Key Zack Shaked – The creator of one of several controversial copy versions of Josh Wardell’s popular free word guessing game – Responded to Apple that removed its app from the app store after an online response following its boasting of its clone’s money-making potential.
“I understand I crossed a line. And I’m sure, I’ll probably never do anything close to that again. Fuck,” Shaked tweeted. He goes on to explain that “Wordle” itself was not a trademark and that Wardle’s game was similar to Tongue, An older TV game show with a similar mechanic for guessing words. Shaked also says he planned to expand Word With more functionality and changing the overall design of the app so that it is less similar to Wardle’s own game, did it succeed before Apple removed its app from the store.
Here are my calculations:
A) Wordle is a ripoff of another game
B) Word The word is not a trademark and there are a bunch of other unrelated word apps with the same name
C) Wow, I’ll break into something this weekend and see if I can make money– Zack (@zachshakked) January 12, 2022
Word Has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few weeks, with its minimalist design, its everyday puzzles, and now iconic grids of gray, yellow and green squares. The original game is completely free and played exclusively through a web browser, leaving an opportunity for any number of copywriters to try and make quick money from the concept in the App Store.
Shaked’s clone (called “Wordle – the app”) was one of the more high-profile copies, thanks to the developer’s festive tweets about the project and the price tag that raises eyebrows – an optional $ 30 annual subscription that will allow players to play an unlimited number of puzzles, instead Of Wordle One system per day. Shaked’s tweets also rubbed many the wrong way, boasting about how many downloads and trial subscriptions his app gets and how it “goes to the fucking moon.”
Shortly after reports of Word Separations broke out, Apple went into action, and last night removed the offensive apps from the app store. Currently, there are only two puzzle games left called “Wordle” in front of Apple’s store, both of which offer very different types of word games than Wardle’s viral hit and which precede the web app by several years. (By the way, the other Wordles seem to be very much enjoying Wardle’s game success, with both apps climbing up the App Store tables).
In a separate thread, Shaked also says he spoke with Wardell and offered to license the idea, work together to develop a formal app or pay him a percentage of any profit, which Wardell reportedly refused. Shaked also claims he told Wardell that he would “consider changing the name” before the app is completely removed.
Wardell, for what it’s worth, was already very clear about the idea of monetization Word (Which, As explained came New York Times interview, Originally created as a gift for his partner). “I think people quite appreciate having this thing on the internet that’s just fun,” Wardell said. “It’s not trying to do anything questionable with your data or your eyeballs. It’s just a fun game.”
The results of the backlash seem to have missed Shaked (who previously complained on Twitter about how “[s]”Ideas / features of copying / pasting will not get you anywhere”) on the idea of copying apps in the future. Almond.
Zach Shaked did not respond to a request for comment.