Wordle is being adapted into a TV show on NBC, and it already seems like a betrayal.

      Each morning, millions of individuals access Wordle, gaze at a blank grid, and engage in a personal struggle with the five letters for a few quiet moments.

      There’s no host guiding your every action, no studio audience reacting as you mistakenly guess a word, and absolutely no one offering encouragement. It’s just you, the word, and the gratifying feeling of solving it in under three tries.

      However, The New York Times aims to change that by bringing it to NBC in prime time. Wordle is set to become a game show, hosted by Today anchor Savannah Guthrie and produced by Jimmy Fallon, with filming beginning this summer and a planned air date in 2027 (according to BBC).

      So, what can we expect from the Wordle television show?

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      Details are scarce, but what we do know is that the show will be characterized as “fast-paced” and a “great family game.” It will be filmed in Manchester, England, and will feature Wordle’s distinct typeface and color palette.

      For NYT, this marks a milestone. The organization has never collaborated with a broadcast network for a prime-time entertainment program previously. This also indicates the direction the company is taking.

      Its Games division, which encompasses Wordle, the Crossword, and Spelling Bee, is among its most favored offerings, with users completing over 11 billion puzzles across all NYT games in the past year alone. Transitioning Wordle into a television franchise makes business sense, though whether it makes creative sense remains to be seen.

      Having played Wordle for years, this announcement feels like a loss.

      Andrew Martonik / Digital Trends

      The charm of Wordle lies in its ritual. You play it once each day, guessing the same word as everyone else, and then share your green and yellow squares with your group chat. That’s the essence of it, and this straightforwardness is what makes it special.

      A neuroscientist noted that people have an impressive ability to detect when an online experience is designed for engagement, sales, or profit. Wordle's understated approach, free of ads, push notifications, and with a simple website, is a significant reason for its success.

      Josh Wardle, the software engineer behind the original game, remarked that Wordle showed the internet could be focused on more than just profit. A prime-time NBC game show featuring a studio audience, a celebrity host, and cash prizes is nearly the opposite of that initial ethos.

      The show could ultimately be enjoyable for many, especially since Guthrie is a true fan of Wordle, and Fallon knows how to entertain a crowd. However, the version of Wordle set to appear on your TV next year may not be the same one you cherished over your morning coffee. That original was always meant just for you.