Threads Tests In-Chat Games, Starting with Basketball

Meta's Threads is reportedly exploring the integration of in-message games within its chat feature, beginning with a basketball game. This strategic move could provide Threads with a significant competitive advantage over rival social platforms like X and Bluesky, which currently lack built-in gaming options. A Meta spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that the company is internally prototyping the game, though it is not yet available to the public.

Discovery and Game Mechanics

The unreleased feature was first uncovered by renowned reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, known for frequently discovering features still under development. Paluzzi shared a screenshot of the basketball game, which appears to allow users to virtually shoot hoops by swiping their finger. The concept likely aims to foster friendly competition among friends, challenging them to score the most baskets, similar to other popular mobile basketball games.

Strategic Advantage and Precedent

Introducing in-message games could be a key differentiator for Threads. While competitors like X and Bluesky don't offer such features, this could also help Threads compete with Apple's Messages, which supports games through third-party applications like GamePigeon.

This isn't Meta's first foray into in-message gaming. Last year, Instagram launched a hidden emoji game within its DMs. That game challenged users to keep a chosen emoji afloat by bouncing it with a paddle, encouraging competitive scoring among chat participants.

Threads' Broader Feature Expansion

The internal prototype aligns with Meta's ongoing strategy to enhance Threads with new features designed to attract and retain users, intensifying competition with rivals. Recently, the platform expanded its Communities feature with more topics, likely targeting users from Reddit and X. Additionally, Threads introduced a "disappearing posts" feature, allowing for ephemeral conversations that automatically archive after 24 hours.

Market Position and Future Outlook

Despite boasting 400 million monthly users globally, Threads still faces a significant challenge in catching up to X in the U.S. market. A recent Pew Research Center report indicated that 21% of U.S. adults have used X, compared to only 8% for Threads and 4% for Bluesky. As with any internal prototype, the timeline for an official rollout of games in Threads messages remains uncertain.