The battle of the “le” games has taken a legal turn as the owner of the popular online game Wordle, The New York Times, is challenging a geography-based spinoff called Worldle. The filing accuses Worldle of creating confusion and attempting to capitalize on the goodwill associated with the Wordle brand.
In response, the creator of Worldle, Kody McDonald, is vowing to fight back, citing the existence of other games with similar titles such as Flaggle and pointing out that Worldle is about the world, while Wordle is about words.
Wordle, which began as a side project in 2021, has grown into a massive success, reaching millions of players worldwide. In contrast, Worldle has around 100,000 monthly players and is only available to play via a web browser.
Despite the legal challenge, McDonald remains undaunted, stating that he may consider changing the name if necessary but believes Worldle will be okay. The New York Times has not commented further beyond its legal submission.
This legal battle is not the first time the New York Times has taken action to protect its game. In the past, a Shetland dialect version of Wordle shut down following a copyright challenge from the publishing group.
Copyright expert David Levine suggests that the similarities between Wordle and Worldle could lead to consumer confusion, including pronunciation issues. However, McDonald remains hopeful and determined to defend his project.
As the legal battle unfolds, the fate of Worldle and other “le” games remains uncertain. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
