Threads is quietly working on a new engagement hook within its chat app—a trio of “actions” you’re supposed to perform to make people want to post more, starting with a mash-up of Snapchat’s Snapstreaks and Bitmoji “action buttons” called “Here For It… Maybe,” dating features we spotted last year that live inside direct messaging.
Now, Threads is building—wait for it—lightweight in-message games.
TechCrunch has obtained prototype screenshots from Instagram's code. The game looks like an adapted version of what was previously announced as a basketball mini-game. Based on early screenshots, the experience appears to involve a tap-and-swipe mechanic that allows friends to compete with one another, Frogger-style, for high scores without ever leaving the conversation. The find was shared by Alessandro Paluzzi.
Meta has not said when or where the feature might become available, and it remains just an internal experiment. But the move does fit a common playbook: embed simple, social games directly within messaging to increase session time, generate friendly competition, and make sure that users stay put in an app.
What the current Threads mini-game prototype reveals
Paluzzi’s discovery suggests a casual mini-game of basketball that sits hidden inside Threads chats and is most likely available as an “instant action” or within the composer. This interaction seems tuned for seconds-long rounds and fast retries—the feedback loop that drove previous chat games to go viral. Though Meta has not discussed scorekeeping nor turn order, the room layout seems naturally conducive to asynchronous play in which each participant takes a turn and posts their knockoff.
It would not be Meta’s first foray into chat-native play. Instagram recently shipped an emoji game in DMs, and years ago Messenger made tap-to-play basketball and soccer Easter eggs popular. The throughline is reduced friction: no downloads, no lobbies, just instant competition inside a chat.
Why Chat Games Are Important For Threads
In-message games are a known retention lever. They turn idle scrolling into active challenges and provide multiple daily pushes to open a thread to defend a score. Our analysts at data.ai have observed for years that hypercasual mechanics lead to high-frequency sessions; putting them in chat multiplies the effect with social pressure and default re-engagement.
The strategic rationale is just as solid. Neither X nor Bluesky includes built-in games. Messages by Apple does enable casual gaming with third-party packs, such as GamePigeon, but they require separate installations and can be glitchy across devices. If Threads includes games natively, it reduces friction to near zero and easily wins quick, viral moments.
Competitive context and adoption: Meta says Threads reaches about 400 million monthly users. However, it still lags in mainstream American penetration. For example, the Pew Research Center’s recent findings put X adult use at 21% versus 8% for Threads and 4% for Bluesky. Low-lift tools like micro-games in chat that force daily habit formation are the kind of lever that could move those numbers.
The prototype emerges as Threads broadens its product surface with communities and disappearing posts that auto-archive after 24 hours. These features together indicate the desire for more utilitarian and playful functionality—two traits that underlie the most adhesive social networks. If Meta gets its act together, games could be the bridge to more DM interactions that build deeper relationships and reduce churn.
Design and safety considerations
Embedding games into chats creates design and policy challenges.
- Look for guardrails against spammy game invites, and tools for muting or hiding scores, as well as age-appropriate defaults.
- Accessibility is crucial: haptics, one-hand controls, and clear visual feedback mean casual gamers can play too, without becoming frustrated.
Monetization is another open question. Early chat games on other platforms were successful because they were free and lightweight. Over time, platforms have tried out leaderboards, badges, or seasonal themes in place of aggressive upsells. For Threads, the immediate purpose is engagement, not revenue; associating games too early with ads or transactions could undermine their viral potential.
What to watch next for Threads in-message games rollout
There’s no certainty that this prototype even ships, but Meta’s recent past makes a rollout seem likely. Instagram’s emoji DM game paved the way, and Threads’ chat-first format is a perfect fit for micro-games. If launched, it sounds like we’ll be seeing just a handful of basic titles at first—basketball, pong-like volleys, perhaps target tapping—that boast shared scoreboards and turn-based challenges.
The larger swing would be a sort of mini-platform for third-party games (think Messenger or similar experimentation) or the type of mini-app ecosystems seen elsewhere, but that would require much more intensive review and safety tooling. For now at least, a slick, no-download basketball shootout in Threads DMs might be enough to invigorate user behavior—and give the app new legs ahead of competitors.
