I’m a huge fan of puzzle games. When Wordle first came out, I was among the many fans who looked forward to the daily challenge, even if I did sometimes fail spectacularly.
It’s a shame that the hype seems to have died down somewhat, but reports from Deadline suggest it might live on in another form: a TV game show, and the board game Clue is also set to have a competition series on Netflix.
I know what you might be thinking: both of these run the risk of being another cash grab, and it might tarnish their good names, but I’m feeling optimistic that it could be a fun new way to let the iconic games live on in a new form.
Wordle’s adaptation is not set in stone, but Deadline said that they “understood that NBC is piloting a game show based on the New York Times game with Savannah Guthrie hosting”. Based on NBC’s involvement, we can speculate that the show would be available to stream on Peacock.
They added that late-night icon Jimmy Fallon is reportedly involved, and the New York Times “began exploring the idea of a Wordle television game show and chose to partner with Fallon and develop the idea”.
As for Clue, Netflix has just greenlit an unscripted series based on the murder mystery classic, according to further reports by Deadline.
The series is set to “feature a group of contestants facing physical and mental challenges to collect clues before stepping into a real-life game of deduction and deception”.
Wordle’s planned adaptation is very different from Clue‘s, of course, but I do think both of these shows have the potential to do well. Game shows are fun to play along at home, and word puzzles have made up popular shows like Wheel of Fortune, so I think that Wordle is perfect for this format.
It’s easy to follow, engaging, and viewers can try to guess before contestants do. Plus, playing Wordle for some great prizes sounds great too, even if we don’t know what those are rumored to be yet.
As for Clue, I can’t help but notice it has echoes of the streaming service’s Squid Game: The Challenge competition, which thrilled fans of one of the best Netflix shows.
There’s definitely been an appetite for competition-based shows, with Squid Game: The Challenge getting renewed, alongside Outlast, which ran for two seasons. And games about deception have gone down well, just look at The Traitors and Who is the Mole?
Of course, these plans don’t come without their challenges. Players are protective of their favorite games, and they won’t want a poor quality adaptation, but NBC and Netflix both have the resources to make something great here.
I really hope they pull both of these off, as I’m excited to watch my favorite puzzle games come to life in a new way. Only time will tell, of course.
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