Game developer Aaron shares his journey into game development and attempts to acquire Wordle before the New York Times did. The podcast explores online game monetization, the rise of Wordle, and the missed opportunity of acquiring the popular word game.
Aaron's journey into game development started with building CookgirlConquest.com inspired by the Sudoku craze, leading to successful monetization strategies.
Despite attempts to acquire Wordle and the domain, Aaron's efforts to reach Josh Wardle were unsuccessful, reflecting challenges in online advertising and missed opportunities.
Deep dives
Origin of CookgirlConquest.com and Online Game Development
Aaron's journey into game development started with CookgirlConquest.com, an online game he initially built for fun, inspired by the Sudoku craze in the mid-2000s. Despite his original intent to keep it non-commercial, the game quickly gained popularity and ranked high in Google search results, leading him to monetize it with ads and eventually selling another game, World Conquest, on Facebook.
Attempted Acquisition of Wordle and Observations on Online Advertising
Aaron's interest in acquiring games grew over the years, leading to attempts to purchase games like websudoku.com. He later set his sights on Wordle after its skyrocketing popularity. Despite offering to buy the game and the domain, his attempts to reach Wordle's creator, Josh Wardle, were unsuccessful. Aaron reflects on the changing landscape of online advertising from the past to the present, highlighting the challenges and differences in ad strategies.
Reflections on Wordle's Impact and Missed Opportunities
Aaron discusses the impact of Wordle on the gaming industry, likening it to a genre-defining phenomenon that inspired a resurgence in daily brainy web games and online game development. While acknowledging missed opportunities in acquiring Wordle, Aaron expresses gratitude to Josh Wardle for revolutionizing the category and creating a platform for game developers to innovate and excel. He reflects on the lasting influence of Wordle and its role in elevating the gaming landscape for creators and players alike.
Right before the New York Times announced they acquired Wordle in the low-mid seven figures, Aaron attempted to buy Wordle, and wordle.com. Listen to Aaron's story on why he started building games, and how that led to his attempt to purchase the popular daily word game that took the world by storm.
How close did he get? Listen and find out!
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(00:00) - Introduction to the Hey, Good Game Podcast
(01:17) - The Unstoppable Rise of Wordle
(02:12) - Aaron's Journey into Game Development
(06:38) - The Evolution of Online Game Monetization
(13:24) - The Attempt to Acquire Wordle
(29:14) - Reflections and the Future of Daily Brainy Games