In today’s world of disheartening news headlines, mind-numbing social media feeds and other endless sources of online misery, The New York Times (NYT) Games provide a temporary solace for those who wish to escape the real world and put their intelligence to the test. A balanced mix of entertainment and intellect, the daily release of word games and puzzles has become a staple for countless different daily routines around the globe. Among these beloved games is the Mini Crossword, a fan-favorite in which the players race against the clock to finish a small crossword as fast as they can. Appallingly, this past week, players all across the world opened their NYT Games app to find their beloved Mini locked away behind a paywall. NYT requiring a subscription to access the Mini is one of many examples of corporations putting their bottom line above their consumers’ desires.
NYT is by no means financially failing— in fact, their revenue has only grown. In 2016, NYT generated $1.56 billion in revenue and boasted a steadily increasing yearly revenue rate for almost the past 10 years, peaking at $2.59 billion in 2024. Furthermore, NYT made $293.8 million in profit in 2024, a 26% increase from the previous year. With these impressive statistics, it is clear that NYT is not struggling to stay afloat. Therefore, corporate greed appears to have caused the paywall prohibiting access to the Mini Crossword for free.
NYT’s motive for enacting the paywall is clear — their revenue will most likely rise due to more subscribers paying to access the Mini. However, as they made a significant amount of money prior to this paywall through their other games and subscriptions, this new cost implementation comes across as money-hungry and exploitative. A line must be drawn between corporate needs and corporate greed. It is fair for a corporation to focus on maximizing profits, as long as they do so while minimizing infringement upon the rights and joys of the masses.
Perhaps the Mini’s greatest quality is how it excels at becoming a habit. Prior to the paywall, whether played alone or in competition with others, it was accessible, enjoyable and one of the last remaining peaceful virtual spaces used by the masses. Players’ daily Mini experiences usually only lasted a couple minutes at maximum, but playing it was a cherished ritual to look forward to. Regardless of what else occurred in one’s day, they could always count on the release of the Mini to be a pleasurable distraction from reality. Requiring that players pay to take part in a few minutes of the day that they may be able to share with others takes away the crowning feature of the Mini — accessibility.
The NYT Games app had 3.71 million downloads in the second financial quarter of 2024 alone. This number is a testament to how convenient and loved their games are. There are countless other websites on which one could find a miniature crossword, but what sets the Mini apart is its universality. At 10 p.m. EST (and 6 p.m. EST on Sundays), the global community waits with baited breath for the day’s Mini to release. The same crossword reaches everyone at the same time, which allows for players across the world to discuss the Mini on various social media sites or in-person. Being a Mini player creates a sense of intimacy between two people that would otherwise be strangers. Consequently, the Mini has transformed from being just another game to a community in and of itself. By implementing this paywall, NYT has stripped the world of this community built on shared fun.
The public already faces expenses to access beloved forms of pleasure, such as music, movies, art and museums. If corporations continue to succumb to the seemingly insatiable thirst for money, the joy found in games will eventually be lost to most. As the barriers to games surmount, we as a society will lose one of the core aspects of humanity — shared joy.
Putting corporate interests over people’s interests, even in matters that may seem trivial, is leading to a culture that abandons the simple pleasures in life. A sense of shared joy is integral to a sense of community, and a sense of community is integral to productive human societies. Therefore, it is in everyone’s best interests to curb predatory corporate practices and end unnecessary paywalling.