Hearst Newspapers Expands Gaming Portfolio with Acquisition of Puzzmo

Hearst Newspapers has announced the acquisition of Puzzmo, a cutting-edge puzzle games hub developed by renowned game designer Zach Gage and seasoned engineer Orta Therox. Puzzmo offers a diverse range of original daily newspaper games and puzzles, including SpellTower, Typeshift, Flipart, and Cross|Word. Initially launched in October 2023 with limited daily releases, Puzzmo was backed by the Astra Fund during its development phase. Following the acquisition, Hearst Newspapers plans to roll out Puzzmo across its esteemed brands, such as the San Francisco Chronicle and Popular Mechanics, as well as various local news apps and websites. Additionally, prominent partners like Vox, Digg, theSkimm, and Canada's Postmedia will also introduce games on the platform. Hearst Newspaper president Jeffrey Johnson expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, "Zach and Orta are visionary innovators, and we are delighted to collaborate with them on Puzzmo's launch." Johnson further emphasized that Puzzmo's unique blend of traditional newspaper puzzle challenges, sleek design, and interactive features is poised to become a daily staple for readers nationwide. Zach Gage noted that Puzzmo's design drew inspiration from classic newspaper games, and he is proud to have Hearst as a long-term partner. Orta Therox highlighted the platform's flexibility, scalability, and power, making it an attractive choice for publishers, and expressed excitement about reaching a broad audience across Hearst's network.