Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
New Version of Scrabble Aims to Make the Word-Building Game 'Inclusive'
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 1 year ago on
April 11, 2024

The new version of the board game Scrabble, that includes a new version called Scrabble Together. (Mattel via AP)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NEW YORK — 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 “for anyone who finds word games intimidating.”

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’s board in more than 75 years, Mattel said Tuesday.

“We want to ensure the game continues to be inclusive for all players,” 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.

Toy Companies’ Approach to Board Games

Seeking to expand their reach, toy companies have rolled out alternative or simplified ways to play board games for years, ranging from “junior” 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’s 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’s real. And almost half (49%) reported trying to make up a new word in hopes of winning.

Scrabble’s Future Beyond Europe

Whether the new version will expand beyond Europe 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.

“Mattel and Hasbro have worked separately to develop different versions of Scrabble every year,” Silver said. As a result, some versions are only available in certain countries, creating a “interesting dynamic” 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 — but added that the brand “love(s) the idea of different ways to play Scrabble and continue to attract new players to the game around the world.”

The Origins and Popularity of Scrabble

Scrabble’s origins date back to 1931, when American architect Alfred Mosher Butts invented the game’s forerunner. Scrabble’s original name was “Lexiko,” according to a Mattel factsheet, and before officially getting the Scrabble title and trademark in 1948, Butts’ creation was also called “Criss-Crosswords,” “It” and “Alph.”

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.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Madera County Wildfire Prompts Evacuation Warnings, Road Closures

DON'T MISS

Sanger Police Seek Public’s Help to Find Missing Teen

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Everyone Should Immediately Evacuate Tehran

DON'T MISS

Inside Trump’s Extraordinary Turnaround on Immigration Raids

DON'T MISS

Trump Approval Steady at 42%, Support Weakens for His Immigration Policy, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

DON'T MISS

Person Rescued from Fresno Canal, Third Incident in Recent Days

DON'T MISS

Arias Dodges Questions About His False Fresno ICE Raid Claim

DON'T MISS

Iranian State TV Halts Live Broadcast After Israeli Strike

DON'T MISS

Global Markets Recover on Iran Ceasefire Reports, Central Banks in Focus

DON'T MISS

Madera Man Sentenced to Over 21 Years for Fentanyl, Meth Trafficking

UP NEXT

Sanger Police Seek Public’s Help to Find Missing Teen

UP NEXT

Trump Says Everyone Should Immediately Evacuate Tehran

UP NEXT

Inside Trump’s Extraordinary Turnaround on Immigration Raids

UP NEXT

Trump Approval Steady at 42%, Support Weakens for His Immigration Policy, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

UP NEXT

Person Rescued from Fresno Canal, Third Incident in Recent Days

UP NEXT

Arias Dodges Questions About His False Fresno ICE Raid Claim

UP NEXT

Iranian State TV Halts Live Broadcast After Israeli Strike

UP NEXT

Global Markets Recover on Iran Ceasefire Reports, Central Banks in Focus

UP NEXT

Madera Man Sentenced to Over 21 Years for Fentanyl, Meth Trafficking

UP NEXT

Touring a Tunnel That Leads Underneath a Hospital in Southern Gaza

Inside Trump’s Extraordinary Turnaround on Immigration Raids

6 hours ago

Trump Approval Steady at 42%, Support Weakens for His Immigration Policy, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

7 hours ago

Person Rescued from Fresno Canal, Third Incident in Recent Days

7 hours ago

Arias Dodges Questions About His False Fresno ICE Raid Claim

7 hours ago

Iranian State TV Halts Live Broadcast After Israeli Strike

9 hours ago

Global Markets Recover on Iran Ceasefire Reports, Central Banks in Focus

9 hours ago

Madera Man Sentenced to Over 21 Years for Fentanyl, Meth Trafficking

9 hours ago

Touring a Tunnel That Leads Underneath a Hospital in Southern Gaza

9 hours ago

Suspect in Minnesota Lawmaker Killing Visited Other Legislators’ Homes, Prosecutors Say

9 hours ago

Spyware From US-Backed Israeli Firm Targeted European Journalists, Report Finds

9 hours ago

Madera County Wildfire Prompts Evacuation Warnings, Road Closures

A wildfire burning near Raymond Road and Avenue 16 in Madera County has prompted evacuation warnings and road closures, authorities said Mon...

5 hours ago

A wildfire near Raymond Road and Avenue 16 in Madera County has prompted evacuation warnings and road closures as officials urge residents to prepare to leave if threatened on Monday, June 16, 2025. (Madera County SO)
5 hours ago

Madera County Wildfire Prompts Evacuation Warnings, Road Closures

Sanger police are searching for Kaylani Thompson, 17, who went missing Saturday, June 14, 2025, after leaving her home and was last seen getting into a white sedan. (Sanger PD)
5 hours ago

Sanger Police Seek Public’s Help to Find Missing Teen

A view of the cityscape in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 16, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
5 hours ago

Trump Says Everyone Should Immediately Evacuate Tehran

6 hours ago

Inside Trump’s Extraordinary Turnaround on Immigration Raids

President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 12, 2025. (Reuters File)
7 hours ago

Trump Approval Steady at 42%, Support Weakens for His Immigration Policy, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

A person was rescued from a Fresno canal Monday, June 16, 2025, near Dakota and Ninth Street, marking the third such incident in recent days, officials said. (Fresno FD)
7 hours ago

Person Rescued from Fresno Canal, Third Incident in Recent Days

7 hours ago

Arias Dodges Questions About His False Fresno ICE Raid Claim

9 hours ago

Iranian State TV Halts Live Broadcast After Israeli Strike

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend