The New York Times Connections
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| Connections | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | The New York Times |
| Publisher(s) | The New York Times |
| Writer(s) | Wyna Liu |
| Platform(s) | Desktop, mobile |
| Release | June 12, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Word game |
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Connections is a 2023 word video game developed and published by The New York Times (NYT). It was released for PC on June 12, 2023, during its beta phase. It was the second most played game behind Wordle, another word game produced by the NYT.[1][2][3]
The game was criticized for being a duplicate version of Only Connect, a British quiz show.
Gameplay
In Connections, the player has four attempts to clear a grid of sixteen squares. They must select four squares at a time that fit under a specific category (e.g. dog, cat, fish, and parrot for the category "Household Pets").[4]
Development
The games department of the NYT hosts a yearly game jam in where participants suggest ideas for upcoming games to release to the website;[5] one of them was Connections, which had been in development for a year before releasing in its beta phase on June 12, 2023.[1][6]
Wyna Liu, editor of NYT and Connections's puzzles, was inspired by cartoonist Robert Leighton, who made puzzles involving wordplay.[7]
Reception
Reviews have felt that Connections was similar to the British television show Only Connect. The host of the show, Victoria Coren Mitchell, stated on Twitter that the then-beta version of Connections looked like Only Connect.[8] In response, NYT replied that "the content of Connections is unique",[9] which Kotaku criticizes as "facially false".[10]
See also
References
- ^ a b Valinsky, Jordan (August 28, 2023). "Move over Wordle, the New York Times might have found its next hit game". CNN Business. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Miller, Chance (August 28, 2023). "'Connections' puzzle game comes to NYT Games app on iPhone and iPad". 9to5Mac. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Silberling, Amanda (August 28, 2023). "Connections is The New York Times' most played game after Wordle". TechCrunch. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Morris, Chris (August 15, 2023). "NYT 'Connections', and the company's quest to create the next 'Wordle'". Fast Company. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Amlen, Deb (April 10, 2023). "How We Make Games at The Times". The New York Times. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Webster, Andrew (August 28, 2023). "The New York Times' new word game Connections rolls out on mobile". The Verge. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Jeffrey, Joyann (August 29, 2023). "Connections is the NYT's new Wordle alternative. Here's how to play". Today. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Ngan, Liv (June 15, 2023). "Only Connect host points out similarities to fresh New York Times game". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Ngan, Liv (June 19, 2023). "New York Times responds to Only Connect resemblance". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Walker, John (June 19, 2023). "The New York Times' Latest Puzzle Seems Awfully Familiar". Kotaku. Retrieved September 4, 2023.