10 Best Online Games for Remote Team Meetings (2026 Guide)
Remote teams lose the small, unplanned moments that build relationships in an office: the chat while the kettle boils, the joke before a meeting starts. A short game at the start of a call will not replace all of that, but it gives people something to laugh about together, and it is one of the cheapest ways to make a meeting feel less like a status report.
Below are ten games that work well over video calls. For each one we have noted how long it takes, the group size it suits and the easiest way to run it. All of them are free, and none of them require your colleagues to install anything or create an account.
How to choose the right game
Before picking a game, answer three quick questions:
- How much time do you have? Five minutes at the start of a stand-up calls for something different from a 45-minute team social.
- How well does the group know each other? New teams need low-pressure games where nobody has to share too much. Established teams can handle more competitive or personal games.
- How big is the group? Some games work with everyone at once; others are better split into breakout rooms of four to six people.
The 10 best games for remote team meetings
1. Two Truths and a Lie
Time: 15 to 30 minutes · Group size: 4 to 20
Each person shares two true facts and one lie about themselves, and everyone else guesses the lie. It is the classic icebreaker for a reason: people learn genuinely surprising things about colleagues, and the stories behind the true facts often start conversations that carry on long after the game.
Our online version of Two Truths and a Lie splits players into two teams. The host shares their screen, players join from their own phones with a room code, and the selected player types their statements privately so nobody can see which is the lie.
2. Draw & Guess
Time: 10 to 20 minutes · Group size: 3 or more
One person draws a word while everyone else guesses, Pictionary style. Drawing ability does not matter; bad drawings are usually funnier. Open Draw & Guess, share your screen, and let people shout out guesses or type them in the meeting chat. Pass the drawing role to whoever guesses correctly.
3. Quick quiz
Time: 3 to 5 minutes · Group size: any
A ten-question general-knowledge quiz is the easiest possible meeting opener. Quiz Battle gives 15 seconds per question, so a round takes about three minutes. Read each question aloud and have people post their answer letter in the chat before the timer runs out.
4. Emoji Guess
Time: 5 to 10 minutes · Group size: any
Players decode a string of emojis into a word, film or phrase. Emoji Guess is a good choice for international teams because it relies on lateral thinking rather than language skills or local knowledge.
5. Team trivia
Time: 10 to 20 minutes · Group size: 6 or more, split into teams
For something closer to a pub quiz, split the group into two or three teams and let them take turns answering. Trivia Master mixes categories from science to sport and rewards answer streaks. Use a shared scoreboard to keep running totals across several weeks.
6. Geography challenge
Time: 5 to 10 minutes · Group size: any
Distributed teams enjoy Pinpoint, where you place famous landmarks on a world map. Let colleagues from different countries call out where they think each landmark is before you click. It is a nice way to let people talk about places they know.
7. Word Scramble race
Time: 3 to 5 minutes · Group size: any
Share Word Scramble on screen and award a point to the first person who calls out each unscrambled word. It is fast, noisy and needs no explanation.
8. Group word ladder
Time: 5 minutes · Group size: 3 to 12
Word ladders ask you to turn one word into another by changing one letter at a time. Solve a Crossclimb puzzle together by letting the group suggest each step. It is a good warm-up before a brainstorming session because it rewards trying lots of ideas quickly.
9. Would You Rather
Time: 5 to 10 minutes · Group size: any
No tools needed: ask a "would you rather" question and have everyone vote in the chat, then invite one or two people to explain their choice. Keep questions light, for example "Would you rather only work mornings or only work evenings?"
10. Asynchronous puzzle challenge
Time: 2 minutes per person, any time · Group size: any
For teams spread across time zones, not every game has to be live. Pick a short puzzle such as Queens or Mini Sudoku, have everyone post their time in a team channel, and crown a weekly winner. It keeps a bit of friendly competition going between meetings.
How to run a game session that people enjoy
- Keep it short. Five to ten minutes at the start of a meeting is usually better than a long session nobody has time for.
- Make it optional but easy. Some people will want to watch rather than play. That is fine; they still benefit from the shared laugh.
- Test the game first. Open it before the meeting and check that screen sharing shows it clearly.
- Rotate the host. Letting different people run the game spreads ownership and stops it feeling like a manager-led exercise.
- Avoid anything too personal. Questions about family, money, health or politics can make people uncomfortable at work.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Playing at the end of a long meeting when everyone wants to leave. Start with the game instead.
- Choosing complicated games. If it takes more than a minute to explain the rules, it is too complicated for a meeting.
- Making it compulsory fun. Games work best when they feel like a treat, not a task.
If you are new to team games, start with a three-minute quiz or Emoji Guess at your next meeting and see how people react. You can browse the full collection on our games page.
