{"id":8307,"date":"2022-01-31T23:54:08","date_gmt":"2022-01-31T23:54:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/01\/31\/another-wordle-app-mixup-occurs-only-this-time-recipient-of-undue-rewards-builds-good-will\/"},"modified":"2022-01-31T23:54:08","modified_gmt":"2022-01-31T23:54:08","slug":"another-wordle-app-mixup-occurs-only-this-time-recipient-of-undue-rewards-builds-good-will","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/01\/31\/another-wordle-app-mixup-occurs-only-this-time-recipient-of-undue-rewards-builds-good-will\/","title":{"rendered":"Another ‘Wordle’ App Mixup Occurs, Only This Time Recipient Of Undue Rewards Builds Good Will"},"content":{"rendered":"

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from the word-up<\/i> dept<\/h3>\n

\nThis post was written before the news today that the NY Times was buying Wordle<\/a>. It will be interesting to see if suddenly “IP issues” start becoming a bigger deal to the NY Times than they were to the original developer…<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\nJust a week or so back, we discussed how one man ripped off Wordle<\/em>, a browser-based Mastermind<\/em> style game who’s creator insists be free and unmonetized. In that instance, Zach Shakked copied the game with only a few minor additional features and released it as an app going by the same name, Wordle<\/em>, only to find that the entire internet decided this was a dick move<\/a> and helped get the app delisted from Apple and Google stores. That was a story about how one bad actor got dealt with without anyone having to go down intellectual property or legal routes.\n<\/p>\n

\nWell, here we are again with yet another unaffiliated Wordle<\/em> app syphoning off money from people who think they’re getting the browser game in an app… only this time the recipient of that undue income is building up a ton of goodwill by not being a jerk about it<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

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\nAs spotted by GR+, Josh Wardle\u2019s Wordle has led to squillions of confused players (hello!) accidentally downloading a five-year-old app with the same name to their mobile devices. The result being, creator of the other Wordle ended up receiving close to 200,000 downloads in a couple of days. More than it had received in total in the previous five years. And in turn, generating him a whole bunch of advertising revenue.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\nSteven Cravotta created that app five years ago as a teenager almost strictly to practice his coding skills. When he woke up the other day to suddenly find advertising revenue pouring in from the since-forgotten app, he didn’t simply sit back and start counting all the dollar signs floating before his eyes. Instead, he started tweeting about how weird this all was and how much he wishes that the media did a better job of differentiating between Wordle<\/em> the browser game and any Wordle <\/em>mobile app.\n<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s how a mobile game I built 5 years ago suddenly got blown up by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Jimmy Fallon.\n<\/p>\n

\n?????? pic.twitter.com\/aun7YM80p4<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n\u2014 Steven (@StevenCravotta) January 12, 2022<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\nIf you follow that tweet-thread all the way through, you’ll notice a couple of things. Cravotta spends a lot of time pointing out how weird this all is. Then he mentions that he is reaching out to Wordle<\/em> creator Josh Wardle to find out what his preferred charity is so he can donate all of this money to the cause of his choice. The two apparently did speak and landed on Boost! West Oakland, an organization that empowers youths in Oakland, California through school tutoring. And, while he was at it, he pointed out that his more recent and professional apps are available.\n<\/p>\n

\nIn other words, he acted reasonable and human, recognizing that this was all a bunch of confused people accidentally downloading his game. As a result, just as the internet went off on what a jerk the Wordle<\/em> copycat guy seemed to be, so too is it and a bunch of mass media sites reporting on how human and awesome Cravotta is. This is leading more people to his current apps.\n<\/p>\n

\nSometimes a little public reaction is all you need, rather than worrying about IP.\n<\/p>\n

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\"Hide<\/p>\n
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Filed Under: charity<\/a>, confusion<\/a>, human<\/a>, intellectual property<\/a>, josh wardle<\/a>, steven cravotta<\/a>, wordle<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n