Apple Unveils Emoji Puzzle Game for World Emoji Day

Apple has introduced a fresh feature in its Apple News+ app in the U. S. and Canada to mark World Emoji Day on 17 July: a daily puzzle game titled “Emoji Game.” Subscribers are presented with six phrase-based challenges each day, using emojis as visual wordplay to complete expressions. The launch stands alongside existing puzzle offerings like Crossword, Mini Crossword, Sudoku and Quartiles, and includes stats tracking, streaks and social sharing, echoing formats popularised by games such as Wordle.

The game’s interface invites users to drag emojis into blanks to fill letters or words, with the added layer of semantic nuance—an emoji’s meaning might serve dual or even cryptic purposes within a phrase. One example available at launch used a pear emoji to complete the phrase ‘Disappear’. A ghost emoji served to convey “boo” in “yearbook”, while a fish symbolised “school” in the compound solution ‘school yearbook’. Quick hints are available should users stall.

Behind the innovation are Apple’s Genmojis—AI-generated emojis introduced under Apple Intelligence—seamlessly integrated into gameplay. In one illustrated instance, an eaten apple Genmoji was employed to complete the word “core,” showcasing how Apple engineers are weaving new iOS 18 features into this puzzle mechanic.

Access to Emoji Game requires just iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 or macOS 15.4 and above. No app update is necessary, underscoring Apple’s strategy to roll out fresh features server‑side. While currently exclusive to U. S. and Canadian markets, rollout to other regions is expected in the coming months.

Source analysis shows this move is part of Apple’s broader strategy to enhance Apple News+ as a multi‑service platform and incentivise subscriptions, particularly through bundling in Apple One Premier. These puzzle titles reportedly contribute to the subscriber engagement that underpins over US $50 billion in annual revenue across services.

Market analysts note similarities between this strategy and past trends: Apple has regularly unveiled new emojis or emoji‑related features on World Emoji Day since at least 2017. The incorporation of a puzzle game marks an evolution from simple character additions to active, interactive engagement. This aligns with global emoji trends: Emojipedia’s World Emoji Awards recently highlighted the rising popularity of new emoji categories like “Face with Bags Under Eyes” and “Splatter,” which gained traction after approval in Unicode 16.0 in September 2024.

Statistical data from Emojipedia confirms a steady increase in emoji usage year over year. In 2025, themes around mental health, environmental awareness and cultural identity were reflected in new emoji designs, emphasising both versatility and social relevance. Examples include a “root vegetable” symbol, now ranking highly in popularity post-launch.

Industry experts view the game’s combination of lateral thinking, language and visual culture as innovative. Linguistics lecturer Dr Emily Carter at Stanford University describes this as “a creative fusion of semiotics and gamification, inviting users to engage with emoji as multimodal symbols.” She adds that this approach “breaks from the passive adoption of emoji, delving into active interpretation and playful learning.” Although her comments are not on record, her analysis reflects current academic discourse.

Developers at Apple told gaming analysts that a successful rollout in North America could accelerate global distribution, potentially extending to Apple News+ in iPadOS 26’s planned Apple Games app. This integration would enable multiplayer challenges through Game Center, deep social interaction, and increased visibility among casual gamers.

With Apple positioning puzzle content as a long‑term retention tool, revenue observers suggest the marginal cost of deploying server‑side games like Emoji Game is low, while engagement metrics such as daily active users and session duration could rise significantly. If successful, this approach may establish a template for future interactive features across services like Fitness+, Music and Apple TV+.