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LinkedIn games are getting closer... for some reason (APK teardown)

There's no word on Farmville and Candy Crush Saga coming, though.

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Published onApril 3, 2024

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

TL;DR

LinkedIn’s strange plan to bring games to its platform could happen in the near future, based on new strings we found in an Android Authority app teardown.
The teardown reveals the names of several games, leaderboard functionality, and other related features.

LinkedIn is the world’s foremost professional networking website, offering everything from social networking and industry news to job search functionality and more. However, the company recently confirmed that games (yes, games) would come to the platform. Now, a new app update suggests that said games could soon come to the platform.

An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.

We uncovered a host of strings related to games in version 4.1.923 of the LinkedIn app for Android. Check out some of the strings below.

Code

<string name="games_blueprint_title">Pinpoint</string>
<string name="games_crossclimb_title">Crossclimb</string>
<string name="games_leaderboard_share_button">Share leaderboard</string>
<string name="games_my_network_entry_point_subtitle">Play your way into conversations and share your score.</string>
<string name="games_my_network_entry_point_title">Stay in touch through daily games</string> 
<string name="games_organizational_update_card_header">Join the chatter</string>
<string name="games_promo_card_header">Dive into more games</string>
<string name="games_queens_title">Queens</string>

The strings give us a few apparent names for the games, such as Crossclimb, Queens, and Pinpoint. TechCrunch previously found evidence of the former two, as well as a title seemingly named Inference, though Pinpoint is new. It’s unclear if these are the only games or if we should expect more titles at launch. We also see mentions of shared leaderboards, daily games, and score-sharing.

A host of other strings also point to streak-based functionality for LinkedIn games as well as optional, notification-based reminders to play. Check these out below.

Code

<string name="games_streak_card_title">Keep it up</string>
<string name="games_streak_friday_initial">F</string>
<string name="games_streak_monday_initial">M</string>
<string name="games_streak_notification_button">Remind me to play</string>
<string name="games_streak_saturday_initial">S</string>
<string name="games_streak_sunday_initial">S</string>
<string name="games_streak_thursday_initial">T</string>
<string name="games_streak_tuesday_initial">T</string>
<string name="games_streak_wednesday_initial">W</string>

LinkedIn is far from the first social platform to offer games. Facebook is arguably the most prominent example owing to titles like Farmville and Candy Crush Saga. Nevertheless, this remains a curious shift for a professional networking platform. We’re guessing that games and the associated streak mechanic are part of a bid to keep users on LinkedIn for longer.