Online Game Night: Games to Play with Remote Friends

You can hold a game night with friends in other cities or with scattered teams. All you need is a video call tool and everyone’s phone or computer. In this guide you will find the games that work for an online game night and practical tips.

What do you need?

• A video call tool such as Zoom, Meet or Teams
• Players’ phones or computers
• A platform for the games. In QuizModeOn, players join with a QR code or a link, no app download needed.

Games that work online

Quiz: Share the question screen and let everyone answer on their own phone. The Quiz game calculates the scores automatically.

Taboo: One person describes the word and the others guess. The player who is describing sees the card. See the online Taboo guide for details.

True or false: Fast rounds keep the energy high. True or False is ideal for short game breaks.

Word cloud and polls: Use them to see everyone’s opinion on one screen. Word Cloud and live polls are made for this.

Tombola and raffle: You can run a draw remotely and the result appears on screen instantly. A tombola makes a surprising finale for remote groups.

Tips for an online game night

1. Keep it short. An online game night should not run longer than 90 minutes.
2. Ask people to keep their cameras on. Seeing reactions is half the fun.
3. Test first. Share the join link before the event and try the connection.
4. Use breakout rooms. In team games, splitting teams into separate rooms increases conversation.
5. Offer a prize. Something easy to send, like a digital gift card, is enough.

Example schedule

• 10 minutes: welcome and warm-up with a word cloud
• 20 minutes: quiz
• 20 minutes: Taboo
• 15 minutes: tombola

For friends who can meet in person, see our guide to hosting a game night at home. For hybrid events, check the meetings and events page.

For groups in different time zones

If you play with friends in different countries, finding a common time is the first challenge. Send a calendar invite so everyone sees their own time. Limit the game night to 60 to 90 minutes so participants late at night stay comfortable.

Common mistakes in online game nights

• Making it too long: Staying at a screen for more than 2 hours is tiring.
• Skipping the technical test: Everyone should try the connection 10 minutes before the game.
• Playing only one type of game: Mix quizzes, conversation games and games of chance.
• Forgetting quiet participants: Give everyone a turn to speak.

Frequently asked questions

Which video tool is best for an online game night?

Zoom, Google Meet and Teams all work. What matters is that you can share your screen and everyone can join the game from a separate device.

How many people can play?

From small groups of friends to large teams. In large groups, forming teams makes the flow easier.