LinkedIn has officially launched Mini Sudoku, a fast-paced casual game designed to keep its 1.2 billion users engaged with short, accessible puzzles and expert solving tips.
The Microsoft-owned professional networking platform says Mini Sudoku is a compact version of the classic Sudoku puzzle, designed to be completed in just two to three minutes. The goal is to encourage quick play sessions that fit into users’ busy work schedules, while adding a touch of entertainment to the platform.
This is LinkedIn’s sixth game launch, as part of its broader strategy to increase daily user interaction through light-hearted content.
Expert-Backed Sudoku for Professionals
In an interview with CNBC, Lakshman Somasundaram, senior director of product at LinkedIn, explained the philosophy behind the new feature:
“We don’t want to have a puzzle on LinkedIn that takes 20 minutes to solve. We’re not games for games’ sake.”
The Mini Sudoku project emerged from LinkedIn’s collaboration with Japanese publisher Nikoli, widely credited with popularizing Sudoku worldwide. LinkedIn also partnered with Thomas Snyder, three-time World Sudoku Champion and founder of Grandmaster Puzzles, known as Dr. Sudoku.
Snyder advised LinkedIn on puzzle design and even contributed tutorial videos, offering daily solving strategies to help users improve their skills.
LinkedIn Expands Casual Gaming Strategy
The launch of Mini Sudoku underlines LinkedIn’s push into casual gaming as a way to boost engagement, retention, and brand awareness. According to Snyder:
“It’s very easy to just make a Sudoku grid. It’s very hard to make art in the form of Sudoku. 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.”
With Sudoku already one of the world’s most recognized puzzles, LinkedIn’s new feature is expected to attract both casual players and puzzle enthusiasts, reinforcing the platform’s shift towards interactive, community-driven experiences.