Multiplayer vs Solo Games: Which Should Your Team Play?
If you are trying to bring some fun into your team's working week, one of the first choices is whether to play together or separately. Multiplayer games create shared moments; solo games give people a break on their own terms. Both have a place, and the best approach usually mixes them.
What multiplayer games are good for
Games you play together, live, are best when the goal is connection:
- Getting to know each other. Two Truths and a Lie is hard to beat for new teams or new joiners.
- Warming up a meeting. A short quiz or a few rounds of Emoji Guess on a shared screen gets everyone talking in the first five minutes.
- Breaking down hierarchy. Games where everyone is equally bad, such as Draw & Guess, put juniors and seniors on the same level for a while.
- Celebrations and socials. End-of-quarter or holiday calls are the natural place for longer team trivia.
What solo games are good for
Games you play on your own are best when the goal is a personal break:
- A quick reset between tasks. A Mini Sudoku or Queens puzzle takes a few minutes and has a clear end.
- People who find group games draining. Not everyone recharges by socialising. A solo puzzle respects that.
- Teams across time zones. If you can never get everyone online at once, solo puzzles let people play when it suits them.
- Quiet focus days. On heads-down days, a short solo break interrupts nobody else.
A quick decision guide
| Situation | Better choice | Example |
|---|---|---|
| New team or new joiner | Multiplayer | Two Truths and a Lie |
| Start of a weekly meeting | Multiplayer (shared screen) | Quiz Battle, Emoji Guess |
| Before a brainstorm | Multiplayer | Draw & Guess, a group word ladder |
| Personal afternoon break | Solo | Mini Sudoku, Queens |
| Team spread across many time zones | Solo with shared scores | Post puzzle times in a team channel |
| Team social or celebration | Multiplayer | Team trivia with a scoreboard |
Combining both: the "shared solo" approach
Some of the most popular team activities sit in between. Everyone plays the same solo puzzle in their own time, then compares results. For example, post a "beat my time" message after solving Crossclimb, or keep a weekly scoreboard for Fox Runner high scores. It gives a team something to chat about without needing a meeting.
Things to watch out for
- Do not make multiplayer games compulsory. Let people watch or skip.
- Avoid ranking individuals publicly if some team members are uncomfortable with it. Team scores or no scores work fine.
- Do not let solo games replace connection entirely. If your team never plays or chats together, something social is still worth trying.
- Ask your team. Preferences vary a lot between groups. A quick poll tells you more than any general advice.
Our recommendation
Start with one short multiplayer game a week, such as five minutes at the start of your team meeting, and let people know about solo puzzles they can play whenever they like. After a month, ask what people enjoyed and adjust. You can find both kinds on our games page.
