Wordle is coming to NBC as a game show with Savannah Guthrie

Wordle is officially turning into a game show on NBC, with a planned premiere in 2027. The show will be led by Savannah Guthrie, co-host of the Today show.

She announced the project alongside Jimmy Fallon, whose production company is also involved in bringing the show to life. NBC even previewed clips from a pilot episode, which was taped earlier.

From daily puzzle to prime-time TV

A few years ago, Wordle was just a simple game created by Josh Wardle for his partner. Then, it went viral. Later, it was acquired by The New York Times. Now, it’s becoming a full-blown television format.

The show will feature teams of three players competing for a large cash prize, with casting already underway for the first season.

How do you turn Wordle into a show?

Wordle works because it’s simple, quick, personal, and shareable. You play once a day, compare results, and move on.

Turning that into a TV format means stretching that same tension (the guessing, narrowing down letters, and chasing the correct word) into something competitive and watchable.

According to producers, the goal is to keep the “thrill” of the original game while building something that works for an audience.

The entire idea here makes sense, as Wordle is one of few games in recent memory that went viral globally, stayed relevant, and pretty much became part of people’s daily routine. 

And this might not stop at one show, as NBCUniversal isn’t just making one version. The plan is to license the format globally, meaning other countries could create local versions and the show could expand into multiple markets.

So, that daily five-letter puzzle you casually solve in under five minutes could really become a full franchise someday soon.

Source: CNN