With mobile phones in everyone’s pocket, word games are more popular than ever. The genre has gone far beyond Scrabble; now, games such as Word With Friends and WordScapes dominate the mobile word game landscape. This growth of word-based games and apps begs the question: Why are word games so popular? What makes them so interesting and cool now?
What's Going On?
Not too long ago, we had to consult the dictionary — a paper dictionary! — to look up words. Now, we have online dictionaries and Wikipedia to let us look up absolutely anything and everything. You can even sign up for a Word of the Day email to learn a new word every day.
Smartphones, which most of us carry all day, every day, function as calculators, minicomputers, and portable video game consoles. As people look to their phones to pass time on commutes and in waiting rooms, word games are a quick challenge.
These games also fulfill a social need. You might not want to chat on the phone for hours every day, but with a back and forth in Words With Friends, you can keep in touch with multiple members of your circle. You can even meet new folks with a random matchup. There’s nothing like scoring big and gaining bragging rights.
Big $$$
Many games are free (at least to start), but fans become hooked and end up willing to pay small amounts of money for extras. App companies often design to the addictive nature of these on-the-go entertainment options, making them hard to put down. In return, more people are likely to see the advertisements included in the free versions. Word games are relatively cheap to make compared to elaborate fantasy or fighting games. Most of them are based off a crossword puzzle or established board game, so the rules are already set.
Finally, and most importantly, it’s now considered cool to learn new words and show off your smarts! There’s even evidence that playing word games can keep your memory sharp as you age. Word games are more than just a pastime; they’re an important step toward brain health.