Threads may soon become more than a place to post updates and follow conversations. Meta is currently testing the idea of adding games directly inside Threads chats, starting with a simple basketball mini-game that lets you shoot hoops with a finger swipe. The feature is still in development and not available to the public, but it signals a new direction for Threads messaging as Meta looks for fresh ways to keep people engaged.
The game was spotted by well-known reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who frequently uncovers upcoming social app features before they officially launch. In the early preview, the basketball concept looks straightforward and familiar to anyone who has played quick mobile sports games: swipe to take shots and try to rack up the highest score. If this moves forward, it would likely be designed for friendly competition inside a chat, giving friends a lightweight way to challenge each other without leaving Threads.
Adding in-message games could also help Threads stand out in a crowded social media landscape. Many competing platforms focus on text and media sharing, but don’t offer built-in chat games. Even Apple’s Messages has leaned into this kind of casual entertainment through third-party add-ons, which has shown how sticky chat-based games can be for everyday users. For Threads, integrating games natively could make conversations feel more interactive and give users another reason to keep messaging within the app.
That said, this is not Meta’s first experiment with games inside direct messages. Instagram previously introduced a hidden emoji-based mini-game in DMs, where users control a paddle to keep an emoji bouncing and try to beat the other person’s score. The concept is similar: turn a normal chat into a quick competition that encourages back-and-forth interaction.
The timing fits Meta’s broader push to evolve Threads into a more feature-rich platform. Threads has been steadily rolling out additions meant to boost engagement and pull users away from rival apps. Recent updates include an expanded Communities feature with more topics, a move that appears aimed at attracting people who enjoy topic-based discussion spaces. Threads has also tested a “disappearing posts” option that archives posts automatically after 24 hours, tapping into the appeal of more temporary, low-pressure sharing.
Even with major growth—Threads is reported to have around 400 million monthly users—the platform still faces a challenge in certain markets, especially the United States. Recent survey data suggests X continues to have significantly higher usage among U.S. adults, with Threads and other newer platforms trailing behind. Features like in-chat games could be one way Threads tries to close that gap by making the app not only a place to read and post, but also a place to play and socialize in real time.
For now, Meta hasn’t said when—or if—games in Threads messages will officially roll out. Like many internal prototypes, the basketball mini-game could evolve, expand into other game types, or quietly disappear. But the experiment itself makes one thing clear: Threads is exploring new ways to make messaging more entertaining, competitive, and worth coming back to.
