Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is experimenting with a new way to make its microblogging platform Threads more engaging. The company is testing a prototype of a simple basketball game designed to be played within private messages on the app.
How the Threads Basketball Game Works
The prototype game is straightforward. During a one-on-one chat, users can shoot virtual hoops by swiping their fingers on the screen. The feature is intended to encourage friendly competition, allowing friends and family to compare scores directly within their conversations. This move is a clear part of Meta's broader strategy to make Threads a more interactive and sticky platform as it battles for user attention against rivals like X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky.
However, Meta has confirmed that this project is currently an internal prototype and is not available to the public. There is no official date for a potential wide release. The functionality was first uncovered by researcher Alessandro Paluzzi, who is known for spotting unreleased features in social media apps. Paluzzi shared a screenshot on X with the caption: “#Threads is working on a basketball game ? for chats ?”
Meta's Strategy to Enhance Threads
Integrating games directly into the chat interface could give Threads a significant edge. Many competing platforms do not currently offer built-in gaming features. This initiative could also position Threads as a competitor to Apple's iMessage, where users can play games through integrated apps.
While the basketball game is in early development, it follows a series of recent updates aimed at boosting Threads' appeal. These include new community features and the introduction of 'Ghost Posts' – Threads' version of disappearing messages. Launched in October 2025, Ghost Posts vanish after 24 hours, similar to Instagram Stories, and are designed to promote "authentic, spontaneous expression."
Meta has a history of testing playful elements in its apps. Previously, it experimented with a hidden game in Instagram Direct Messages where users tried to keep an emoji bouncing on the screen. Adding a game to Threads would continue this trend of incorporating lighthearted social tools.
The Challenge of User Growth
Despite reporting a global user base of 400 million monthly active users, Threads still trails behind X in terms of user engagement within the United States. The platform's continuous rollout of new features, from Communities to ephemeral posts, highlights Meta's aggressive push to close this gap and create a more vibrant, differentiated social space.
If the basketball game prototype moves forward to a public launch, it will add a new, playful dimension to private conversations on Threads, potentially increasing the time users spend on the app and fostering more direct interactions between connections.
