Media and technology companies are increasingly turning to games as a strategy to attract and retain subscribers. From Apple to LinkedIn, these companies are incorporating word puzzles and brain teasers into their offerings to engage users and keep them coming back for more.
Apple released a series of word-focused puzzles in its subscription news service last fall, while LinkedIn debuted a set of word games this spring. Other news sites like Morning Brew, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe have also added new puzzles to their platforms. Even this publication has invested in a collection of brainteasers.
For media companies, games are a way to attract new customers as traditional sources of traffic like Google and social media platforms have shifted away from emphasizing news. For tech companies with editorial offerings, puzzles are a way to entice new subscribers and keep existing users engaged.
John Temple, co-founder of Amuse Labs, a software platform that helps publishers create puzzles, emphasized the importance of creating a satisfying experience for users. He stated, “A publication is more than the stories it produces. It’s an experience to look forward to, a pleasure.”
Adding games and puzzles has become a central strategy for many publishers in recent years, with momentum increasing as companies like Apple and LinkedIn join in. As these companies compete for consumer attention against entertainment giants like Netflix and Spotify, more are likely to follow suit.
The games being offered are not your typical shoot-em-up games, but rather word or logic puzzles that challenge users intellectually. These games provide a sense of accomplishment and can help users feel engaged with the content.
Early results show that the strategy is working, with companies like The New York Times reporting that new subscriptions for non-news products have surpassed new subscriptions for their core news offering. Apple and LinkedIn have also seen promising results from their puzzle offerings.
Games have a long history in the news industry, with newspapers including word games and brain teasers for over a century. The New York World published the first crossword puzzle in 1913, and The New York Times introduced its own crossword puzzle in 1942.
In today’s fast-paced news cycle, games provide a brief escape from the constant stream of bad news. Ross Trudeau, puzzles editor at Apple News, stated, “Puzzles are a way of saying some of these problems do have solutions — even elegant ones.”
Overall, games are seen as a way to build new habits for consumers and keep them engaged with the content. Companies are focusing on creating a positive experience for users, whether it’s completing a crossword puzzle or trying out a new word game.
As the trend of incorporating games into news and tech offerings continues to grow, it’s clear that puzzles are becoming a key strategy for attracting and retaining subscribers in a competitive digital landscape.
