Josh Wardle addresses the UCF community as part of SVAD’s Distinguished Artist Series.

Josh Wardle, the creator of the popular online game “Wordle,” shared his journey in technology and art during a visit to the UCF campus as part of the School of Visual Arts and Design Distinguished Artist Series. Wardle spoke about how his unexpected success in launching the game in late 2021 turned him into a business owner. He discussed how his education at the University of London and the University of Oregon, along with his previous work as a product manager for Reddit and on projects like “The Button” and “Place,” have shaped his career and brought him to his current position. He mentioned that being able to showcase his artistic abilities at Reddit was motivating. Wardle observed that he could utilize the skills he acquired in art school in a particular way at the platform. My ability to undertake large creative projects and approach things in unique ways in Silicon Valley was influenced by my background in art school and artistic practice. In 2022, he sold “Wordle” to the New York Times for a significant amount and was then named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2022. During his presentation, Wardle mentioned that despite the game’s popularity, he didn’t create it with the intention of achieving widespread fame. Instead, he designed it as a way for him and his partner to bond. Wardle stated that while he appreciates the game’s success, he doesn’t want it to be his primary motivation moving forward. I wish to make new creations using the same source of inspiration that led me to create ‘Wordle.’ In addition to his most well-known creation, Wardle discussed his recent activities, including his active involvement in developing new projects. At the height of the game’s popularity, he mentioned that he was employed as a software engineer at MSCHF, pronounced as “mischief,” an art collective based in Brooklyn that works across various forms of media. Wardle’s appearance at UCF was part of the SVAD Distinguished Artist Series, which allows UCF students and local residents to listen to modern artists from various disciplines.

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