I have a guilty pleasure, and it’s not just binge-watching “Glee” (yes, even the terrible later seasons) or devouring an absurd amount of Harry Potter fan fiction. My guilty pleasure is playing LinkedIn games.
You might be wondering, “Wait, LinkedIn has games?” Yes, it does. In May, LinkedIn introduced three puzzles through LinkedIn News, similar to New York Times Games. These include the logic puzzle Queens (my favorite), the word game Crossclimb (decent), and the word-association game Pinpoint (not great, but passable).
This is part of a familiar tech strategy: copying what works for another company, even if playing games on a professional networking site seems odd. But it’s easy to see why LinkedIn is inspired by NYT Games. As of December 2023, users spent more time on The New York Times Games app than its news app, essentially making the Times a gaming company.
LinkedIn isn’t the only one jumping on the gaming bandwagon. Everyone is doing it — from Apple News to Netflix and YouTube. And while LinkedIn’s puzzles aren’t my first pick, they’re enjoyable enough to satisfy my craving for a quick dopamine hit once I’ve finished my usual New York Times puzzles.
I often play LinkedIn games during work hours (sorry, boss). Sometimes it’s while fact-checking or sourcing on LinkedIn, and other times it’s a quick mental reset after staring too long at an article draft. A quick game of Queens can be just the break I need to dive back into work.
Interestingly, there’s science behind the appeal of these daily puzzles. I recently spoke with Ryan Douglas, co-founder of DeepWell DTx, a company that develops therapeutic video games. He explained that short gaming sessions can offer mental health benefits, like breaking negative thought cycles or offering new perspectives.
For example, playing Tetris demands your focus, leaving little room for self-critical thoughts, Douglas shared. On a neuroscientific level, games activate the brain’s limbic system, which manages stress. This simulated stress teaches the brain to handle real-life challenges more effectively by building new neural pathways.
“You’re learning on a subconscious level,” Douglas said, “and choosing those pathways later to manage similar issues, giving you a sense of control.”
This doesn’t mean we should play video games all day. DeepWell’s therapeutic tools are designed for short, 15-minute doses. That’s likely why games like Wordle and LinkedIn’s puzzles, which have defined daily limits, resonate so much with us. You play, finish, and move on.
Josh Wardle, the creator of Wordle, once shared his philosophy about games that don’t demand endless engagement. “I’m suspicious of apps and games that want your constant attention,” he said. “People appreciate things that don’t overstay their welcome.”
Of course, LinkedIn’s games do want something from me: my attention. And if I’m honest, I’ve spent more time on LinkedIn recently than ever before. According to LinkedIn, this trend isn’t unique to me. Player engagement has grown by about 20% weekly since July, and games are even sparking more conversations. After finishing a puzzle, you can see which connections have also played, which some use as an opportunity to network. I don’t, though — I just message my friends random “hi’s” for fun.
So go ahead, try LinkedIn’s games. Play to your heart’s content … and then, a few minutes later, get back to the grind of global capitalism.