Meta is experimenting with a new way to make conversations on Threads feel lighter, stickier, and a little more fun.
According to reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, Meta is currently testing mini games inside Threads direct messages. An early screenshot shared on X shows a simple basketball-themed game, where users can flick shots back and forth while chatting with a friend.
The mechanic is intentionally minimal. Think less gaming platform and more playful distraction, something you can dip into mid-conversation without breaking the flow.
What’s interesting here isn’t the game itself, but the intent behind it. This doesn’t look like Meta trying to turn Threads into a gaming destination.
Instead, it feels designed to:
- Add moments of levity to private conversations
- Encourage longer DM sessions
- Make Threads feel more expressive than text alone
In other words, the game isn’t the product, the conversation is.
That mirrors a broader trend across social platforms, where interaction features are increasingly about maintaining momentum rather than driving standalone engagement. Mini games, stickers, reactions, and prompts all serve the same purpose: giving people reasons to stay.
Since launch, Threads has been steadily expanding beyond its text-first roots in an effort to differentiate itself from X. Just recently, Meta confirmed it’s working on tools to help podcast creators share previews on Threads, and now, attention appears to be shifting toward everyday, peer-to-peer engagement.
Mini games in DMs fit neatly into that strategy. They reduce friction, add personality, and make Threads feel less like a feed you scroll and more like a space you hang out in.
For now, the feature remains in testing and isn’t publicly available. But if Meta does roll it out, don’t expect leaderboards or esports ambitions. Expect small, playful moments, the kind that quietly keep conversations alive.
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