675. Has the New York Times Become a Games Company?

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode argues that play and games are fundamental human activities that persist into adulthood, with social, cognitive, and emotional value. It features game designer Eric Zimmerman and New York Times executives Alex Hardiman and Jonathan Knight to explore game design, the rise of digital games, and how the Times built a major games business without abandoning journalism. The conversation contrasts respectful, human-made puzzle design with manipulative “gamification.”

Main Topics: Play as a serious adult activity (Priority: 5/5): The episode opens by reframing play as something vital rather than childish, citing research that play supports well-being and describing games as labs for life’s constraints, uncertainty, and decision-making. Eric Zimmerman’s theory of game design (Priority: 5/5): Zimmerman explains games as rule-based systems that blend formal structure with human emotion, and argues that game designers create rules and experiences rather than graphics or code alone. The New York Times’ transformation into a games powerhouse (Priority: 5/5): Alex Hardiman and Jonathan Knight describe how the Times shifted from print-first defense to subscription-first growth, using puzzles and games like Wordle to deepen audience relationships and expand the bundle. Wordle, retention, and product strategy (Priority: 4/5): Wordle is presented as a breakthrough acquisition that brought tens of millions of users and accelerated the Times games strategy, while the company uses testing, retention metrics, and selective market launches to evaluate new games. Human-made puzzles versus AI and gamification (Priority: 4/5): The guests stress that successful games feel handcrafted, fair, and respectful of players’ time. Zimmerman criticizes gamification for stripping away the soul of play, while the Times says it avoids exploitative design. Games as culture, media, and business (Priority: 4/5): The episode situates games within a broader 'ludic century' in which digital systems shape work, media, learning, and social life, making games both a cultural form and a commercial engine.

Key Arguments: Play remains valuable in adulthood because it provides joy, structure, and meaningful challenge rather than being merely childish entertainment. Games resemble life because both involve constraints, uncertainty, risk-reward trade-offs, and decision-making under pressure. A game designer’s core job is to create rules and structures that produce engaging play, not merely visuals or code. The New York Times uses games as a respectful extension of its journalism business, not as a substitute for news; news remains the core 'sun' of the bundle. Wordle succeeded because it was elegant, human-made, easy to share, and aligned with the Times’ brand of thoughtful daily engagement. Retention, replayability, and a satisfying sense of accomplishment are the Times’ main criteria for new games. Gamification is criticized because it borrows surface mechanics like points and levels without preserving creativity, conflict, and the deeper meaning of play. Games can be pro-social and enriching, but they can also be exploitative when designed to maximize attention or spending.

Data Points: Video game market value: nearly $200 billion - Described as the current size of the video game market, compared with $13 billion at the turn of the 21st century. Video game market value at start of century: $13 billion - Baseline used to show how large the gaming industry has become over time. New York Times daily games usage: 11.2 billion times - Alex Hardiman said the Times’ puzzles were played 11.2 billion times last year. Times digital subscriber count in 2022 strategy update: 15 million by 2027 - The Times stated its goal to reach 15 million subscribers by 2027. Current Times subscriber count: almost 13 million - Hardiman said the company is now near 13 million subscribers. Times reach: 50 to 100 million people weekly - Hardiman described total weekly reach across apps and websites. New York Times newsroom size during turnaround period: about 1,300 journalists - Hardiman described the newsroom as shrinking during the earlier crisis period. Initial digital subscribers: about 1 million - Hardiman said the Times had around one million digital subscribers before its major shift. Wordle launch article users: about 300,000 users - The Times’ January 3, 2022 article on Wordle noted it had around 300,000 users. Wordle acquisition timing: January 31, 2022 - The Times announced it had acquired Wordle on this date. Wordle solve rate: over 90% - Jonathan Knight said more than 90% of people who start Wordle solve it. Facebook/FarmVille monthly players: 83 million - Used as an example of a prior gaming-driven platform boom. Facebook gaming revenue share in 2012: 12% - Industry analysts said Zynga games accounted for 12% of Facebook revenues when it went public.

Pivotal Quotes: "the voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles" — Bernard Suits: Cited by Stephen Dubner as a classic definition of gameplaying. "The New York Times is not becoming a games company." — Alex Hardiman: Hardiman rejects the idea that games have replaced journalism at the Times. "I’m the loyal opposition to gamification." — Eric Zimmerman: Zimmerman explains his critique of using game mechanics to manipulate behavior.

Implications: Games are becoming a central part of digital media strategy, but the most durable models appear to be those that respect users, reward skill, and preserve human authorship. For listeners, the episode suggests play is not trivial—it is a meaningful form of culture, design, and business.