LinkedIn launches mini Sudoku to engage its 1.2 billion users

LinkedIn has introduced Mini Sudoku, a new casual game designed for quick play, aiming to spark friendly competition among its 1.2 billion users. The Microsoft-owned professional network describes the game as a compact version of the classic Sudoku puzzle, intended to be completed within two to three minutes. This marks LinkedIn’s sixth game launch on the platform.

In an interview with CNBC, Lakshman Somasundaram, senior director of product at LinkedIn, emphasised the company’s approach: “We don’t want to have a puzzle on LinkedIn that takes 20 minutes to solve, right? We’re not games for games’ sake.” The focus remains on light, accessible gameplay that fits into users’ busy schedules.

The idea for Mini Sudoku arose from discussions with Japanese publisher Nikoli, credited with popularising Sudoku worldwide. Last year, LinkedIn product managers met Nikoli’s team in Tokyo, collaborating closely with Nikoli and Thomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Championship winner, also known as Dr Sudoku. Snyder has been advising LinkedIn on its gaming strategy and contributed to the design of the puzzles and hint features. Each daily puzzle is accompanied by a video of Snyder demonstrating his solving technique.

Snyder, founder and CEO of Grandmaster Puzzles, highlighted the creative challenge in developing the game: “It’s very easy to just make a Sudoku grid. It’s very hard to make art in the form of Sudoku. And that’s what both Nikoli and we do. I think it’s got the potential to be the largest of the games, just because it’s going to have a lot of brand awareness from moment one.”