Scrabble is getting a bit of a makeover, at least in Europe.
Mattel has unveiled a double-sided board that features both the classic word-building game and Scrabble Together, a new rendition designed to be accessible 害羞草研究所渇or anyone who finds word games intimidating.害羞草研究所�
This new version, which is now available across Europe, is advertised as being more team-oriented and quicker to play. The update marks the first significant change to Scrabble害羞草研究所檚 board in more than 75 years, Mattel said Tuesday.
害羞草研究所淲e want to ensure the game continues to be inclusive for all players,害羞草研究所� Ray Adler, vice president and global head of games at Mattel said in a prepared statement, noting that consumers will still be able to choose between the classic game and new version.
Seeking to expand their reach, toy companies have rolled out alternative or simplified ways to play board games for years, ranging from 害羞草研究所渏unior害羞草研究所� editions made for younger children to multiple sets of instructions that players can opt into for increasing difficulty.
Scrabble Together is marketed toward players of all ages. Jim Silver, a toy-industry expert and CEO of review site TTPM, said the double-sided board is a smart approach because it allows players to switch from one mode to another as they wish.
Mattel害羞草研究所檚 announcement was also accompanied by a survey that offered a glimpse into some of the ways British consumers have previously tackled classic Scrabble. London-based market researcher Opinion Matters found that 75% of U.K. adults aged 25 to 34 have searched a word when playing the board-and-tile game to check if it害羞草研究所檚 real. And almost half (49%) reported trying to make up a new word in hopes of winning.
Whether the new version will expand beyond Europe one day remains to be seen. While Mattel, which is based in El Segundo, California, owns the rights to Scrabble around much of the world, Hasbro licenses the game in the U.S., for example.
害羞草研究所淢attel and Hasbro have worked separately to develop different versions of Scrabble every year,害羞草研究所� Silver said. As a result, some versions are only available in certain countries, creating a 害羞草研究所渋nteresting dynamic害羞草研究所� for avid fans of the game, he added.
A spokesperson for Hasbro, based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, confirmed to The Associated Press via email Tuesday that the company currently has no plans for a U.S. update 害羞草研究所� but added that the brand 害羞草研究所渓ove(s) the idea of different ways to play Scrabble and continue to attract new players to the game around the world.害羞草研究所�
Scrabble害羞草研究所檚 origins date back to 1931, when American architect Alfred Mosher Butts invented the game害羞草研究所檚 forerunner. Scrabble害羞草研究所檚 original name was 害羞草研究所淟exiko,害羞草研究所� according to a Mattel factsheet, and before officially getting the Scrabble title and trademark in 1948, Butts害羞草研究所� creation was also called 害羞草研究所淐riss-Crosswords,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淎lph.害羞草研究所�
Today, Scrabble is produced in 28 different languages. More than 165 million games have been sold in 120 countries around the world since 1948, according to Mattel, with an average of 1.5 million games sold globally each year.
Beyond the decades-old Scrabble fanbase, other word games have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, including Bananagrams and online guessing game Wordle.
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