A new version of the classic board game Scrabble has been revealed to be “less competitive”.

Mattel, who own the rights to Scrabble around much of the world, said the new game marks the first time in its 75-year history that such a significant change has been made to its original board.

Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth who organised the first British National Scrabble Championship in 1971 and is now president of the Association of British Scrabble Players described the launch as "exciting news".

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he explained: "We play the original game, but change is inevitable.

The Celebrity Gogglebox star also said the launch of the new Scrabble game "doesn't deny the old version".

He added: "The makers of Scrabble found that younger people, Gen Z people, don't quite like the competitive nature of Scrabble.

"They want a game where you can simply enjoy language, words, being together and having fun creating words."

What changes are being made to Scrabble in the UK?

Just one of the many changes includes the new name, ‘Scrabble Together’.

Scrabble fans can also expect to see a new double-sided board – but it will still feature the traditional board for those who want to play it.

Glasgow Times: The new version of the classic board game is called Scrabble TogetherThe new version of the classic board game is called Scrabble Together (Image: Yui Mok/PA)

Plus, it will include helper cards, use a simpler scoring system, be quicker to play and allow people to take part in teams.

Cards that provide help such as prompts and clues can be chosen to match the player's challenge level in the new game.

But how does someone win Scrabble Together? “The winner is the player who completes 20 challenges, while a player loses if they have used up all the helper cards and cannot complete a goal,” reports the BBC.

Ray Adler, vice-president and global head of games at Mattel, said: "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.

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"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."

This new version is different from Scrabble Junior, “which is more of a crossword puzzle, with letters already on the board.”

Brett Smitheram, the current UK number one and 2016 World Scrabble Champion, commented: "The game speaks to a trend in younger people who want to avoid competitive games, instead favouring teamwork and collaboration working towards a fun goal together."