Legal Battle Looms Between Wordle and Worldle Over Name Similarity

The New York Times, the owner of the immensely popular word game Wordle, has initiated legal action against Worldle, a geography-guessing game, over their closely matched names.

Initially developed by British designer Josh Wardle, Wordle gained significant traction during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2022. Following its surge in popularity, the game was acquired by The New York Times.

Conversely, Worldle, a browser-based game requiring players to guess countries based on their shapes, was created and is run by a single individual, Kory McDonald, with a player base of around 100,000 users monthly.

In a legal filing shared with the media, The New York Times alleges that McDonald’s Worldle is causing confusion and capitalizing on Wordle’s established reputation.

McDonald defended his game, emphasizing the distinctions between the two, and pointed out the existence of numerous other similarly named games in the market.

While Wordle has inspired various spin-offs like Flaggle for flags, Nerdle for math puzzles, Yeardle for historical events, and more, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) notes that trademarks need not be identical to create confusion.

Trademark disputes can arise when consumer recognition and distinction between brands are at risk, which is a primary concern for businesses safeguarding their intellectual property.