Threads Tests In-Chat Basketball Game Feature

Threads Internally Tests In-Chat Gaming Feature

Meta's social media platform, Threads, is currently prototyping an in-chat basketball game. A spokesperson for Meta confirmed this internal development to TechCrunch, noting that the feature is not yet available to the public.

The game was initially identified by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who frequently discovers unreleased software features. Paluzzi published a screenshot of the basketball game, which appears to allow users to simulate shooting hoops via finger swipes. This design suggests a competitive element among chat participants for high scores.

The introduction of built-in games within Threads could differentiate the platform from competitors such as X and Bluesky, which do not offer this functionality. Other messaging platforms, like Apple's Messages, support gaming through third-party applications like GamePigeon.

Meta has explored in-message gaming previously; Instagram launched a hidden emoji game in direct messages last year. This game requires users to control a paddle to keep an emoji bouncing, with the objective of achieving the highest score against another chat participant.

The internal prototype aligns with Meta's ongoing efforts to enhance Threads with new features. Recent additions to the platform include:

• Expansion of its Communities feature with additional topics.
• Implementation of a "disappearing posts" function, allowing content to be automatically archived after 24 hours.

Threads currently reports 400 million monthly users globally. Data from a recent Pew Research Center report indicates that 8% of U.S. adults have used Threads, compared to 21% who have used X, and 4% who have used Bluesky.