Spotify has acquired Worldle-like music game Heardle for an undisclosed fee.
Like Wordle, the popular word guessing game that was eventually purchased by the New York Times for a “low seven figure” sum, Heardle tasks players with guessing a different song each day based on its opening notes.
Players are granted six guesses, with each one serving up a few more seconds of music to inform their next answer.
Spotify announced its purchase of Heardle earlier today and confirmed the experience will remain free-to-play for everyone.
A visual revamp might be on the cards for newcomers, however, with Spotify explaining that Heardle will retain its current “look for feel” for existing players. That suggests a few changes might be on the way in the future.
The company also intends to integrate Heardle and other interactive experiences more fully into Spotify to let users “connect more deeply with artists and challenge friends.”
Outlining the business rationale behind the purchase, Spotify’s global head of music Jeremy Erlich said Heardle has expanded beyond its video game roots to emerge as something of a discovery tool.
“We are always looking for innovative and playful ways to enhance music discovery and help artists reach new fans,” commented Erlich.
“Heardle has proven to be a really fun way to connect millions of fans with songs they know and love and with new songs and a way to compete with their friends as to who has the best musical knowledge. Since its debut, the game has quickly built a loyal following, and it aligns with our plans to deepen interactivity across the Spotify ecosystem.”
Effective today, Heardle players will be able to listen to the daily track in full on Spotify at the end of the game.