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New York Times Games Launches Crossplay, Its First Designed Multiplayer Title

The release pushes the publisher's engagement strategy with ad-free play for members plus built-in postgame analysis.

Overview

  • Crossplay is live as a standalone app on iOS and Android with friend invites, skill-based matchmaking, and a single-player option against a computer.
  • A postgame tool called CrossBot reviews each match, grades luck and strategy, and highlights stronger moves players could have made.
  • The game tweaks the classic word-board formula with an original board layout, a new tile distribution, and a "last turn" rule that triggers when the bag runs out.
  • New York Times Games subscribers see no ads, while free users may encounter banner ads, positioning Crossplay against ad-heavy rivals.
  • The launch extends a fast-growing portfolio that logged 11.2 billion plays in 2025, including 4.2 billion for Wordle, with engagement that has at times outpaced the News app.