> At a Glance
> – Meta is prototyping a swipe-to-shoot basketball game inside Threads chats
> – The feature isn’t public and may never ship
> – It follows Instagram’s hidden emoji paddle game launched last year
> – Why it matters: Built-in games could give Threads a stickiness edge over X and Bluesky
Threads is quietly testing a mini basketball game you can launch right from a chat thread. The prototype, spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, shows a simple hoop where players swipe to sink baskets and compete for high scores.
How the Game Works
According to screenshots Paluzzi shared, the experience is ultra-lightweight: swipe your finger to aim and release to shoot. The goal is to out-score whoever you’re messaging, turning quick conversations into bite-size competitions.
Meta confirmed to News Of Philadelphia that the basketball mini-game is in internal testing only. There’s no timeline-or guarantee-it will reach the 400 million monthly users on Threads.
Competitive Edge
In-message games would differentiate Threads from rivals:
- X and Bluesky have no native games
- Apple’s Messages leans on third-party apps like GamePigeon
- Instagram already proved the concept with its emoji paddle game in 2025
Threads vs. X: U.S. Adoption
| Platform | % of U.S. Adults |
|---|---|
| X | 21% |
| Threads | 8% |
| Bluesky | 4% |
Data from Pew Research Center, released weeks ago.
Meta keeps layering new tools into Threads-Communities expansion, disappearing 24-hour posts-hoping to chip away at X’s mindshare.
Key Takeaways
- Meta’s prototype adds casual gaming to Threads DMs
- No public release date or promise it will ship
- Mini games could boost engagement vs. text-only rivals
- Instagram’s emoji paddle game shows Meta has prior form
Whether a thumb-flick basketball game becomes Threads’ secret weapon or stays on the bench depends on Meta’s next move.
