Spotify has officially acquired Heardle, the Wordle-inspired song identification game. The streaming platform announced in a blog post that it purchased the game for an undisclosed sum in a move mirroring the New York Times‘ acquisition of the popular word guessing game Wordle.
“We see Heardle as more than a trivia game,” Spotify said in the announcement. “It’s also a tool for musical discovery. Playing Heardle might just help you to rediscover old tracks you may have thought you’d forgotten, discover amazing new artists, or finally put a title to that wordless melody you’ve had caught in your head forever.”
Spotify has assured users that the game will remain free, though they did not specify whether commercials would be added. Users should not expect any major changes to the app except a new font and a feature that will allow players to listen to the song of the day on Spotify.
“We are always looking for innovative and playful ways to enhance music discovery and help artists reach new fans,” Jeremy Erlich, Global Head of Music, Spotify, said in a statement. “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.”
Heardle is currently available in several countries including the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and Spotify has plans to expand to more countries and languages.
Play Heardle online for free here.