Although Spotify is already the largest streaming service in the world with a market share of 31 percent as of 2021, the company has set its sights on becoming more interactive, with livestreams, podcasts, and new video content coming down the pike. Now, it’s adding gaming to its diversifying range of options, announcing today that it’s acquiring Heardle, the music trivia game inspired by the viral phenomenon Wordle. Wordle was acquired by New York Times in January of this year.
If you haven’t played Heardle yet, the gist is simple. It’s a lot like the TV game show Name That Tune; after the opening notes of a song are played, players are given six chances to guess the song. According to CNBC, the format will remain largely unchanged; starting today, though, an option will be added to allow players to listen to the full songs on Spotify. The game will still appear on its own website, and Spotify plans to expand from Anglophone countries like the US and Canada, the UK and Ireland, and Australia and New Zealand to more territories in the future.
A statement from Spotify promises integration into the Spotify app itself. “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—and have some fun in the process,” it said.