32 Online Office Games to Re-Energize Your Remote Team

For hybrid and remote teams, taking part in online office games can be a great way to recharge their batteries, revitalize their bonds, and reinforce company culture.

Updated: February 27, 2024

Remote work offers a lot of great benefits, but it can also feel isolating at times, and that’s why online office games are a great way to keep your team connected and engaged.

After all, since in-person interactions and socialization are limited, 20% of remote workers struggle with loneliness which can, in turn, become strenuous on company culture. On the flip side of that coin, though, social connectivity makes employees two to three times more likely to maintain or increase their productivity in a remote environment.

Feeling unsure where to start when it comes to planning virtual office games your entire team will love?

We’ve got some suggestions for you.

17 Free Online Office Game Ideas

If you’re looking for fun virtual office activities you can do with your team for free, here are ten suggestions we think you’ll enjoy.

1. Never Have I Ever

The rules of Never Have I Ever are simple: players take turns listing potential experiences they’ve never had, using the phrase “never have I ever…”

If someone has, in fact, done that thing, they have to take some action—whether it’s a sip of their drink at happy hour or a spin in their office chair.

This is a great way to find out hilarious new things about your colleagues.

2. Digital Card Games

Keep it simple! Classic card games can be a ton of ton without requiring much work to set up. And yes, they can be played online. Check out the website Playing Cards which offers all of your childhood favorites. Simply create a “room,” and choose from games, such as:

• Checkers
• Crazy Eights
• Go Fish
• Match Up

Add an extra social element by connecting through video while you play the game, so you can see everyone’s reactions and hear the smack talk!

3. Wikirace

Wikipedia isn’t just for finding information. Well, technically it is, but you can also use it for racing.

Hear us out: it’s called Wikiracing.

First decide whether to play individually or in teams. Then, select a random Wikipedia page. This will be your beginning page. 

Next, choose a destination page. 

The goal of this game is to get from the beginning page to the destination page using only links within the Wikipedia page.

Generally, the destination page is something very unrelated to the beginning page. For example, going from apple to orange would not be challenging, as you would simply start at the apple page, click a link to fruit and then proceed to orange. A race from Roman Colosseum to orthopedic surgeon would be a much more difficult game. 

The first person or team to reach the destination page wins!

4. App-Based Word Games 

Get the competitive spirit going by challenging your coworkers to a friendly round of your favorite word game.

There are plenty to choose from, including:

• Scrabble GO: You can now play the classic board game virtually with this new and updated version of online Scrabble.
• Words with Friends: Challenge your coworkers to dueling wordplay as you take turns building words crossword-puzzle style.
• Scattergories: Play your colleagues in the app-based version of Scattergories! You’ll need to come up with creative answers that start with a randomly selected letter to earn points.

Set up a video or telephone call to make the most of your competition.

5. Codenames

Codenames is a game that involves splitting into two teams and having each team guess which words in a set are related to a hint-word given by a teammate (known as the spymaster). So, start by dividing up into teams—the red team and the blue team.

Then, head to the online version of Codenames and follow the start-up instructions.

When you’re playing this game virtually, have one player who is not a spymaster share their screen. As players attempt to guess which cards their spymaster hints at, send teams off into breakout rooms so that they can discuss their strategy. Whichever team successfully guesses all cards with their color first wins the game.

6. Online Scavenger Hunt

We know what you’re thinking: scavenger hunts are most definitely an in-person kind of activity. But they can easily be done virtually as well.

It’s simple: whoever’s coordinating the event just needs to develop a list of items that might be found in someone’s house and then call them out one by one.

As everyone scrambles to find the item, the first person back to their computer with it will get a point.

Have some fun with this and don’t be afraid to send people running all over their house, but just make sure the items you include are reasonably likely to be found in someone’s house.

7. Virtual Icebreaker Games

You know what they say. Absence makes the heart grow fonder! So, whether you’ve got new teammates getting onboarded or just want to get reacquainted with your existing colleagues after all this time apart, you’ll love virtual icebreaker games.

We know that the word “icebreakers” probably makes you cringe. It’s likely it brings to mind thoughts of tacky pick-up lines at speed dating sessions or an uncomfortable “get-to-know-your-colleagues” game.

But hear us out.

They can be fun, not awkward, and bring out some hilarious responses.

We wrote an entire blog post outlining 300 icebreaker questions for some quick and fun team bonding.

They include:

• Be honest, how often do you work from bed?
• If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?
• If you could pick up a new skill in an instant, what would it be?
• If you could add a word to the dictionary, what would you add and what would it mean?
• The zombie apocalypse is coming. Who are three people you want on your team?

If you got a laugh at those, check out the other 295 questions, then jump on a video conference with your colleagues and dive into them.

8. Type Speed Competition

Back in elementary school, you may have used tools to test how many words per minute you can type. Well, now you can use the same kind of tools to stir up some friendly competition among your colleagues.

Using a free tool like typingtest.com, ask each of the teammates to do a one-minute typing challenge and then have each person share their results.

You can do this individually or as teams, and if you really want to make things interesting, you can incentivize the game by offering a prize to the winning player or group.

9. Guess Whose Refrigerator

One thing that everyone has, and which is almost always a little different for each person, is a refrigerator.

So, for a simple online office game, you can play Guess Whose Refrigerator.

All you need to do is have everybody send a photo of their fridge to the person who’s coordinating the activity. Then you can show them all one by one, with each player submitting their answer for who they think this fridge belongs to.

Everyone who gets it right gets a point. Then, when every fridge has been shown, the person with the most points wins!

10. Guess Whose Workspace

You can broaden the scope of the last game to include your colleagues’ workspaces as well.

Since people don’t have cookie-cutter cubicles or desks at home, they’ve probably set their remote office up in a way that’s unique to them.

So, just like you would with their fridges in the last examples, have each employee send a photo of their workspace—or of a specific part of their office that they feel represents them—to the person organizing the game.

Then, have each person guess which workstation belongs to which person. For each one they get right, players get a point, and whoever has the most points after all the pictures have been reviewed wins!

11. No Blinking Challenge

This game is a unique and entertaining way to engage your team members in a competitive yet fun activity.

To play, participants join a video call, and the challenge is straightforward: who can stare the longest without blinking?

This is a light-hearted, silly game for breaking the ice and injecting a bit of fun into virtual meetings.

The simplicity of the game means it requires no preparation, making it an ideal choice for spontaneous team-building moments.

Plus, it offers a hilarious way to spotlight individuals in a group setting, creating memorable moments and laughter.

12. Guess Who’s In The Picture

This game encourages your team members to share childhood photos to create deeper and more personal bonds between colleagues.

Here’s how it works.

Before the call, each member of your team will share a childhood photo with the meeting host.

Then, during your video call, the meeting host shares these pictures one by one, and participants guess who in the team the child in the photo has grown up to be.

This activity not only serves as a great icebreaker but also helps team members learn more about each other in a personal and engaging way. It helps foster a sense of community and connection which is crucial for remote teams.

13. Guess What I’m Saying

Ideal for video calls, this game involves one team member muting their microphone and saying a phrase or sentence while the others try to lip-read and guess what’s being said.

It’s a fantastic exercise for improving communication skills and encourages team members to pay close attention to one another.

It can lead to hilarious misunderstandings and guesses, making it a light-hearted activity that can break up the monotony of a workday.

14. Online Debate

Organizing an online debate is an excellent way to engage team members in meaningful conversation and critical thinking.

Your team can be divided into smaller groups to argue for or against a chosen topic.

This activity not only sharpens persuasive speaking and critical thinking skills but also encourages teamwork and the ability to consider and articulate different viewpoints. It’s a structured way to foster dialogue on various topics, enhancing team dynamics and communication.

15. Virtual Scavenger Hunt

This game transforms the traditional scavenger hunt team building activity into a virtual format, where participants find items in their homes based on a list provided by the game host.

Your list can include things like:

• A Book with a One-Word Title: Encourages participants to showcase their reading interests and find a book that fits the criteria.
• Something Blue: This open-ended item allows for a wide range of possibilities, from office supplies to clothing.
• A Souvenir from a Vacation: Offers a personal touch, inviting participants to share a bit about their travels.
• An Item Older Than You: This can lead to interesting finds and stories about family heirlooms or vintage items.
• A Piece of Exercise Equipment: Encourages participants to move around and share how they stay active.
• A Handmade Object: Showcases creativity and personal hobbies, from crafts to DIY projects.
• A Plant or Flower: Brings a bit of nature into the game, whether it’s a houseplant or a fresh bouquet.
• A Photo of a Pet or Animal: For those with pets, it’s a chance to share their furry friends; for others, any animal photo will do.
• A Cooking Spice You Rarely Use: Delves into kitchen cabinets and perhaps sparks a conversation about cooking habits.
• A Musical Instrument: Whether someone is a seasoned player or has an instrument lying around, it adds a fun element.
• An Item with a Funny Story: Encourages sharing and laughter, making the hunt more personal and engaging.
• A Gadget That Makes Life Easier: Showcases useful tech or simple tools that participants find helpful.
• A Childhood Toy: Brings nostalgia into play and allows team members to share a piece of their history.
• Something You’ve Created: Whether it’s art, a written piece, or a craft project, it highlights creativity and talent.
• A Piece of Local Merchandise: Promotes local pride and could be anything from a coffee mug to a t-shirt.

It’s an energetic and engaging way to encourage creativity, quick thinking, and a bit of physical activity. The scavenger hunt can be themed around work-related topics, seasons, or just for fun, making it a versatile activity for team bonding.

16. Quick Draw

Quick Draw is the virtual equivalent of Pictionary, where team members draw clues on a shared digital canvas while others guess what is being depicted. This game is fantastic for sparking creativity, teamwork, and a bit of friendly competition. It’s adaptable to any virtual meeting platform that allows screen sharing or drawing, making it accessible for teams working remotely.

17. Truth or Dare [Remote Work Edition]

Adapting the classic game for remote teams, this version focuses on work-appropriate truths and dares that can be performed by team members during a video call.

For “truth,” you can include things like:

1. Share an embarrassing work moment. It’s a great way to lighten the mood and show that everyone makes mistakes.
2. What’s one skill or hobby you’ve picked up during remote work? This can reveal interesting new hobbies or skills colleagues have developed.
3. Describe your most memorable virtual meeting mishap. Almost everyone has a funny or awkward story from a virtual meeting.
4. What’s the weirdest thing within arm’s reach of your desk right now? Encourages participants to share something unique about their workspace.
5. If you could switch roles with anyone on the team for a day, who would it be and why? Offers insights into team members’ interests and aspirations within the company.

And for dare, you can do fun like things:

1. Change your virtual background to something funny for the rest of the meeting. It’s a harmless way to add some humor to the meeting.
2. Show the last photo you took with your phone (as long as it’s appropriate). Can lead to funny or interesting stories.
3. Imitate another team member (positively) until someone guesses who it is. Promotes fun interaction and shows appreciation for colleagues’ quirks.
4. Share your screen and show the tabs you have open. This light-hearted dare can reveal interesting or funny internet browsing habits.
5. Lead a quick workout or stretch break for the team. Encourages health and wellness, and adds a physical activity break to the meeting.

It’s a great way to encourage openness, build trust, and add spontaneity to virtual meetings. The key is to keep prompts light-hearted and inclusive, ensuring everyone feels comfortable participating.

15 Paid Online Office Activities

If you’re looking to take your online office games to the next level, investing in a hands-on paid activity is a great option. Here are seven cost-effective online office activities your workgroup will get a kick out of.

1. Virtual Jeoparty Social

If your remote team is eager to socialize, have some fun as a group, and channel their competitive spirit, we’ve got just the thing for you! With Virtual Jeoparty Social, you and your colleagues will step into your very own virtual Jeopardy-style game show—equipped with a buzzer button, a professional actor as your host, and an immersive game show platform! Best of all, this game has been infused with an ultra-social twist: players will take part in a unique social mixer challenge between each round.

2. Virtual Escape Room: Jewel Heist

With Virtual Escape Room: Jewel Heist, you and your team will need to retrieve a bounty of stolen jewels by uncovering hidden clues and solving a series of brain-boggling challenges. You’ll need to exercise collaboration, creative problem-solving, and outside-the-box thinking to track them down. But you’ll have to be quick! The clock is ticking before the stolen score is gone forever. 

3. Virtual Clue Murder Mystery

Using video conferencing software alongside Outback’s proprietary app, your group will split into teams, examine clues, review case files, and channel their inner detectives as they race against the clock to solve the mystery of who had the means, motive, and opportunity to murder Neil Davidson.  

4. Virtual Trivia Time Machine

Step into the Outback Time Machine and take a trip through time, from the pre-pandemic 21st century through the decades all the way to the 60s.

This exciting, fast-paced virtual trivia game, packed with nostalgia and good vibes, is guaranteed to produce big laughs, friendly competition, and maybe even some chair-dancing.

Your virtual game show host will warm up guests with a couple of “tablehopper rounds” (breakout room mixers) and split you out into teams. Within minutes, your home office will be transformed into a game show stage with your very own game show buzzers!

And if you’re team is a bunch of trivia lovers, you might want to check out our list of the best virtual trivia games for work.

5. Virtual Team Pursuit

Help your remote team get re-energized by tackling fun virtual challenges with their colleagues. In groups, your remote employees will tackle a series of mental, physical, skill, and mystery challenges, earning points for each one successfully completed. Whichever has the most points when time runs out will be crowned the winners!  

And if this sounds like it’s up your alley, you’ll probably love these 31 incredible Zoom games to play with your colleagues.

6. Virtual Happy Hour Trivia

This is no ordinary happy hour trivia game. In this activity, you and your team will take a trip to Hamish McDuff’s virtual pub. This hilarious Scottish pub owner is the legendary host of a trivia game with more than 20 category options to choose from, including sports, food and drink, and even celebrity real estate. This virtual pub trivia game is guaranteed to produce plenty of laughs and lift team “spirits.” It might even include a few special surprises.

And if you want even more ways to make your virtual social get-together even more fun, take a cruise through these 35 unbeatable virtual happy hour games for work.

7. Virtual Beach Staycation  

Let’s be honest: we all love a good vacation. Luckily, Captain Furling has room for you and your colleagues on his virtually chartered yacht. Come aboard and channel your “inner Cancun” for a tropical online team building adventure.

Captain Furling’s chartered yacht welcomes online guests aboard his luxury vessel and quickly takes them out of their homes to a gorgeous beach in Cancun.

With ocean soundscapes and delightful vacation destination footage, your travel companions will compete with their knowledge of travel destinations, vacation-themed movies, summer pop hits, and even a cabana-wear contest. Your yacht captain gives guests a playfully immersive experience for a virtual team vacation from your workday that your colleagues truly deserve.

8. Water Cooler Trivia

If you’re trying to find fun and unique ways to keep your team engaged on an ongoing basis, Water Cooler Trivia is a great way to do it. Water Cooler Trivia integrates into your email, Slack, or Microsoft Teams channels and automatically sends trivia quizzes directly to your team members on a weekly basis. You can choose the trivia schedule and categories, and Water Cooler Trivia will write the questions, automate their distribution, and grade the results for you.

 9. Virtual Hollywood Murder Mystery

The case is fresh, but here’s what we know so far: we’ve got an up-and-coming actress who’s been found dead in her hotel room following last night’s awards show. We have several suspects, but we haven’t been able to put the crime on any of them for sure yet.

Now, it’s up to you and your remote team of virtual detectives to crack the case. Together, you’ll review case files and evidence including police reports, coroners’ reports, photo evidence, tabloids, interrogations, and phone calls as you determine the motive, method, and murderer and bring justice for the victim.

You’ll need to put your problem-solving skills to the test as you share theories, collaborate, and think outside the box with your fellow investigators.

10. The Virtual Do-Good Games

This philanthropic virtual team building activity is all about building awareness around local and global challenges, raising funds for charity, and doing some good in the world with your colleagues.

With the Virtual Do-Good Games, teams will compete to complete challenges revolving around themes like Clean Water and Food Insecurity, Health and Wellness, Community Support, and Environmental Awareness.

For each challenge completed, teams will earn points that can be redeemed as donation dollars that they will donate to charity.

11. Virtual Friendly Feud Social

If you’ve ever wanted to take part in your own Family Feud-style competition, this is your chance! With Virtual Friendly Feud Social, you and your colleagues will break out into teams to compete through survey questions focused on culture and human nature.

And, as an added social element within the game, each round of questions will be followed by a guided social mixer where you’ll have the chance to take part in a group discussion and more deeply explore the survey questions from the previous round.

12. Virtual European Adventure

If you’ve got a team full of colleagues who love traveling and learning about new places, this is the perfect budget-friendly team building activity for your group. 

Virtual European Adventure is all about connecting with your colleagues, testing your wits together, socializing, and collaborating through high-energy rounds of European-themed trivia.  

In this activity, your group will break out into teams. Then, you’ll take part in a warm-up social mixer followed by three rounds of trivia, a Jeopardy-style lightning round using cellphone buzzers, and a European travel conversation to finish it all off. For each trivia challenge answered correctly, your team will earn points. The team with the most points at the end of the activity will be crowned the Virtual European Adventure Champions! 

13. Virtual Jeoparty Social

If your remote team is eager to socialize, have some fun as a group, and channel their competitive spirit, we’ve got just the thing for you! With Virtual Jeoparty Social, you and your colleagues will step into your very own virtual Jeopardy-style game show—equipped with a buzzer button, a professional actor as your host, and an immersive game show platform! Best of all, this game has been infused with an ultra-social twist: players will take part in a unique social mixer challenge between each round.

14. Virtual Office Olympics

Will your team earn gold? Channel your inner Olympian and flex your sports trivia knowledge with this Olympic-themed virtual team building activity for remote teams. 

15. Virtual Social Shuffle

Get to know your colleagues and build better connections with this ultra-social virtual team building activity for remote groups. Your group will learn fun facts about one another as you tackle a series of themed discussion topics together and engage in exploratory conversations. 

Remote work doesn’t have to mean being isolated from your colleagues. It’s just a matter of getting proactive in how you keep your team members connected. And with online office games like these, you can keep in touch, socialize, and have a lot of laughs together, all at the same time.

Does your organization participate in any online office games that we might’ve missed in this article? If so, let us know in the comments section and we’ll add it to this list for all to enjoy.

Learn about fun and high-energy virtual team building activities you can use as online office games.  

If you’ve got questions about how virtual team building can be a fun and engaging way for your remote team to build bonds and connect with one another, reach out to an Employee Engagement Consultant.  

---