Remote work quietly erased the hallway chat, and most video calls don't replace it. They're scheduled, outcome-driven and over the second the agenda ends. Virtual games bring back the in-between moments where people actually get to know each other.
Every game below lists the group size, time, generic tools and exact steps to run it. You won't need special software, just any video-call app plus, sometimes, a shared document or whiteboard. Scroll to the end for tips on running games across time zones without leaving anyone out.
Quick warm-ups (5–15 minutes)
Use these at the start of a weekly call to get cameras on and voices warm.
1. Show and Tell Speed Round
Group size: 4–15 · Time: 10 min · Tools: Any video-call app Give everyone 60 seconds to grab an object within arm's reach. Each person shows it on camera and shares a 30-second story about it.
2. Emoji Check-In
Group size: 3–30 · Time: 5 min · Tools: Any video-call app with chat Ask everyone to post three emojis in the chat that describe their week. Take turns guessing the story behind a few of them before the owner explains.
3. Two Truths and a Lie
Group size: 4–12 · Time: 15 min · Tools: Any video-call app, chat or polling feature Each person shares three statements: two true, one false. The group votes in the chat or a quick poll. Reveal answers one person at a time.
4. Background Tour
Group size: 3–12 · Time: 10 min · Tools: Any video-call app Everyone points out one item in their background and tells its story. Teammates often discover shared hobbies this way.
5. Would You Rather Poll
Group size: 4–50 · Time: 10 min · Tools: Any video-call app, our would you rather generator Screen-share a dilemma and let people vote by reaction or chat. Ask one person from each side to defend their choice in a sentence.
6. One-Word Story
Group size: 4–12 · Time: 10 min · Tools: Any video-call app Agree on a speaking order. Each person adds one word to build a story together. Expect it to go off the rails by word 20, which is part of the fun.
7. Fact or Fiction
Group size: 4–30 · Time: 10 min · Tools: Any video-call app, a list of fun facts Read a surprising fact or a made-up one. The team votes "fact" or "fiction" in the chat. Keep a running score across meetings.
8. Pet Parade
Group size: 3–20 · Time: 10 min · Tools: Any video-call app Anyone with a pet brings it on camera for a quick introduction. No pet? Bring a plant, a stuffed animal or your most loyal coffee mug.
Games and competitions (20–45 minutes)
Block out time for these during a team social or the last half hour of a Friday.
9. Virtual Trivia
Group size: 6–40 · Time: 30–45 min · Tools: Any video-call app with breakout rooms, a shared document Split into teams with our team picker and send each team to a breakout room. The host reads questions in the main room, and teams submit answers in a shared document. Five rounds of five questions works well.
10. Remote Scavenger Hunt
Group size: 4–30 · Time: 20 min · Tools: Any video-call app Call out items one at a time: "something blue," "a book with a number in the title," "the oldest thing in your kitchen." The first person back on camera with the item scores a point.
11. Whiteboard Drawing Guess
Group size: 4–16 · Time: 20–30 min · Tools: Any video-call app, shared whiteboard One person privately gets a word and draws it on the shared whiteboard while the rest guess in chat. Rotate artists every round.
12. Charades on Camera
Group size: 4–20 · Time: 20 min · Tools: Any video-call app, our charades generator The host privately messages a prompt to one player, who acts it out on camera. Ask everyone to switch to gallery view so they can see the actor clearly.
13. Leaderboard Challenge
Group size: 3–30 · Time: 20 min · Tools: Any video-call app, a browser Everyone plays the same free browser game for five minutes, such as a typing-speed test or a reaction-time test, and posts a screenshot of their score in chat. Run three rounds with different games.
14. Guess the Desk
Group size: 5–20 · Time: 15–20 min · Tools: Any video-call app, a shared slide deck or document Collect photos of everyone's workspace in advance and display them one at a time. The team guesses whose desk it is.
15. Category Race
Group size: 3–15 · Time: 15 min · Tools: Any video-call app, paper or a shared document Pick a letter with a random number generator (1 = A, 2 = B and so on). Read ten categories, and players have two minutes to write one answer per category starting with that letter. Unique answers score a point.
16. Guess the Song
Group size: 4–20 · Time: 20 min · Tools: Any video-call app with screen-share audio The host plays the first five seconds of a song. The first person to type the correct title in chat wins the round. Pick tracks spanning several decades.
17. Virtual Bingo
Group size: 6–50 · Time: 20–30 min · Tools: Any video-call app, printable or digital bingo cards Send cards in advance. Use themed bingo, such as "work-from-home bingo" with squares like "someone says 'you're on mute,'" or classic number bingo with a random number generator.
18. Daily Puzzle Showdown
Group size: 2–50 · Time: 10 min plus async · Tools: A browser, any group-chat tool Everyone plays the same daily challenge and shares results in a team chat thread. Keep a weekly leaderboard, and the winner picks next week's warm-up game.
Connection and conversation games
Lower energy, higher connection. These are great for new teams or after a stressful project.
19. Life Map Share
Group size: 3–10 · Time: 30 min · Tools: Any video-call app, shared whiteboard Each person draws a simple map of key places in their life on the whiteboard, then walks through it in three minutes.
20. Highs and Lows
Group size: 3–15 · Time: 15 min · Tools: Any video-call app Each person shares one high and one low from the past week. Listeners respond with a single supportive emoji or sentence, with no problem-solving allowed.
21. Personality Quiz Swap
Group size: 4–20 · Time: 20 min · Tools: Any video-call app, our fun style quiz Everyone takes the quiz before the call. Each person shares their result and whether it rings true, which reveals a lot about how people like to spend free time.
22. Desert Island Picks
Group size: 3–15 · Time: 20 min · Tools: Any video-call app Each person names one book, one song and one food they'd bring to a desert island, then explains one of their picks.
23. Hidden Talent Showcase
Group size: 4–15 · Time: 30 min · Tools: Any video-call app Ask volunteers in advance to share a quick, surprising talent: a magic trick, a tongue twister, a three-ball juggle or a short instrumental piece.
24. Virtual Coffee Pairs
Group size: 6–100 · Time: 15 min per pairing · Tools: Any video-call app, a random pairing tool Randomly pair people once a week for a 15-minute chat with no agenda. Provide a list of optional conversation prompts for anyone who wants them.
Creative and collaborative games
25. Collaborative Comic
Group size: 4–12 · Time: 30 min · Tools: Any video-call app, shared whiteboard Divide the whiteboard into panels. Each person draws one panel of a story, continuing from the previous one, without discussing the plot.
26. Remote Escape Puzzle
Group size: 4–10 per room · Time: 45 min · Tools: Any video-call app with breakout rooms, a shared document Write a series of linked riddles in a shared document. Each answer unlocks the next clue. Teams race in breakout rooms to solve the final puzzle.
27. Recipe Swap Cook-Along
Group size: 3–15 · Time: 45–60 min · Tools: Any video-call app, a shared recipe document Pick a simple recipe, share the ingredient list a week ahead and cook together on camera. Eat together at the end.
28. Virtual Book or Film Club
Group size: 3–15 · Time: 45 min · Tools: Any video-call app Choose a short book, an episode or a documentary. Meet to discuss three prepared questions and rate it out of five.
29. Team Playlist Builder
Group size: 3–30 · Time: 15 min plus async · Tools: A shared playlist or document, any video-call app Everyone adds two songs to a team playlist on a theme like "songs for focus." Play a few highlights at the next call and guess who added what.
30. Two-Minute Pitch
Group size: 4–20 · Time: 30 min · Tools: Any video-call app, a random picker or a hat of paper slips Load random household objects into the picker. Each person spins, gets two minutes to prep and pitches the object as a brand-new invention.
Time-zone tips for distributed teams
- Rotate meeting times. If teams span many time zones, rotate the slot so the same people aren't always joining at dawn or late at night.
- Offer an asynchronous version. Daily puzzles, playlist builders and photo challenges work in a shared chat thread that people join on their own schedule.
- Keep live sessions short. Thirty minutes or less is easier to fit into everyone's day.
- Record the fun parts. With permission, record trivia or talent shows so people who missed them can still enjoy the highlights.
- Pick a "golden hour." Find the overlap when most of the team is awake and protect it for social time.
- Announce in local times. List the session time in each team member's local zone so nobody does mental math.
Planning something bigger, like a quarterly virtual offsite? AllFun's free "Plan My Fun" form can match you with ideas or planners for remote team events. Just send a request. For in-person options, see our team building activities guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are good virtual team building games for small teams?
Two truths and a lie, background tours, one-word stories and life map shares work well for three to eight people. Small groups give everyone time to speak, so choose games with sharing rather than competition.
How long should a virtual team building session be?
Fifteen to thirty minutes is ideal for most sessions. Longer events like trivia nights or cook-alongs can run 45 to 60 minutes, but build in breaks and keep the energy moving.
What tools do I need for virtual team building?
Most games need only a video-call app with chat. A few use a shared whiteboard, a shared document or breakout rooms. Free browser games and tools add variety without extra software.
How do you get remote employees to participate?
Keep it optional, short and clearly fun. Announce the game in advance, start with low-pressure warm-ups and rotate who hosts so everyone has a chance to shape the session.
How do you run team building across time zones?
Rotate live session times, offer asynchronous options like daily puzzle leaderboards, and keep live events short. Recording highlights helps people who can't attend still feel included.