PlotTwist’s Rebrand Reflects an Industry Shift to Friendship-Based Connections

The app Fourplay Social now has a new name: PlotTwist. Although its core mission remains the same — to help friends make new connections — PlotTwist takes a more modern and expansive approach to love. Authentic and safe connection is the goal, with romance merely a welcome by-product. 

Founded by Danielle Dietzek and Julie Griggs, who both use the app themselves, PlotTwist follows the ongoing trend of modern daters seeking friendship before they fall into new romantic relationships. 

A dating app that isn’t strictly about dating isn’t as outrageous as it sounds. Fourplay has evolved into PlotTwist to meet the needs of Gen Z singles. We’ve seen time and again how today’s daters welcome all kinds of connections, and romance rooted in friendship is often seen as the more stable and safe ideal.

As Griggs explained, “PlotTwist is reframing those get-togethers as group hangouts, taking the core idea of connection and expanding it. With PlotTwist, there’s an opportunity to meet other singles in a natural way, not a prescribed way.”

Friendship Is Emerging as a Popular First Step to Romance

The friendship app Clyx, for example, recently raised $14M in investment capital, and Meet5 has expanded into major cities around the world. 

So far, however, only Bumble BFF has broached mainstream popularity. CEO of Bumble Whitney Wolfe Herd has championed friendship-based models, and called Bumble BFF one of the company’s “most exciting long-term growth opportunities” amid today’s era of dating app fatigue.

Instead of pushing two people together and forcing a connection, it takes the ever-popular “If it’s meant to be, it will happen” approach to dating. Rooting a relationship in friendship can be a more comfortable experience for everyone involved. 

Griggs noted that “people are exhausted by the performative nature of dating and social media apps. Singles want to connect in ways that feel organic… They want the confidence to show up as their real selves, not a curated version.”

“PlotTwist is all about keeping things social and letting chemistry happen naturally, whether it’s romantic or platonic,” according to the company website. “This also removes the pressure that often comes with dating apps.” 

Other dating apps, like Tinder and Hinge, offer friendship settings, but those apps are still most known for romance than for platonic connection, and come with the usual safety risks associated with one-on-one dating app meet-ups.  

In contrast, Co-founder Danielle Dietzek said, “PlotTwist challenges the assumption that platforms for singles must be dating apps. We are intentionally positioned as a social platform that makes single life more fun, safer, and lower pressure.”

PlotTwist wants to change this by providing comfort and safety from the moment one downloads the app. Like Fourplay, it is designed so two IRL BFFs can explore new friendships together. This way, no one is ever left to meet new people or go to new places all by themselves. 

PlotTwist Rebranded After Taking Cues From Its Users

“Our measure of success is not limited to match rates or weddings,” Dietzek added. “We ask a broader question: Are people creating real-world memories?”

Dietzek and Griggs highlighted how friendship, safety, and a desire to reclaim singledom inspired Fourplay’s rebrand. Also integral to their rebrand? Listening closely to the needs of the modern dater. 

“After listening to our users, being our users, and keeping a pulse on the culture of singlehood, we realized that we had outgrown dating,” according to the company website. 

Its goals have evolved with experience, much like how a dater’s priorities shift as they learn more about themselves when dating. 

“The change to PlotTwist reflects what we’ve learned along our journey,” the site says. “This app is about the unexpected outcomes that happen when you prioritize social connection over transactional first dates.” 

It’s important to remember why people use apps for connection in the first place. Nearly half of survey respondents told Sonary that they use social media to stay connected to friends and family. Twenty-two percent use social media to “make new contacts” and 19.7% “want to find like-minded communities and interest groups.” 

With this in mind, Dietzek and Griggs don’t just want to create couples, but to emphasize the endless opportunities for connection that comes with being single. 

Dietzek said the team is focused on “transforming inspiration into action so singles are not stuck endlessly scrolling. Instead, they are meeting in real life and creating meaningful memories.”

Romance is only the beginning; the company specifically highlights “the friendships you didn’t see coming, the chaotic tales that you laugh about for years, and yes, sometimes even the love you never expected.” 

The definition of authentic love seems to change with the seasons, but love must always have a strong foundation of friendship. As today’s daters venture off the apps and into the real world, they still want modern tech to make connecting with others safer, enjoyable, and memorable. 

The website sums it up: “Being single is not just a relationship status; it’s a chapter of life, and the people you meet along the way can completely change the trajectory of your story.”