Scrabble to make historic change after 75 years

The world-famous board game Scrabble is making a major change for the first time in 75 years.

The word game has been around since 1938 and over the years has added hundreds of new eligible words to its dictionary as language has evolved. But, the board itself has always remained the same.

Now, Scrabble is set to change its board for those who find the game too intimidating, with a simpler version printed on the back called Scrabble Together.

The game’s owner Mattel explained the change will make the game “more accessible for anyone who finds word games intimidating”.

In Scrabble Together, the scoring system is more simple and players work in a team to complete “goal cards”. Unlike the original game, players are not competing against one another to achieve the highest score.

Ray Adler, the Vice President and Global Head of Games at Mattel explained: “Scrabble has truly stood the test of time as one of the most popular board games in history, and we want to ensure the game continues to be inclusive for all players.

“For anyone who’s ever thought, ‘word games aren’t for me’, or felt a little intimidated by the Classic game, Scrabble Together Mode is an ideal option.

“With team based and faster gameplay, Scrabble Together Mode continues to celebrate the wonder of words just as the Classic version does, but thanks to its exciting new co-operative and dynamic gameplay, it’s more accessible and brings people together.”

It comes as research found 75 per cent of people between the ages of 25 and 34 looked up words if they wanted to play. Additionally, a poll of 2,000 adults found many people also make words up.

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