LinkedIn has recently introduced three new thinking-oriented games on their platform in an effort to provide users with a fun and brain-stimulating way to take a break and connect with other professionals. The games are inspired by the success of similar online puzzle and game integrations at The New York Times and are designed to spark conversations, banter, and healthy competition among users. The goal is to get people to spend more time on the website, ultimately strengthening their connections within the professional community.
One of the games, Pinpoint, is a word-association game where players must guess a common category that five hidden words belong to before all the words are revealed. This game is similar to NYT’s Connections and offers a fun and challenging experience for players. Another game, Crossclimb, combines trivia with word knowledge as players fill out words on a ladder and rearrange them so that each word differs by just one letter from the one above it. The third game, Queens, requires players to fill a grid with queens in such a way that there is one queen in each row, column, and region without any queens touching each other.
The games are intended to provide a way for users to exercise their brains while taking a quick break from work, as well as a reason to connect with others on the platform. The games can be shared with connections and notifications can be set for future games. The hope is that these games will facilitate interactions and connections among professionals around the world, ultimately enhancing the overall user experience on LinkedIn.
Games have proven to be a crucial tool for growth for The New York Times, with their games being played over 8 billion times in 2023. The newspaper now offers a games-only subscription and has seen an increase in subscription revenue as a result. It remains to be seen if LinkedIn’s new games will have the same impact on user engagement and revenue growth, but initial feedback and interest in the games seem positive.
Ultimately, LinkedIn aims to show users who played, provide leaderboards for schools and companies, and promote a broader community conversation around the games. Users will have the opportunity to engage with creators, meet new connections, and exchange tips and tricks related to the games. The platform is looking to create a more interactive and engaging experience for its users by incorporating these new games into its features.
In conclusion, the introduction of these three new games on LinkedIn provides users with a refreshing and interactive way to take a break from work, exercise their brains, and connect with others in the professional community. The games are designed to spark conversations, friendly competition, and connections among users, ultimately enhancing the overall user experience on the platform. With the success of similar game integrations at The New York Times, LinkedIn is hoping to see an increase in user engagement, revenue, and overall platform growth as a result of these new additions.
