Microsoft Teams Games to Play to Build Your Team Or Break the Ice

Virtual meetings have become the norm, as many of us work in remote teams and never meet in person. This does mean that creating and maintaining a positive team culture can be difficult. One of the ways you can build rapport, teamwork, and a supportive company culture is by hosting Microsoft Teams games online using your regular Microsoft Teams platform, and other Microsoft Teams apps or audio and visual components associated with the platform.

When you play trivia games, Microsoft Teams Bingo, and other free virtual games, you aren't just wasting time. You're participating in virtual team building activities that can keep your entire team engaged and help avoid virtual meeting fatigue.

In this article, we'll look at some of the best Microsoft Teams games and icebreaker games to play with your coworkers and employees. Remember, playing a creative game isn't about beating the other team or winning - but about bringing everyone together.

Why Should You Take Time to Play Fun Games on Microsoft Teams?

Taking time to play on Microsoft Teams or any other virtual platform can have several valuable benefits for organizations. Virtual games like Bingo Microsoft Teams can have impacts like:

• Team Bonding: Playing games fosters a sense of camaraderie among team members. It helps build relationships and strengthens the sense of community within the team. Stronger bonds lead to better collaboration and communication. Two teams that compete can build real bonds, regardless of the final scores. You can bring together employees with the same manager or employees from different departments. Who knows, your once-off Microsoft Teams game or company-wide trivia game could become a regular event!
• Stress Reduction: Work can be stressful, especially in a remote setting where it's challenging to separate work from personal life. Playing fun Microsoft Teams games provides a fun and relaxing break, reducing stress levels and promoting mental well-being. A party game can also put the fun back in your boring team meeting.
• Creativity and Problem-Solving: MS Teams games require creative thinking and problem-solving skills. These skills can translate into the workplace, helping team members approach challenges with fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. A self-paced challenge unlocked with a game pin can help employees blow off steam while taking in important virtual trivia.
• Improved Communication: Many free Microsoft Teams games, such as Charades or Pictionary, rely on effective communication and teamwork. Playing these games can enhance team members' communication skills and their ability to work together as a single unit.
• Icebreaking: Games are excellent icebreakers, especially for new team members or during team-building events. Playing bingo or following game boards of a regular online game can create a relaxed atmosphere and encourage team members to get to know each other better.
• Boosted Morale: Engaging in enjoyable activities like games can boost team morale. When employees feel happy and motivated, they tend to be more productive and satisfied with their work. They don't have to be on the winning team either! Simply playing an ongoing game can help teams blow off steam and feel better.
• Enhanced Employee Engagement: Incorporating games into meetings or team gatherings can increase participant engagement. It makes meetings more interactive and less monotonous, ensuring that team members remain attentive and involved.

Incorporating team-building games into Microsoft Teams meetings or virtual team gatherings is a simple yet very effective way to improve team dynamics, reduce stress, and create a positive and engaging work environment. After all, all work and no play makes for dull and demotivated employees! Take some time to play games before knuckling down together.

Best Microsoft Teams Games to Play for Remote Teams

Now that you are familiar with the benefits of Microsoft Teams games, it's time to dive into the best games to play on Microsoft Teams! Microsoft Teams is equipped with a Teams Chat feature, breakout rooms, video capabilities, and the ability to stream screens, which makes it easy for coworkers to engage in a fun and interactive way.

1. Microsoft Teams Bingo

Bingo is a universally loved game of chance that can now be played conveniently with your colleagues on Microsoft Teams. This game gained popularity during the shift to remote work in the wake of the pandemic. It's a simple yet engaging game that can be incorporated into a meeting, as the bingo squares feature prompts related to remote work. To get started, you can use a free bingo card generator to create unique cards for each participant. Distribute these cards to your colleagues before the game begins. When you're all set, gather everyone together and start calling out numbers. It's a game that keeps everyone engaged and sitting on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating the next number. To boost participation and add an extra layer of fun, you can even consider offering a small prize for the winners, turning your virtual meetings into entertaining gaming sessions.

2. Picture Prompt

Picture Prompt is a creative and engaging game that encourages employees to unleash their creativity through photography. It's a perfect activity to foster unity and connection within your team during virtual meetings. To play, start by providing a quick prompt to your team members, such as "Your happy place" or "A chaotic moment." Each participant then interprets the prompt and submits a photo that represents their take on it. This game not only showcases your team's unique perspectives and interests, but also builds empathy among team members. You can also make it more challenging by asking your team to use only GIF images or cartoons. By discussing and sharing these photos, you create a sense of community and deeper connections among your team members.

3. Guess Who?

One of the unique features of Microsoft Teams is the "together mode," which places participants in virtual auditorium seats. Guess Who? or, a round of 20 questions about one of your team members can be a fantastic icebreaker and a great way to get to know your colleagues better. It's the perfect virtual game for any team that is new and need to get to know one another. Create a list of trivia questions about each team member, such as "Who won employee of the month last month?" or "Who speaks four languages?" Team members take turns guessing the answers to these questions, fostering camaraderie and promoting deeper connections within the team. It's not only a fun game, but also an excellent opportunity to deepen your understanding of your coworkers.

4. Espionage!

Espionage! is an exciting live game designed for puzzle lovers and can be played right on Microsoft Teams. This fully-hosted spy-themed game offers 90 minutes of immersive gameplay, making it an ideal choice for team-building activities or simply having a great time with your colleagues. One of the highlights of Espionage! is its high-quality audiovisual components, ensuring an engaging and thrilling experience.

5. Trello Truth Or Dare

If your team uses Trello for project management, Trello Truth or Dare can be a fantastic addition to your Microsoft Teams experience. This game combines synchronous and asynchronous interactions, making it suitable for live meetings or week-long engagements. Create a Trello board and assign one column for "truth" and another for "dare." Fill each column with cards containing truth questions or dares. During a live meeting, participants can pick a card and complete the task on camera. For asynchronous play, randomly assign cards to players, who can then respond with written answers for truth or photos/videos as proof of dare. To maintain a professional atmosphere, establish some work-friendly ground rules for the questions and dares.

6. Microsoft Teams Trivia

Trivia is a universally loved game that offers a chance to showcase your knowledge without being labeled a know-it-all. It's a versatile game that can serve multiple purposes in a remote work setting. Whether as part of a team happy hour, a team-building exercise, or simply a way to relax and unwind, trivia is always a hit.

One handy app extension for playing trivia in Microsoft Teams is Kahoot! Trivia, which allows you to choose from premade trivia games or create your own from scratch. Trivia can be played in real-time, with teams competing against each other within a time limit or asynchronously, with teammates answering questions individually by a specific deadline.

If you're looking for a more structured and competitive trivia experience, explore live trivia games that can offer a more authentic trivia night atmosphere within the virtual setting. Trivia games are not only enjoyable but also a great way to bond with your team and showcase your knowledge in a fun and friendly environment.

7. Microsoft Teams Family Feud

Ever dreamed of competing in Steve Harvey's Family Feud? You can bring the excitement of this classic game show to your team using Microsoft Teams. If you have access to SurveyMonkey, utilize their Microsoft Teams plugin to collect original data for your Family Feud questions. Alternatively, you can find free PowerPoint templates with survey questions and data. You can form some groups and play your own version of Family Feud, with participants using the private chat room to discuss their answers. It's a fun way to foster teamwork and friendly competition within your team.

8. GIF Story Challenge

The GIF Story Challenge is a creative and interactive game that puts your team's creativity and GIF skills to the test. Here's how it works: Divide your group into teams and assign each team a story to tell using only animated GIFs. The story can be based on a famous book, movie, song, TV show, or even an original narrative. Teams have five minutes to select the perfect GIFs that will convey their story. Each team then shares their story in the chat, using a sequence of GIF images. The challenge for the opposing team is to decipher the narrative hidden within the GIFs. The more imaginative and captivating the storytelling, the higher the chances of scoring big. It's a game that encourages ingenuity and clever visual storytelling, adding a unique dimension to your virtual meetings.

9. NickNack

You don't have to stick to Microsoft Teams' native features. NickNack is an app that can be integrated with Microsoft Teams, offering a wide selection of over 30 games to play within the Teams environment. Beyond games, it allows for collaboration, photo and video sharing, and even casual conversations with colleagues through the app. This integration provides an easy way to inject fun and engagement into your team meetings, making them more enjoyable and interactive experiences for all participants.

10. Debate Club

Debate Club is a lively group activity that encourages your team to engage in spirited discussions on everyday topics. Participants take stances on various issues and present their arguments, often with a touch of humor and exaggeration. This game is an excellent opportunity for team members to practice their persuasion skills while having fun.

Sample debate topics, like "Are icebreakers necessary?" or "Working from home vs. working from an office," stimulate thoughtful conversations and encourage participants to think critically. Through Debate Club, your team can explore diverse viewpoints and develop their communication skills in a playful and engaging manner.

11. Visual Mapping

Visual Mapping is an interactive game designed to bring ideas to life and enhance communication during Microsoft Teams meetings. This activity is particularly useful for discussing critical work projects. Instead of relying solely on verbal explanations, participants create visual representations of their ideas using imagery, icons, and minimal text.

In Visual Mapping, one team member serves as the project lead, sharing a blank slide and collaborating with others to populate it with visuals that describe the project and delegate assignments. This helps visual learners to grasp and remember key project details. It fosters creativity and enhances project comprehension within the team.

12. Emoji Self-Portrait

Emoji Self-Portrait is a creative and lighthearted game that encourages team members to express their personalities using emojis. To start, participants type a sentence in the chat box composed entirely of emojis that describe themselves. For example, someone might use emojis like "🤩🏃‍♀️⚽️🏀⚾️" to indicate their passion for sports.

After sharing their emoji self-portraits, team members take turns explaining their choices and how they relate to their interests and personalities. This activity is a fun and insightful way to get to know your colleagues better while adding a playful element to your virtual meetings.

13. Photo of Your Life

Photo of Your Life is an engaging game that allows team members to connect on a personal level. In this challenge, employees bring a picture that represents their life to the meeting. Each team member shares the significance and story behind their chosen image, providing valuable insights into their personal experiences and values. This activity promotes understanding and camaraderie among team members.

14. Fact Or Fiction

Fact or Fiction is a guessing game that tests employees' knowledge of their coworkers. Participants share two statements about themselves—one true and one false. Teammates must guess which statement is a fact and which is Fiction. This game not only promotes team bonding, but also challenges team members to discern the truth from Fiction.

Fact or Fiction is an enjoyable way to learn more about your colleagues while engaging in friendly competition.

15. Elevator Pitch

Elevator Pitch is a fun activity that sharpens sales and persuasion skills. Participants select everyday objects from their homes and deliver a two-minute elevator pitch as if they were selling the item to their coworkers. Colleagues rate each pitch, adding an element of competition and humor. This game enhances communication and pitching abilities while providing a good laugh at imaginative sales pitches for ordinary items.

These engaging games and activities add excitement and interactivity to Microsoft Teams meetings, fostering teamwork, creativity, and camaraderie among your colleagues.

16. Charades

The concept of charades is simple: Each player takes a turn to act out a word or phrase assigned to them without using any words, while their team tries to guess what it is. You can find random charade topics using online word generators. However, it's worth noting that sometimes the generated words can be extremely specific or obscure, making it challenging for team members to guess correctly. To simplify the game, consider introducing themes for each round, which can make the guessing process more straightforward and enjoyable.

Charades is an excellent game for team bonding and bringing a dose of laughter and energy to your Microsoft Teams sessions.

17. Microsoft Teams Scavenger Hunt

Transform your virtual meeting into an exciting scavenger hunt by assigning a list of items or themes for team members to find within their own homes or workspaces. Create a list of items or categories, such as "Something orange," "A quirky coffee mug," or "An item with sentimental value." Team members then race against the clock to find and present these items via their webcam.

As participants search for the items, it's not only a fun and interactive game, but also an opportunity for team members to share personal stories and connections to the items they find. You can set time limits for each round and keep score to add a competitive element to the scavenger hunt.

Scavenger hunts encourage active participation, creativity, and shared experiences, making them a fantastic choice for team-building on Microsoft Teams.

18. Microsoft Teams Storytelling Relay

Engage your team's creativity and storytelling skills with a relay-style storytelling game. Start with a simple sentence or phrase, such as "Once upon a time, in a faraway land..." and have one team member contribute a sentence to begin the story. Then, the next team member continues with the next sentence, and so on, building an evolving narrative as each participant adds their contribution.

To add a twist, set a timer for each team member's turn, and when the timer expires, they must conclude their sentence, regardless of its status. The result is often a hilarious and unpredictable story that showcases team members' improvisational skills and creativity.

This game not only fosters teamwork, but also encourages active listening and adaptability, making it a unique and engaging addition to your Microsoft Teams meetings.

19. Microsoft Teams Virtual Escape Room

Embark on a virtual adventure with a Microsoft Teams Virtual Escape Room. Escape rooms challenge participants to solve puzzles, riddles, and mysteries to "escape" within a set time limit. Several companies offer online escape room experiences specifically designed for virtual teams.

To play, divide your team into groups and provide them with a link to the virtual escape room. Teams work together to decipher clues, solve puzzles, and progress through the storyline. It's a thrilling and collaborative experience that promotes critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving.

When it comes to team-building, virtual escape rooms are the best choice because they require communication and cooperation to succeed, which makes them more effective. Plus, they offer a fun and immersive way to bond with colleagues, even when working remotely.

20. Wiki Kingdom Founders

Wiki Kingdom Founders is a plug-in you can use to play games with your teammates. You can create a virtual world using Wiki pages, fleshing it out with your own fun facts and little details, like maps, or rules, or a history.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating these unique Microsoft Teams games into your virtual meetings and team-building activities can invigorate your team's dynamics, encourage creativity, and strengthen bonds among team members. Whether you're looking for icebreakers, storytelling challenges, or virtual adventures, these games provide engaging opportunities for connection and enjoyment in the remote work environment. Let the games begin!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Are Microsoft Teams Games Important for Remote Teams?

Microsoft Teams games promote teamwork, reduce stress, improve communication, act as icebreakers, boost morale, and enhance employee engagement. These games can help create a positive and engaging work environment.

Do I Need Any Special Equipment Or Software to Play These Games on Microsoft Teams?

Most games utilize the native features of Microsoft Teams like Teams Chat, breakout rooms, video capabilities, and screen streaming. However, some games might integrate with external apps like Kahoot! or Trello, which will need to be set up beforehand.

Are These Games Suitable for Large Teams Or Just Smaller Groups?

The games listed can be adapted for both small teams and larger groups. Depending on the size of the team and the nature of the game, you may need to make slight modifications for optimal engagement and participation.