LinkedIn Is Adding A Gaming Feature To Its Platform

Many people use LinkedIn to find the right job or internship, connect and build professional relationships, and get career tips. But now the professional networking site plans to add gaming to its platform.

TechCrunch reported that they learned and confirmed that LinkedIn is working on a new game experience. They said LinkedIn would be doing so by "tapping into the same wave of puzzle-mania that helped simple games like Wordle find viral success and millions of players." They added that their three early efforts are games called "Queens," "Inference." and "Crossclimb."

Nima Owiji, an app researcher said that one idea LinkedIn appears to be experimenting with involves player scores being organized by places of work, with companies getting "ranked" by those scores.

A spokesperson for LinkedIn has confirmed with TechCrunch that it is working on gaming but said there is no launch date yet.

"We're playing with adding puzzle-based games within the LinkedIn experience to unlock a bit of fun, deepen relationships, and hopefully spark the opportunity for conversations," the spokesperson said in a message to TechCrunch. "Stay tuned for more!"

After the news about the professional networking site adding gaming to its platform Real Research Media surveyed 5,000 people to get their thoughts on the change. The survey revealed that 45% of respondents find it somewhat likely that integrating gaming features into LinkedIn will increase the duration that users stay for, and 38.72% find it highly likely.

They also found that 43.04% of the respondents are interested in LinkedIn adding online games, and 32.96% are highly interested. 24% said they were not interested at all.

In addition, 66.36% of the respondents believe that the addition of games on LinkedIn aligns with its role as a professional networking platform.

Meanwhile, 67.12% believe gaming integration will alter LinkedIn’s professional image. Interestingly, 42.04% of the respondents said they were somewhat likely to actively play games on LinkedIn, and 35.2% said it was highly likely. 17.56% said it is somewhat unlikely that they play games on LinkedIn, and 5.2% said it is highly unlikely.

LinkedIn has both free and paid subscription options for its platform. The premium option for people looking for jobs costs $39.99 per month and comes with access to extra features.

In 2016, the software giant Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in a $26.2 billion cash deal according to a news release. The New York Times reported that this deal brought together the professional cloud and professional network. Though they operate in different businesses, Microsoft and LinkedIn make the most of their money by catering to professionals.

Best Buy has announced that starting in 2024, following this holiday season, they will discontinue the sale of DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K Ultra HD discs, both in their physical stores and online. They have said the reason for this decision is due to the increasing popularity of streaming services.  This move aligns with the prevailing trend, as more people turn to streaming for their entertainment needs.

Physical media does come with certain inconveniences, such as taking up space and limited mobile accessibility. But there are still people who appreciate the more traditional way of enjoying movies and music. There are some advantages of owning Blu-rays and DVDs. These include owning what you buy and having bonus content you can't get anywhere else.

In the '90s, owning a pager was considered a status symbol and a fashion statement. Today, it's even possible to purchase a fully functional vintage Motorola pager from online marketplaces like eBay.

With the widespread use of mobile phones and free calling applications that offer unlimited calls via Wi-Fi, traditional landlines may eventually become obsolete. However, the complete phasing out of this technology may take some time. This is because certain regions or countries still contend with unreliable internet or cellular coverage. As of August 2023, Community Phone reports that approximately 40.35 million households in the United States still maintain landline phones, and 38.1 million households have both a landline and a cell phone.

For some people, "new" technology doesn’t always mean "better." On Reddit, a user started a discussion thread asking, “What outdated or obsolete tech are you still using and are perfectly happy with?” The thread received more than 16,000 responses from people who shared the outdated everyday items they still happily use. Check some of them out below.

You probably haven't seen a calculator in ages, but a Reddit user chimed in to say that, for them, the old-school scientific calculator beats the one on your phone or any app. They simply put it like this, "Honestly, a standard scientific calculator is just easier to use than your phone's built-in scientific calculator." It could be the fun button-tapping sound or the nostalgic thrill of typing in cheeky words with numbers that makes this person prefer calculators.

Smartwatches may pack in loads of features, but there's a catch - they need regular charging and maintenance, and their battery life is shorter. On the flip side, traditional watches are a low-maintenance choice with longer battery life. In fact, a Redditor mentioned they still rock a "a lovely, inexpensive, bombproof, analog, big face Casio." They also pointed out that smartwatches aren't allowed at their job, so their trusty Casio gets the job done.

If you've put a ton of effort into collecting CDs and vinyl records, and creating some killer playlists, why ditch them, right? One person told their story about growing up in the '90s, building a massive CD collection, and stashing them all in one of those Case Logic CD binders. They fondly shared, "I still keep it with me in my car and it’s a wonderful trip down memory lane every time I open it. I laughed and cried a little when my kids friend asked me what it was and I said, 'CDs' and they followed up with, 'What’s that?'" But also: not everything is available on streaming services.  That obscure soundtrack or tribute album from the '80s? Licensing issues may have prevented it from hitting the streamers.  Love Joni Mitchell? Well, Spotify doesn't have her catalog. Sure, you can subscribe to another service, but if you kept your old vinyl and have a turntable, you can listen to it the old school way.

You have people who can't stand a tangle of wires in their tech setup, and then there's that Reddit user who's all about the wired life. They firmly believe that wired networking is "not obsolete or outdated." According to them, it's superior in every aspect, except for the mobility it lacks compared to wireless. They put it simply, "Wired is the ideal, you only go wireless if running cable is unfeasible for the situation.

A regular doorbell does its job well. It lets you know someone's at the door. On the other hand, a video doorbell does the same but with the perk of letting you see and hear the person at your door, even if you're not home. Someone mentioned they'd be up for a smart doorbell if it kept the data local. They said, "I don't want anything being sent online, so I might need to set up my own system... I'll just stick with the traditional kind."

A Redditor shared their affection for good old physical buttons, arguing that not everything needs to go the touchscreen route. They stressed the importance of having car radios equipped with buttons rather than screens, believing it's a safer choice. They explained, "It’s easier for me to push a button to change the music while keeping my eyes on the road/ I can’t do that if my car has a screen. It increases distracted driving incidents."