Games to Play with Friends on a Video Call

What you need

• A video meeting or voice call with a group chat.
• Optional host-shared blank slide or whiteboard; screen sharing is not required for most games.
• Optional paper and pen for private notes.

How to play

1. Tell the group cameras and microphones are optional. Do not ask participants to show a room, screen, private message, or personal object.
2. Choose one game and name the voice or chat turn order before starting. If someone is typing, leave enough time for them to respond.
3. Read the rules aloud and offer a pass or observer role. Keep prompts fictional, neutral, and free of personal or confidential information.
4. Play one short round. The host can keep a light score only if the group wants one; scores are not individual performance measures.
5. End at the planned time, thank the group, and do not record or save private answers without everyone’s consent.

Make the call accessible

A game should not depend on camera quality, microphone access, fast typing, or a particular home setup. Each activity can be played by voice or chat, and participants may observe or pass. The host should read any shared visual information aloud and allow time for typed responses.

Do not require screen sharing from a participant. If a host uses a blank grid, share only that prepared page and stop sharing when the game ends. Never ask to show messages, browser history, documents, family members, or rooms.

Choose a game with a clear call flow

Same Answer and Hidden Number use simultaneous or round-robin responses. Story Relay and Fictional Calendar work well in chat. Connection Riddle and Design Pitch use brief voice or typed turns. Memory Grid and Choice Bridge use a host-shared visual or spoken setup.

For larger calls, split into small rooms and return for one optional group summary. Do not rank rooms by speed or require each group to present. A host can keep time, read rules, and accept passes.

Keep content friendly and private

Use fictional scenarios and neutral topics. Avoid asking participants to reveal plans, beliefs, finances, health, work details, relationships, home items, or personal histories. If someone begins sharing something sensitive, the host can move on without probing.

Do not capture chat responses as meeting notes or employee data. Recording is unnecessary. The games can end without a final score or public share-out.

Printable host script

“We will play one short optional game. Cameras and microphones are up to you; voice, chat, observing, and passing all work. Please do not share a room, screen, private message, or personal detail. I will explain the turns, and we can stop at any time.”

Close with: “Thanks for joining in whichever way worked for you. We will end the game here and return to the call.”

Use the eight game cards

The cards are a menu, not a sequence. Each uses a call-specific turn structure and can be played with voice or chat. They avoid duplicating dedicated scavenger-hunt, charades, draw-and-guess, and word-association pages. Keep the selected card visible to the host and move through its steps in order.

All cards and prompts

For games with secrets, keep this page with the host.

1. R_CALLGAMES-001

   Same Answer Reveal

   Show answer

   Group: 3–10. Time: 5–8 minutes. The host reads a neutral two-choice prompt, such as “paper map or simple compass for a fictional trip?” Everyone privately types A or B, then the host counts down and participants send together. A point goes to each person who chose the most common answer, or skip scores and notice the match. Play four prompts and stop.

   No one explains a personal preference unless they choose. Replace any prompt with two fictional objects or settings.

2. R_CALLGAMES-002

   Hidden Number, Shared Questions

   Show answer

   Group: 3–8. Time: 5–10 minutes. The host privately chooses a whole number from 1 to 31. Players take turns asking one yes/no question about its value (for example, “Is it greater than 16?”). The host answers consistently. On a later turn a player may guess; reveal after the correct guess or after 8 questions.

   Allow typed questions, a pass, or a host who only answers. This is a small number puzzle, not a test of math ability.

3. R_CALLGAMES-003

   Six-Word Story Relay

   Show answer

   Group: 3–10. Time: 8 minutes. The host posts a fictional opening, such as “A paper boat arrived at the station.” Each volunteer adds exactly six words in chat or by voice, continuing the story. Give each person one turn, then read the story if the group agrees.

   Use a typed response for audio-access needs. Participants may pass; the host can contribute a neutral bridge sentence.

4. R_CALLGAMES-004

   Three-Word Connection

   Show answer

   Group: 3–8. Time: 5–8 minutes. The host gives three neutral words, such as “button, cloud, ladder.” The group has two minutes to propose a fictional connection or a sentence that includes all three. Invite two or three explanations, then choose the one the group finds most playful. Repeat with another trio.

   There is no single correct answer. Do not score vocabulary or speed; type words in chat if audio is difficult.

5. R_CALLGAMES-005

   Memory Grid Reconstruction

   Show answer

   Group: 3–8. Time: 8 minutes. The host prepares a 3-by-3 grid containing nine simple public nouns or symbols, such as cup, key, moon, book, leaf, bridge, clock, star, and kite. Share it for 15 seconds, hide it, then ask the group to reconstruct the cells in chat or by verbal direction. Reveal the prepared grid and compare as a group.

   Read the symbols aloud before hiding the grid. No one needs to turn on a camera or show their screen. Play cooperatively, not as an individual memory contest.

6. R_CALLGAMES-006

   Fictional Product Pitch

   Show answer

   Group: 3–8. Time: 8–12 minutes. The host assigns a neutral public object (for example, a reusable cup) and a fictional setting (a floating library). Each volunteer may add one sentence describing an imaginary feature that suits the setting. Stop after one round and choose a group favorite if desired.

   The object is fictional and does not imply a real product or work assessment. Participants may type a sentence or observe.

7. R_CALLGAMES-007

   Choice Bridge

   Show answer

   Group: 4–10. Time: 8 minutes. The host offers a pair of harmless fictional options, such as “quiet lighthouse or busy train station.” Split volunteers into two sides, or use two chat labels. Each side gives one reason its setting could be pleasant; then the group invents a shared place that combines both. Switch sides for a second prompt.

   No participant must disclose an actual travel or lifestyle preference. Let people join either side, type, or pass.

8. R_CALLGAMES-008

   Fictional Week Calendar

   Show answer

   Group: 3–8. Time: 8–12 minutes. The host draws or types a blank seven-day week. The group invents one low-stakes public activity for each day of a fictional character’s week, such as visiting a library, sketching a tree, or trying a new walking route. Take turns filling a day; the character is not a real participant.

   Use chat if the shared screen is unavailable. No one is asked about their own schedule, location, or plans.

Hosting questions