with Epic Games. Last, but not least, it appears that there are not many Wordle clones present on the Google Play Store. Those present on the Store, in any case, are linked to the last rows and it is extremely difficult to find them.
Google Play reports that the app has “more than 500 downloads” – the developer behind one of the Wordle clones on iOS claimed to get 5.400 download all’ora on Twitter. Besides, this version of theirs wasn’t even in the first three search results.
Wardle did not monetize its version of Wordle with ads or subscriptions. It totally is free. According to a New York Times profile, he made the game for his partner, who he loved crosswords. “I think people like that there’s this thing online that’s just plain funny,” Wardle told Wordle. “He’s not trying to do something shady with your data or your eyes. It’s just a fun game ”.
If you are curious to try the game, you can consult the official website.