LinkedIn, the professional networking platform owned by Microsoft, is venturing into new territory by planning to incorporate games into its offerings. This initiative aims to broaden its appeal beyond traditional job searches and business networking. The move aligns with trends observed among other social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube, which have previously introduced in-app games to engage users.
A report from TechCrunch indicates that LinkedIn is in the process of developing a variety of puzzle-based games, with three titles mentioned: “Queens,” “Inference,” and “Crossclimb.” Although the company has confirmed its intentions to enhance user experience through gaming, it has not disclosed a specific timeline for the games’ launch.
A spokesperson for LinkedIn stated, “We’re experimenting with incorporating puzzle-based games within the LinkedIn experience to unlock a bit of fun, deepen relationships, and spark opportunities for conversations,” highlighting the platform’s desire to foster engagement among users.
App researcher Nima Owji has shared findings that support LinkedIn’s gaming efforts, posting images on X (previously known as Twitter) that reveal gameplay features. These screenshots suggest that companies on LinkedIn will compete based on their employees’ scores in the games. The showcased titles include “Blueprint,” “Queens,” and “Crossclimb,” all of which appear to be puzzle-oriented.
BREAKING: #LinkedIn is working on IN-APP GAMES!
There are going to be a few different games and companies will be ranked in the games based on the scores of their employees!
Pretty cool and fun, in my opinion! pic.twitter.com/hLITqc8aqw
— Nima Owji (@nima_owji) March 16, 2024
Though LinkedIn has confirmed its plans to include gaming features, specifics regarding the number and types of games have not yet been revealed. There is speculation that these new gaming options may be available through LinkedIn’s Premium subscription service.
This month, LinkedIn also shared insights into its Premium subscription revenue, announcing it generated $1.7 billion (approximately ₹14,091 crore) in 2023, following the introduction of AI tools to the platform.
YouTube, for its part, entered the gaming scene in November by launching “Playables,” a collection of over 30 arcade games accessible through its app on iOS, Android, and the web for premium subscribers.
