Meta is testing a simple basketball game for Threads to help people interact more within their private messages.The prototype game allows users to shoot virtual hoops by swiping their fingers on the screen during a chat.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, the giant social media platform has confirmed that the project is a current internal prototype that is not available to the public yet; therefore, there is no date for a wide release.The functionality was first noticed by a researcher named Alessandro Paluzzi.This particular researcher seems to be known for detecting some of the tools before they actually hit the market.
In a post on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter), Paluzzi shared a screenshot of the new Threads basketball game and wrote: “#Threads is working on a basketball game � for chats 👀�
How Meta may use this basketball to boost Threads engagement The game is designed to encourage friendly competition between friends and family as they compare scores.This move is part of Meta’s goal to make Threads more engaging as it competes for attention with other platforms like X and Bluesky.Adding games to the chat could give Threads an edge over competitors that don’t currently have built-in games.It may also make Threads a competitor to Apple’s Messages, where users can already play chat-based games through other apps instead of just using the platform’s own features.
While the basketball game is still in the early stages of development, it follows other recent app updates, such as new community features and disappearing posts.
Meta has experimented with similar ideas before, including a hidden game in Instagram messages where users keep an emoji bouncing on their screen.If this new project moves forward, it would add a playful element to the app’s growing set of social tools.Threads keeps adding new features like Communities and disappearing posts.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, the platform still has fewer users in the US than X, even though it reports 400 million monthly users worldwide.In October 2025, Threads introduced its version of the disappearing messages feature, ‘Ghost Posts’, which removes posts after 24 hours.This feature will allow users to share temporary posts from mobile devices.These threads are denoted by an icon with a ghost character marker, meaning they are displayed with shades or signs indicating they are ghosted or vanished—one day after they are made, but can view them later via an archive.Responses to these threads are directed to direct messages, with only the original sender viewing the responses.Meta states that this feature is intended to facilitate “authentic, spontaneous expression� and low-pressure sharing.
This update comes after other recent changes for Threads and reminds one of Twitter’s defunct “Fleets� function, but Meta cites the success of “disappearing Stories� on both Instagram and Facebook as justification for this addition.
About the Author TOI Tech Desk The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India.TOI Tech Desk’s news coverage spans a wide spectrum across gadget launches, gadget reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact technology and the digital universe.Be it how-tos or the latest happenings in AI, cybersecurity, personal gadgets, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more; TOI Tech Desk brings the news with accuracy and authenticity.Read More
End of Article Follow Us On Social Media.
