The New York Times’ decision to change Monday’s Wordle answer is part of a long-running debate about how politically charged games should be.
Why it matters: From online crossword puzzles to Call of Duty, popular games rarely tackle, or even broach, charged topics. Books, music and other sectors of culture are far more likely to confront divisive subjects.
Driving the news: The Times swapped out Monday’s originally planned Wordle answer, “fetus,” noting it unintentionally coincided with the leak of a draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
What they’re saying: “At New York Times Games, we take our role seriously as a place to entertain and escape, and we want Wordle to remain distinct from the news,” wrote Everdeen Mason, the Times’ editorial director for games.
Between the lines: Game makers’ avoidance of content that is viewed as politically controversial is near-constant in big-budget games.
Yes, but word games are different, some experts say, and are not presented with the vivid context of a Call of Duty war game that gestures at reality.
What’s next: The Times says it's changing the tech behind Wordle to ensure it has control of the day’s answer for all users.
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