It's the game we've all been addicted to since Christmas; that daily word teaser to tickle the old grey matter - Wordle. Earlier this week the news broke that the simple game developed by a chap for his girlfriend has been snapped up by The New York Times for a reported seven figure sum. Not a bad return for your hobby!

But what's interesting is that this game that has gripped the nation growing from a handful of family and friends playing each day to having millions of daily users captures one of the trends that we have seen throughout 2021 and expect to see continue into 2022 – significant investment in the gaming industry. 

And it's not just a trend in the pure gaming context, gamification is growing at a rapid rate with everything from coffee shop loyalty schemes to data protection compliance now being found in some form of interactive format as gaming nuzzles its way into the non-gaming world. The high levels of engagement offered by simple games bring untold benefits to corporates by increasing reach and interaction with a wider audience. The opportunities for expansion are rife.

So will this rise continue? It's hard to see it slowing down or at least hard to see interest in this area slowing down. We're starting to see consolidation in the market with Sony purchasing Bungie and the Microsoft Activision Blizzard deal to name a couple of recent examples. Team this with the rise of ESports, the advent of the Metaverse and 2022 is shaping up to be a very exciting year!

Now to the most important thing, today's Wordle...not my best effort!

Wordle 229 4/6

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