LinkedIn has launched three new “thinking-oriented” games—Queens, Crossclimb, and Pinpoint—globally. These games will be accessible both through direct links and via LinkedIn News, which is the division responsible for their development. You will be able to play them across desktop and mobile.
Much like the popular game Wordle, each of these games can be played once daily. Initially, players can invite their first-degree connections to join in, and they will have the option to share their gameplay status with these connections. LinkedIn will also give you metrics including your high score and daily streak after your daily session.
The social features and the number of games available are subject to change as LinkedIn continues to explore their potential. Presently, the platform intends to independently develop these games, separate from its parent company, Microsoft, and its gaming division.
Wordle effect
LinkedIn games are drawing inspiration from traditional word and logic puzzles found in newspapers like The New York Times. The aim is to boost engagement and retain users amidst shifting trends in digital media consumption, particularly among the youth gravitating towards platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Puzzles have long been instrumental in expanding the audience of news publications and magazines, potentially converting players into regular readers. A more recent example is Wordle which went so viral, The New York Times went ahead and bought it in 2022. Not to mention, the game has inspired a bunch of copy-cats.
How to play games on LinkedIn
You can access the games through the LinkedIn News section on desktop or the My Network tab on mobile devices.
Here’s a rundown of what these games are all about:
- In Pinpoint, five words are gradually revealed, and your job is to identify the category they belong to within a limited timeframe in as few words as possible.
- Crossclimb blends trivia and wordplay. Starting with a given word, players construct a ladder of words, each differing by only one letter from the preceding one. Correctly arranging these words unveils the clue needed to unlock the remaining entries on the ladder and win the game.
- Queens is a twist on Sudoku, but without any numbers. Players must strategically place queens on a grid, ensuring none are adjacent while having precisely one queen per row and column.
In a blog post for the announcement, LinkedIn’s Lakshman Somasundaram calls games “the future of how we’ll stay in touch with our colleagues, reignite relationships from past phases of our professional lives, and make the connections that will shape what’s next.”
The senior executive reiterates that these games have been deigned to fit right into your work schedule, “whether it’s prepping your mind on the commute in, taking a quick mental break between meetings, or unwinding after a long day.”
LinkedIn isn’t the first social platform to integrate gaming. Facebook’s previous gaming initiatives have seen mixed success, prompting a shift towards mixed reality experiences and Meta Quest. However, LinkedIn’s foray into gaming seeks to capitalise on the enduring appeal of puzzles to strengthen connections and extend user interaction on the platform.
“You’ll likely notice people you haven’t caught up with in a while are playing too, reminding you that it’s time to grab coffee again” Somasundaram added.
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