Spotify has acquired Wordle-alike Heardle for undisclosed sum

Spotify has bought the Wordle-alike Heardle, meaning it’s now only available in certain countries.

The web game rose to popularity in the wake of Wordle and has players guessing the intro to pop songs second by second.

Previously it was powered by Soundcloud, but now Swedish music streaming platform Spotify has acquired the game.

Details of the acquisition (and its costs) have not been disclosed.

However, Heardle is now only available in the UK, US, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, meaning players from other countries are now met with a “Heardle isn’t available in your location” message from Spotify.

The game is set to be rolled out in other countries in the future in their native language.

Player streaks have also reportedly disappeared with the changeover. That’s despite a statement from Spotify noting “the look and feel of the game will stay the same, and it’ll remain free to play for everyone”.

“We see Heardle as more than a trivia game,” said Spotify in its statement. “It’s also a tool for musical discovery.”

“We are always looking for innovative and playful ways to enhance music discovery and help artists reach new fans,” said Jeremy Erlich, global head of music at Spotify.

“Heardle has proven to be a really fun way to connect millions of fans with songs they know and love and with new songs… and a way to compete with their friends as to who has the best musical knowledge. Since its debut, the game has quickly built a loyal following, and it aligns with our plans to deepen interactivity across the Spotify ecosystem.”

The company is doubling down on music discovery, as noted in a statement from CEO Daniel Ek in his Investor Day remarks from back in June.

Meanwhile, The New York Times will soon allow Wordle players to maintain their streak across multiple devices.