Threads is quietly testing a new way to keep conversations engaging, this time by experimenting with a built in basketball game that could turn private chats into friendly competitions.
A spokesperson for Meta confirmed to TechCrunch that the basketball game is currently an internal prototype and not available to the public. The feature was first discovered by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who frequently uncovers unreleased tools while they are still under development. Paluzzi shared a screenshot showing a simple basketball game that appears to let users shoot hoops by swiping their finger across the screen.
#Threads is working on a basketball game 🏀 for chats 👀 pic.twitter.com/LGp22SLwRI
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) January 4, 2026
The game seems designed to be played directly within message threads, allowing friends to compete for high scores without leaving the app. While details remain limited, the mechanic mirrors familiar mobile basketball games, suggesting Meta is aiming for something intuitive and easy to pick up during casual conversations.
If rolled out, in message games could give Threads a notable advantage over competitors such as X and Bluesky, neither of which currently offer built in games. It could also help Threads compete more directly with Apple’s Messages, which supports casual gaming through third party apps like GamePigeon.
Meta has not shared when or if the basketball game will be released publicly. As with many internal prototypes, the feature could change significantly or be scrapped altogether before launch.
This is not Meta’s first attempt at adding light gaming elements to messaging. Instagram previously introduced a hidden emoji game in direct messages that lets users bounce an emoji with a paddle and compete for the highest score.
The experiment comes as Threads continues to add features in an effort to strengthen its position in the social media landscape. Recent updates include expanded Communities topics and a disappearing posts feature that automatically archives content after 24 hours.
