Remote work has quickly become the new norm, but while it’s great for productivity and convenience it can sometime leave us feeling lonely or craving some fun time with our friends and colleagues.
Playing virtual games on Zoom with your remote work buddies can be a great way to break the ice, build deeper relationships, boost team morale, and make remote collaboration more fun.
Here are some of the best virtual games to play with your friends on Zoom.
The best virtual games for Zoom include Bingo, Two Truths and a Lie, Virtual Scavenger Hunt, Online Pictionary, and Breakout Room Trivia. These games work for 5-50+ participants and take 5-30 minutes to complete.
Quick Icebreakers (5-10 Minutes)
1. Two Truths and a Lie
This game is great for learning surprising facts about teammates and building stronger bonds across shared experiences.
- Time: 5-10 minutes
- Players: 3-20 people
- Materials: None
How to play: Each person shares three statements about themselves - two true, one false. Others guess which is the lie.
2. Virtual Background Show & Tell
This quick, visual icebreaker will liven up your next virtual meeting! Perfect for helping teammates get to know each other’s personalities, hobbies, and interests.
- Time: 10-15 minutes
- Players: Any size
- Materials: Zoom backgrounds
How to play:
- Host Sets the Prompt The host starts by giving a theme or question. It could be as simple as “Where would you rather be right now?” or something playful like “Pick a fictional world you’d live in.” Example: The host asks, “If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?”
- Participants Pick Their Backgrounds Each person changes their virtual background to match the prompt. They can come prepared or take a few minutes to search for an image. Example: Aisha sets her background to a sunny Bali beach because she dreams of a yoga retreat there. Jon chooses the Grand Canyon at sunset to show his love for hiking.
- Show & Explain One by one, participants reveal their background and explain their choice in a quick 1–2 minute story. Example: Mei shows the Tokyo skyline at night and shares that she studied abroad there and misses the food. Carlos takes it further—his background is the International Space Station, because he’s fascinated by space and would love to orbit Earth.
- Team Engagement After each reveal, teammates can ask short follow-up questions or react to the background. This creates natural conversation and helps the group connect on a personal level. Example: When Carlos reveals the space background, someone jokes about him being first in line for a SpaceX flight. When Mei talks about Tokyo, a teammate asks about her favorite ramen spot.
3. Quick Draw Challenge
This quick game puts teammates’ drawing skills to the test in what is sure to make a fun time full of good laughs.
- Time: 5-8 minutes
- Players: 5-30 people
- Materials: Paper and pen
How to play: Call out simple objects to draw in 30 seconds. Everyone shows their drawings simultaneously. Vote on most creative or accurate.
Medium Games (15-25 Minutes)
4. Virtual Scavenger Hunt
This energetic game gets everyone moving and adds a burst of fun to any virtual meeting. It’s perfect for sparking laughter, creativity, and a little friendly competition.
- Time: 15-20 minutes
- Players: 5-50 people
- Materials: Item list
How to play: Call out items for people to find in their homes. First person to show the item gets a point. Items: something blue, a book, a snack, etc.
5. Online Pictionary
Just like the Quick Draw Challenge, this tests drawing skills but with the added challenge of virtual drawing tools for even more wacky drawings and lots of laughs.
- Time: 20-25 minutes
- Players: 6-30 people
- Materials: Digital whiteboard
How to play: Use the Zoom whiteboard feature or an external tool like Skribbl.io. Split participants into teams. On each turn, one team draws the given word or prompt while the other team guesses.
6. Breakout Room Trivia
This classic quiz-style game is a great way to test knowledge, spark teamwork, and bring out some healthy competition. It works especially well for larger groups and guarantees plenty of laughs along the way.
- Time: 15-25 minutes
- Players: 8-40 people
- Materials: Trivia questions
How to play: Split participants into breakout rooms to form teams. The host asks trivia questions that are sent to all rooms. Teams discuss their answers privately and submit them within a set time. After a few rounds, everyone reconvenes in the main room to reveal results and crown the winning team.
Long Games (30+ Minutes)
7. Virtual Escape Room
Bring the thrill of an escape room online! This immersive team activity challenges participants to collaborate, think critically, and solve puzzles under pressure—all while racing against the clock. It’s perfect for building problem-solving skills and teamwork in a fun, high-energy format.
- Time: 30-60 minutes
- Players: 4-12 people
- Materials: Online escape room platform
How to play: Divide participants into teams and join a virtual escape room through platforms like Breakout Games, The Escape Game, or other online providers. Teams must work together to crack codes, solve riddles, and unravel clues to “escape” before time runs out. For a personalized twist, you can also create custom challenges tailored to your group.
8. Virtual Murder Mystery
Step into character and solve a whodunnit together! This interactive game combines storytelling, roleplay, and problem-solving, making it a highly engaging way to bond with teammates. Everyone gets to play a part in cracking the case.
- Time: 45-90 minutes
- Players: 6-15 people
- Materials: Character assignments, clues
How to play: Assign each participant a character role before the meeting, complete with a short backstory and objectives. During the game, present the crime scenario and allow players to interrogate each other, share clues, and piece together the mystery. The goal: identify the culprit before time runs out.
Team Building Games
9. Virtual Bingo
- Time: 15-30 minutes
- Players: Any size
- Materials: Custom bingo cards
How to play: Create bingo cards with work-related items, meeting behaviors, or personal facts. Mark off squares as they occur during meeting.
10. Show and Tell Plus
- Time: 10-20 minutes
- Players: 5-20 people
- Materials: Personal items
How to play: Themed show and tell - favorite book, childhood photo, pet, hobby project. Builds personal connections and understanding.
Creative Games
11. Story Building
- Time: 10-15 minutes
- Players: 5-15 people
- Materials: None
How to play: Start with 'Once upon a time...' Each person adds one sentence to build a collaborative story. Results are usually hilarious.
12. Virtual Charades
- Time: 15-25 minutes
- Players: 6-25 people
- Materials: Word/phrase list
How to play: Classic charades adapted for video. Use work-related terms, movies, books. Person acts out while others guess in chat.
Tips for Success
Technical Tips
- Test games beforehand with a small group
- Have backup activities ready
- Use breakout rooms for smaller group interactions
- Share screen for visual games
Engagement Tips
- Keep energy high with enthusiasm
- Include quiet participants
- Celebrate all attempts, not just winners
- Keep games optional - some prefer to watch
Timing Tips
- Start meetings with 5-minute games
- Use longer games for dedicated team building