Less than a year following Spotify’s acquisition of Heardle, the music streaming platform is ceasing the operation of the Heardle game. Despite the game no longer being available on Spotify, users still have the option to play Heardle on the dedicated website – heardle game.
A notice on Heardle’s website informs users of its impending shutdown on May 5, expressing gratitude for playing the game and bidding farewell. Spotify, in a communication to Heardle users, advised them to safeguard their statistics by accessing and capturing screenshots before May 4.
When Spotify initially announced its acquisition of Heardle in July 2022, it positioned the game as a “tool for music discovery.” The company claimed that engaging with the game could aid users in rediscovering forgotten tracks, exploring new artists, or identifying elusive instrumental melodies.
Heardle, inspired by the word-guessing game Wordle, was launched in February 2022. In this game, players had six attempts to swiftly identify a song based on its opening notes. However, with the decision to shut down Heardle, it seems the game failed to generate the expected increase in overall listening and engagement for Spotify.
In an official statement, Spotify explained, “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Heardle as we focus our efforts on other features to discover music.”
The identity of Heardle’s creator has remained undisclosed, even after Spotify’s acquisition. Prior to the acquisition, Variety interviewed the “London-based web and app designer” behind Heardle, who chose to remain anonymous.
While the financial details of Spotify’s acquisition of Heardle are undisclosed, the move comes during a period when Spotify has been actively exploring cost-cutting measures. In January, the company announced a 6% staff reduction and initiated a restructuring of senior executives, including the departure of Dawn Ostroff, the head of content and advertising business.