Apple Launches Emoji Game on News+ to Compete with Wordle
Apple has introduced a new daily puzzle game called Emoji Game on Apple News+, offering a fresh, fun challenge to users. Released on July 17, 2025, to coincide with World Emoji Day, the game is available to Apple News+ subscribers in the U.S. and Canada, and is compatible with devices running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or macOS 15.4 and later.
In the Emoji Game, players are tasked with completing daily puzzles using emojis. They must drag the correct emoji into incomplete phrases to form words or phrases. For instance, a puzzle with “DISAP_ _ _ _” could be solved with the “pear” emoji, completing the word as “disappear.” Each puzzle includes a clue, which players can opt to reveal at the cost of an additional move, adding an element of strategy to the game.
The game also features Apple’s new Genmoji, a set of customized emojis powered by Apple’s AI. Emoji Game tracks performance via Game Center leaderboards, allowing players to compare their scores with friends and family.
Available in the Puzzles section of the Apple News app, the game is free for anyone to try with a daily puzzle. However, full access to all the features, including past puzzles, is available exclusively for Apple News+ subscribers. In the future, Apple plans to integrate Emoji Game into the upcoming Apple Games app, which will centralize all of its gaming experiences.
This launch highlights Apple’s strategy to make Apple News+ more engaging by offering interactive content that encourages daily use. By adding games like Emoji Game, Apple hopes to build stronger user habits and improve subscription retention.
For those interested, Emoji Game can be accessed directly through the Apple News app, as long as the device is running the latest software version.
