Team Building Games for Microsoft Teams (That Actually Work in a Call)
If you've tried to run a game or activity inside a Microsoft Teams call, you've probably run into the same wall most managers hit: the Teams app store doesn't have what you need, the in-meeting tools aren't built for real interaction, or you've sent everyone a link that requires a download they can't do on a work machine.
More than 80% of Teams meetings now include at least one remote participant (Speakwise, 2025). Getting remote and hybrid teams to genuinely connect — not just attend — is the actual challenge. Here's what works.
What Microsoft Teams Actually Offers for Team Building
Teams has a few built-in options worth knowing about, so you can set the right expectations before your session.
Polls via Forms — You can run live polls inside a meeting using Microsoft Forms. Useful for quick surveys and opinion gathering, but not a game. There's no scoring, no tension, no shared experience.
Games for Work app — Microsoft launched a native Games for Work integration in 2022 with a handful of simple games (Solitaire, Minesweeper, Wordament). They're functional, but they're solo games or turn-based — not the kind of live, simultaneous multiplayer experience that actually gets a group laughing together.
Third-party apps (Kahoot, Polly) — Kahoot integrates with Teams and lets you run a quiz inside a meeting. It works, but Kahoot's business pricing starts at $19/host/month, and the quiz format alone gets repetitive quickly. See our Gatherilla vs Kahoot comparison for a full breakdown.
The honest summary: Teams is excellent for meetings and collaboration. It wasn't built for team building, and the app ecosystem reflects that.
The Approach That Actually Works
The most reliable way to run team building games on Teams is to stop trying to run them *inside* Teams entirely.
Instead: keep Teams open for video and audio, and run your game in a browser tab.
Participants stay on the Teams call — they can see and hear each other the whole time. One person shares their screen showing the game, and everyone else opens the game link in a separate tab on their own browser. It works on every device, requires no Teams admin setup, and takes about 60 seconds to start.
This is how Gatherilla is used by most Teams-based teams. The host starts a session, drops the join link into the Teams chat, and everyone clicks it. The game opens in a browser tab. The Teams call stays running. Your team is playing before the awkward small talk can kick in.
> Why this beats native integrations: Browser-based tools aren't constrained by what Teams allows. They can offer real-time multiplayer, varied game formats, and rapid iteration — things an app store integration will never match for team building specifically.
The Best Games to Run Alongside Teams Calls
Gatherilla — Purpose-built for remote and hybrid team building. Six game formats including trivia, visual puzzles, estimation challenges, and word recall. Rotating question pools mean weekly sessions don't get stale. Free plan covers four games permanently; premium is $1/user/month. Zero prep required — start a session and share the link in your Teams chat. Done.
Jackbox.tv — Participants join at jackbox.tv in their browser (no download), but the host needs to own a Party Pack ($24.99–$29.99) and screen-share the game view through Teams. Works well for occasional social events; less practical for regular weekly sessions.
Skribbl.io — Free browser-based drawing and guessing game. Consumer-focused, no team building structure, but genuinely fun for light social calls where entertainment is the goal.
For async engagement between calls, Water Cooler Trivia integrates directly with Teams as a weekly trivia challenge in channels. It's complementary to live sessions rather than a replacement — see our full comparison.
Running a Game Session During a Teams Call: Step by Step
1. Before the call: Create a free Gatherilla account and pick your game. Takes 2 minutes the first time. 2. At the start of the call: Let the team know you're running a quick game — 15 to 20 minutes is the sweet spot. 3. Start the session and copy the join link from Gatherilla. 4. Paste the link into Teams chat. Everyone clicks it and opens the game in a new tab. 5. Share your screen showing the game so the team has a shared view, or let everyone follow their own browser — both work. 6. Play. The game handles everything: scoring, timers, transitions between rounds.
For tips on keeping remote participants engaged before and after the game, see our guide on keeping remote participants engaged in hybrid meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Teams admins need to approve anything for browser-based games?
No — browser-based games open as regular web pages, not Teams app integrations. There's nothing to install or approve through Teams admin settings. Any participant who can open a browser tab can join.
How long should a team building game session last during a Teams call?
15–20 minutes is the practical window for a game within a regular meeting. Research on hybrid team building shows 30–45 minute dedicated sessions work well for standalone team events, but if you're adding a game to an existing meeting, keep it tighter to avoid meeting fatigue.
Can remote and in-office participants play together?
Yes — browser-based games work identically for remote and in-office participants. In-office participants can join on their own laptops or a shared screen, while remote participants join from wherever they are. Everyone plays the same game at the same time.
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Microsoft Teams is where your team already lives. The easiest way to run team building there isn't to fight the platform's limitations — it's to run something browser-based alongside it. Less friction, more people actually showing up to play.
Start a free Gatherilla session and drop the link in your Teams chat before your next call.