In March of this year, several reports surfaced indicating LinkedIn was considering adding an entertainment feature for job seekers. According to a TechCrunch report, LinkedIn was exploring the possibility of incorporating games into the platform, providing job seekers with enjoyable activities while they search for new opportunities or connect with their network.

Now, the company has officially rolled out games for the platform. Initially, LinkedIn has introduced just three games - Queens, Crossclimb, and Pinpoint. These games cater to various skill sets, offering users a mix of logic puzzles, trivia challenges, and word associations. Drawing inspiration from popular classics like Sudoku and word games, these new additions promise to bring a fresh dimension to LinkedIn's platform.

LinkedIn VP Daniel Roth revealed the decision in a post, expressing his excitement, “Okay, thrilled to announce this: Today, we’re unveiling games on LinkedIn.” he shared that he had been testing the team’s creation over the past month and found it highly enjoyable. 

“For the past month, I've been thoroughly testing the team's remarkable creation, and I must say, I haven't had more fun evaluating a product. This suite of once-daily, quick, thought-provoking games — Crossclimb, Pinpoint, and Queens — has become my morning ritual. Shortly after, I check the leaderboards and send a flurry of messages to my colleagues, showcasing my impressive — and, well, not-so-impressive — scores. I have a feeling you'll find yourself doing the same. Reach out to me after you've played, and share your thoughts. Let the games commence!"

Talking about the games

When delving into the games, Queens offers a unique variation of Sudoku, requiring players to arrange crowns in patterns without overlap within a set time limit. Crossclimb, on the other hand, presents users with exciting word puzzles, where clues guide them to interconnected words on a grid, evaluating both mental agility and linguistic skills. Lastly, Pinpoint, similar to the New York Times's popular Connections game, leads players to discern connections between words, putting their deductive abilities and cognitive flexibility to the test.

Crafted by LinkedIn News, these games seek to offer a relaxed yet intellectually engaging platform for professionals to interact with their colleagues. Currently, each game can be played only once, leaving the possibility open for further additions to the lineup in the future.