Spotify has purchased the music-based trivia game Heardle for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition marks a first for Spotify in the gaming category.
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“New font, sounds just as good,” read an Instagram announcement of the acquisition by Spotify. “Heardle is now powered by Spotify.”
In a blog post by Spotify, the company added that Heardle will remain free and that the streaming platform does not plan to make further changes to the format of game, though players will now be able to listen to the full song on Spotify at the conclusion of the game if they choose.
“We are always looking for innovative and playful ways to enhance music discovery and help artists reach new fans,” said Jeremy Erlich, global head of music, Spotify. “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.”
Heardle, which has millions of players and is a musical play off the hit word-game Wordle, prompts players to guess a song within six tries based on the opening notes of the track. Once the answer is revealed, the song queues up on Spotify.
The company plans to initially integrate Heardle for users in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand before extending it to “hundreds of millions more people around the world” who will be able to play the game in their native languages.
“Further down the road, we are also planning to integrate Heardle and other interactive experiences more fully into Spotify to allow music lovers to connect more deeply with artists and challenge friends,” read the Spotify blog, “and have some fun in the process.”
Photo: Spotify
