Current:Home > ScamsA new version of Scrabble aims to make the word-building game more accessible-InfoLens
A new version of Scrabble aims to make the word-building game more accessible
View Date:2024-12-23 14:52:07
NEW YORK (AP) — Scrabble is getting a bit of a makeover, at least in Europe.
Mattel has unveiled a double-sided board that features both the classic word-building game and Scrabble Together, a new rendition designed to be accessible “for anyone who finds word games intimidating.”
This new version, which is now available across Europe, is advertised as being more team-oriented and quicker to play. The update marks the first significant change to Scrabble’s board in more than 75 years, Mattel said Tuesday.
“We want to ensure the game continues to be inclusive for all players,” Ray Adler, vice president and global head of games at Mattel said in a prepared statement, noting that consumers will still be able to choose between the classic game and new version.
Seeking to expand their reach, toy companies have rolled out alternative or simplified ways to play board games for years, ranging from “junior” editions made for younger children to multiple sets of instructions that players can opt into for increasing difficulty.
Scrabble Together is marketed toward players of all ages. Jim Silver, a toy-industry expert and CEO of review site TTPM, said the double-sided board is a smart approach because it allows players to switch from one mode to another as they wish.
Mattel’s announcement was also accompanied by a survey that offered a glimpse into some of the ways British consumers have previously tackled classic Scrabble. London-based market researcher Opinion Matters found that 75% of U.K. adults aged 25 to 34 have searched a word when playing the board-and-tile game to check if it’s real. And almost half (49%) reported trying to make up a new word in hopes of winning.
Whether the new version will expand beyond Europe one day remains to be seen. While Mattel, which is based in El Segundo, California, owns the rights to Scrabble around much of the world, Hasbro licenses the game in the U.S., for example.
“Mattel and Hasbro have worked separately to develop different versions of Scrabble every year,” Silver said. As a result, some versions are only available in certain countries, creating a “interesting dynamic” for avid fans of the game, he added.
A spokesperson for Hasbro, based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, confirmed to The Associated Press via email Tuesday that the company currently has no plans for a U.S. update — but added that the brand “love(s) the idea of different ways to play Scrabble and continue to attract new players to the game around the world.”
Scrabble’s origins date back to 1931, when American architect Alfred Mosher Butts invented the game’s forerunner. Scrabble’s original name was “Lexiko,” according to a Mattel factsheet, and before officially getting the Scrabble title and trademark in 1948, Butts’ creation was also called “Criss-Crosswords,” “It” and “Alph.”
Today, Scrabble is produced in 28 different languages. More than 165 million games have been sold in 120 countries around the world since 1948, according to Mattel, with an average of 1.5 million games sold globally each year.
Beyond the decades-old Scrabble fanbase, other word games have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, including Bananagrams and online guessing game Wordle.
veryGood! (443)
Related
- UConn, Kansas State among five women's college basketball games to watch this weekend
- Gigi Hadid's Star-Studded Night Out in NYC Featured a Cameo Appearance by Bradley Cooper
- Nevada high court postpones NFL appeal in Jon Gruden emails lawsuit until January
- Cubs pull shocking move by hiring Craig Counsell as manager and firing David Ross
- The charming Russian scene-stealers of 'Anora' are also real-life best friends
- Australian central bank lifts benchmark cash rate to 4.35% with 13th hike
- 4 women, 2 men, 1 boy shot at trail ride pasture party during homecoming at Prairie View A&M University in Texas
- Multiple dog food brands recalled due to potential salmonella contamination
- Old Navy's Early Black Friday Deals Start at $1.97 -- Get Holiday-Ready Sweaters, Skirts, Puffers & More
- WeWork seeks bankruptcy protection, a stunning fall for a firm once valued at close to $50 billion
Ranking
- DWTS’ Sasha Farber and Jenn Tran Prove They're Closer Than Ever Amid Romance Rumors
- Bronny James, Zach Edey among 10 players to know for the 2023-24 college basketball season
- Arnold Schwarzenegger brings donkey to ManningCast, then The Terminator disappears
- Maine man sentenced to 15 years for mosque attack plot
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Good Try (Freestyle)
- A climate tech startup — and Earthshot Prize finalist — designs new method to reduce clothing waste
- Customers at Bank of America, Wells Fargo and other banks grappling with deposit delays
- Rhode Island could elect its first Black representative to Congress
Recommendation
-
Man found dead in tanning bed at Indianapolis Planet Fitness; family wants stricter policies
-
A climate tech startup — and Earthshot Prize finalist — designs new method to reduce clothing waste
-
Nevada high court postpones NFL appeal in Jon Gruden emails lawsuit until January
-
Ex-Philadelphia labor leader on trial on federal charges of embezzling from union
-
'Survivor' 47, Episode 9: Jeff Probst gave players another shocking twist. Who went home?
-
Félix Verdejo, ex-boxer convicted of killing pregnant lover Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz, gets life sentence
-
Ever wonder what to eat before a workout? Here's what the experts suggest.
-
Protesters calling for Gaza cease-fire block road at Tacoma port while military cargo ship docks