LinkedIn, the professional networking platform owned by Microsoft, is making a surprising move into the world of gaming. Sources confirm the company is working on a new gaming experience that centers around puzzle games. This shift taps into the viral success of games like Wordle, potentially boosting engagement and offering new ways to network.
Among the early games in development are “Queens”, “Inference”, and “Crossclimb”. Tech researchers have discovered code revealing that LinkedIn is exploring the idea of company rankings based on player scores. While a LinkedIn spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch the platform’s foray into gaming, no official release date has been announced. They described the games as “…a bit of fun to deepen relationships, and hopefully spark the opportunity for conversations.”
BREAKING: #LinkedIn is working on IN-APP GAMES!
— Nima Owji (@nima_owji) March 16, 2024
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
Microsoft, LinkedIn’s parent company, is already a major player in the gaming industry with Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax. This venture marks an interesting intersection of Microsoft’s gaming expertise with LinkedIn’s focus on professional networking.
Casual puzzle games have proven enormously popular on mobile platforms. Past examples of non-gaming platforms integrating games for engagement include outlets like The New York Times, which acquired Wordle, and the now-discontinued standalone gaming app on Facebook.
