LinkedIn Dips its Toes into the Video Gaming Market

LinkedIn Unveils an Array of Games for its Users

The popular professional networking platform, LinkedIn, has recently joined the ranks of global corporations escalating their ventures into the world of video gaming. LinkedIn is now offering its user base the chance to indulge in games as they navigate the platform for job searching and professional networking. The platform will not be selling games nor will they require users to pay subscription fees to play its current selection of three games, namely Pinpoint, Queens, and Crossclimb.

Gameplay on LinkedIn

Each user is allowed to play each game once per day, and the platform features game metrics such as high scores and daily streaks. The games on offer are quite unique; Pinpoint is a word association game, Crossclimb is a trivia and quick witted wordplay challenge, and Queens is essentially a Sudoku game without numbers.

LinkedIn’s Gamification Move – A Strategy for User Retention

The decision to introduce video games might seem unusual for a professional network like LinkedIn. However, it seems to be a strategic move aimed at retaining old users and attracting new ones by injecting a dose of entertainment into the otherwise serious platform.

LinkedIn Follows in the Footsteps of Other Giants

This is not an unprecedented move; LinkedIn joins a growing list of companies that have turned to gaming to boost user engagement. The New York Times pioneered a similar route, successfully implementing interactive games that were played over 8 billion times. Even Netflix is gradually expanding its video game offerings for its subscribers.

Going forward, LinkedIn plans to consistently feature games on its platform as part of their ongoing attempt to enliven professional relationships and bring an enjoyable experience to work-related networking.

DPH Hot Take

This move by LinkedIn demonstrates the growing trend of gamification across different platforms as a strategy to increase user engagement and retention. Coupling entertainment with professional networking provides an entirely new dynamic that may not only appeal to existing LinkedIn users, but also attract new demographics. However, it remains to be seen if these gaming initiatives will add significant value to LinkedIn’s networking experience or if they will merely serve as fleeting distractions. Regardless, this bold move indicates a wider shift in the digital world, where the lines between different genres of internet platforms are becoming increasingly blurred.