It doesn’t feel like long ago that word games and puzzles were the reserve of grandparents or people with time on their hands. Perhaps your dad used to fill out the crossword in his paper each day, or maybe your gran would get a book of word puzzles on occasion. Either way, you probably assumed that word games weren’t for you and, in those traditional formats, perhaps you were right.
But recent years have led to an interesting development that’s seen word games not just rising up the popularity ranks, but actually becoming a habit for people across generations. This resurgence is a thing to behold, and it’s caught the attention of psychologists, marketers, and users alike. All of whom are asking one key question – how on earth did word games go from being a largely forgotten joy to being a notable internet sensation?
The answer isn’t actually as surprising as you might think. Let’s get into it here.
# 1 – Word Games for the Masses
The vast majority of people who used to complete word games would do so after reading their daily paper. This is a large part of why word game audiences started dwindling, especially as more of us began getting our news online. But word games didn’t simply die out in this information age. They rose like a beautiful phoenix. And why? Because smart companies ensured that they were available to the masses.
From online crossword and word search options to apps like Wordle, the last decade has seen word puzzles coming off the page and very much becoming synonymous with online gaming. Not only has this switch meant that more of us are likely to log on and get playing, but it’s also increased accessibility by making word puzzles easier and quicker for everyone to play.
For instance, online word puzzles tend to come complete with differing difficulty levels and even clues if you get stuck. Equally, apps like Wordle are specifically designed to be quick and punchy enough that even novice players can complete them while eating breakfast or undertaking their commute. At a time when we’re all time-starved and short on attention, this has proven transformative for word puzzle success.
# 2 – Giving a Reason to Come Back
Unlike crossword books that might sit on the side untouched, modern word games also provide players with far more reasons to come back. For instance, online alternatives come complete with scoreboards that players might want to check in with more regularly than they might have signed on otherwise.
Word game apps that now include Wordle, Quordle, and Octordle also have the benefit of sending daily notifications directly to users’ home screens, turning them into a daily habit that’s hard to break. Apps also tend to track winning streaks, which gives users more reasons to come back and start playing every single day.
These are benefits that simply didn’t exist when word games were still analogue, and, as well as being better for marketing teams, it makes playing a whole lot more fun for users. This increased drive to get started has also appealed to a brand new generation of players, who have further incentivized themselves to get online by playing alongside their friends or setting their own personal goals alongside in-game prompts.
# 3 – Creating Conversations
Speaking of playing alongside friends, online word games have also become great conversation starters. Not only do people talk to their friends about the daily Wordle and their personal streak, but they’re even setting up WhatsApp groups to discuss this hobby that, just a decade ago, young people simply didn’t seem interested in.
This conversational benefit is further highlighted by the many celebrities who now talk openly about their love for crosswords, Wordle, and more, including Tom Hanks, Lizzo, and Jimmy Fallon. Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Bradley Cooper, and Matt Damon have also talked about their headline-creating WhatsApp group, ‘The Nerdle League’.
These conversations may be a bit of fun, but they’re also highlighting the notable societal shift towards talking more openly about games like these. And, the more famous faces and friends that talk about word puzzles, the more likely people are to play, enjoy, and learn from these all-important puzzles.
# 4 – Spreading the Word About The Benefits of Word Games
It follows that, as more people talk about word games, more people are also becoming aware of the benefits that they can enjoy by starting to play them. These benefits are tenfold and include, most notably, cognitive improvements like a sharper memory and a quicker ability to recall information. Players can also enjoy multiple wellness benefits, including stress relief, relaxation, and strengthened social connections.
This has always been true whether you’re completing an on-paper word search or moving a cursor across a word search on your screen. Now, though, as more people play games like these, more people are also starting to experience and hear about their benefits.
For instance, studies are now being conducted into the cognitive value of regular word gameplay, including one study that found Scrabble players are 20% faster at word recognition. Researchers have also discovered that players are far better at distinguishing words that appear vertically, which is most likely a skill that avid crossword and word search players also possess.
The more that studies like these enter the mainstream, and the more that researchers look into the psychology of word games, the more reason modern audiences will have to play them.
Conclusion
Word games are the rising stars of internet gameplay across recent years, and apps like Wordle now receive millions of players every single day. That makes these some of the most common puzzle games in the world right now, and audiences who have never considered them before are keen to give them a try. Whether you’ve neglected the trend until now, or struggled to get into games when you did try, then let these pointers be your permission to give online alternatives a try!
