LinkedIn Gambles on Gaming, over an Already Troubled Newsfeed •

In a striking pivot from its professional networking ethos, LinkedIn has unrolled a trio of logic-based games — Queens, Crossclimb, and Pinpoint — ostensibly to tighten network bonds but perhaps more so to keep users lingering longer.

Developed by LinkedIn News, the same arm tasked with editorial content, this strategy mimics a page from the playbook of traditional publishers like The New York Times, which has successfully leveraged games to hook readers and boost engagement.

However, unlike newspapers that use games as a gateway to deeper content consumption, LinkedIn’s venture into gaming raises eyebrows.

LinkedIn’s newsfeed increasingly resembles a crowded marketplace, where every stallholder shouts louder than the last.

Plagued by an influx of tech enthusiasts and ‘hustle bros’, the platform is saturated with relentless humblebragging and overt self-promotion. Amidst this cacophony, countless users vie for the status of ‘thought leader’, often diluting their messages with repetitive, low-quality content.

This relentless pursuit of influence has cluttered the feed, significantly diminishing the quality and user experience for those seeking genuine professional engagement. As a result, LinkedIn risks straying from its foundational purpose as a bastion for meaningful professional networking, instead morphing into a platform of mediocrity where substance is often overshadowed by spectacle.

Is the platform straying too far from its professional networking roots, opting instead to chase the ephemeral highs of user engagement much like any other social network?

The games themselves — a Sudoku spin-off, a trivia challenge, and a word association puzzle — are clever and engaging. Each game is designed to be played just once a day, a nod perhaps to maintaining productivity among its over one billion users.

Yet, this limitation highlights the contradiction at the heart of LinkedIn’s new direction: the platform is at once trying to encourage daily visits while insisting it doesn’t want users to waste time.

This gaming endeavor comes at a curious juncture.

Social media giants across the board are grappling with the challenge of maintaining user engagement in an era where the novelty of online connections is waning and platforms like TikTok and Instagram are dominating the attention economy with more visually engaging content. In this light, LinkedIn’s game initiative can be seen as an attempt to stay relevant in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Yet, the introduction of gaming on LinkedIn could be a double-edged sword.

On one hand, it could indeed foster more frequent interactions among users, potentially leading to stronger professional relationships. On the other, it risks transforming the platform into just another place to kill time, rather than a serious tool for career development and professional growth.

Moreover, the strategic focus on gaming reveals a potential shift in LinkedIn’s business model. Traditionally a site for recruitment and professional networking, LinkedIn seems to be inching towards becoming a broader media entity, complete with its own content and now, games. This transition might dilute the platform’s distinctiveness as a professional networking site, making it yet another player in the crowded field of media companies fighting for a slice of users’ daily attention.

As LinkedIn charts this new course, the long-term effects on user behavior and platform integrity remain to be seen.

Will games bring LinkedIn users closer together, or will they usher in a new era of diminished professional engagement on the platform?

Only time will tell, but for now, LinkedIn seems to be playing a risky game of its own, gambling with the core values that have long defined its brand.