Remote teams
How to Play Games on Microsoft Teams and Zoom Calls
· 7 min read
You don't need a special app or plug-in to play games on a Microsoft Teams or Zoom call. Almost every game works the same way on both: one person shares their screen, and everyone else plays along from their own device. This guide covers how to set that up, the built-in features worth using, and ten games that work well on a call.
How to play games on a Teams or Zoom call
- Pick a host. One person runs the game, shares their screen and keeps time. Everyone else just plays.
- Share the game screen. In Zoom, use Share Screen and tick "Share sound" if the game has music. In Teams, use Share and turn on "Include sound". Share a single window or browser tab rather than your whole desktop, so notifications don't pop up for everyone.
- Let people answer from their own device. Players can join on their phone or in a second browser tab with a link or room code, then watch the shared screen on the call. Answering by typing or tapping means nobody has to fight to be heard.
- Use teams. Split the call into teams of three to six. Each team can confer in a private chat or a breakout room.
- Keep it short. Five minutes at the start of a meeting, or 30–45 minutes for a dedicated social.
Built-in features that help
- Polls. Zoom and Teams both have polls you can launch during a meeting. They're fine for a quick this-or-that, though they won't keep score across rounds.
- Breakout rooms. Both platforms can split a call into smaller rooms, which is ideal for team discussion in puzzle and escape-room games.
- Chat. The meeting chat works for quick answers in name-that-tune or emoji games, as long as someone keeps track of who answered first.
Microsoft's own Games for Work (Solitaire, Minesweeper and others inside Teams) has been discontinued, so most teams now use a browser-based game shared on the call.
Quick guide
| Game | Time | Group size | Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick trivia | 5–20 min | Any, in teams | Remote |
| This or that | 3–5 min | Any | Remote |
| Two truths and a lie | 10–15 min | 4–30 | Remote |
| Guess the emoji | 5–10 min | Any, in teams | Remote |
| Survey says | 10–15 min | 6+ | Remote |
| Name that tune | 5–10 min | Any | Remote |
| Rebus puzzles | 5–10 min | Any, in teams | Remote |
| Spin the question | 5–10 min | Up to 15 | Remote |
| Virtual escape room | 15–25 min | 4+ | Remote |
| Show and tell | 10 min | Up to 12 | Remote |
1. Quick trivia
5–20 min · Any, in teams people · remote
How it works: Share a quiz on screen, put people into teams, and give each team a moment to agree on an answer.
Why it works: Scales from a five-question opener to a full quiz night without changing anything.
With TeamPlay: Players answer on their own phone or in another browser tab, and the app marks answers and keeps score. See how it plays.
2. This or that
3–5 min · Any people · remote
How it works: Put up two options and have everyone vote. Show the split, then ask one person from each side to defend their pick.
Why it works: The fastest way to get everyone engaged in the first minute of a call.
3. Two truths and a lie
10–15 min · 4–30 people · remote
How it works: One person shares three statements, everyone votes on the lie, then the author reveals it.
Why it works: Works with cameras off and everyone learns something new.
4. Guess the emoji
5–10 min · Any, in teams people · remote
How it works: Share an emoji puzzle that spells out a film or phrase and let teams race to decode it.
Why it works: Reads perfectly on a shared screen, even on a small laptop.
5. Survey says
10–15 min · 6+ people · remote
How it works: Teams guess the most popular answers to a prompt. Breakout rooms work well for teams to confer.
Why it works: Feels like a game show, and works brilliantly with a host who hams it up.
6. Name that tune
5–10 min · Any people · remote
How it works: Play song intros through your shared screen with computer sound turned on. First correct answer in the chat wins.
Why it works: Quick, fun and a nice break from staring at slides.
7. Rebus puzzles
5–10 min · Any, in teams people · remote
How it works: Share a picture puzzle that hides a phrase. Teams discuss in a breakout room or a private chat and send their answer.
Why it works: One puzzle fits in two minutes; five make a proper round.
8. Spin the question
5–10 min · Up to 15 people · remote
How it works: Pick a random person on the call and give them a random light question to answer.
Why it works: Solves the awkward "who goes next?" silence on video calls.
9. Virtual escape room
15–25 min · 4+ people · remote
How it works: Put teams into breakout rooms to work through puzzle locks, then bring everyone back for the finale.
Why it works: Makes good use of breakout rooms and works as the main event of a virtual social.
10. Show and tell
10 min · Up to 12 people · remote
How it works: Everyone shows one object within arm's reach on camera and explains it.
Why it works: The one game where being on a video call is an advantage.
Common questions
Can you play games on Microsoft Teams?
Yes. Share a browser game on the call and have everyone join from their own device with a link or code. It works the same in the Teams desktop app, in a browser and on mobile.
What games can you play on Zoom with coworkers?
Trivia, two truths and a lie, emoji and rebus puzzles, survey games and escape rooms all work well on Zoom. Use breakout rooms for team discussion.
Do players need to install anything?
Not for browser-based games. Players open a link on their phone or laptop, enter a code and their name, and they're in.
Looking for more ideas? See 15 games to play with remote coworkers and fun games for office meetings.
Run games on your next call with TeamPlay
TeamPlay is built for exactly this: the host shares one screen on Teams, Zoom or Google Meet, everyone joins from their own device with a room code, and the app handles teams, timing and scores. Every game in this list except name that tune and show and tell is built in. It's free for up to 15 people, with nothing to install. Host a free session.