Microsoft Livens Up Endless Teams Meetings With Solitaire, Minesweeper

(Image: Microsoft) We’re a couple years into the remote work revolution now, and video meetings’ novelty is long gone. Though some people have returned to the office (by force or by choice), others are still working from home at least some of the time, which means they’re probably continuing to endure lackluster online meetings. According to Microsoft, the solution to this modern problem lies in a couple of its own baked-in classic games.

Microsoft has added a suite of time-tested games—plus a new title—to its Teams communication service. As of Wednesday, Teams users can join their colleagues in a game of Solitaire, Minesweeper, Wordament, or Microsoft’s latest creation, IceBreakers. All four games have been made for multiplayer (for anywhere from two to 250 players) and verified as safe-for-work (AKA “E” rated) to avoid any awkward conversations or calls from HR. They’re also ad-free.

The Games for Work app works on desktop and on mobile. (Image: Microsoft)

The games, which require individual players to download the new Games for Work app, aren’t just a way to make that 3 p.m. snoozefest a little more interesting. Research has identified relationship-building as the biggest challenge for hybrid and remote employers, according to Microsoft. A lively round of Wordament with the team might help foster a sense of community and offer a welcome break in the middle of an otherwise stressful workday (or so the thinking goes), as well as help new staff get to know their coworkers. In fact, mingling and acclimation were the inspiration for IceBreaker, which uses low-stakes “this or that” questions to fuel conversation. (Thankfully for those of us who are a little more observant than participatory, Games for Work also offers an “enhanced spectator mode,” which lets people watch and engage with the game only when they feel like it.)

Despite Microsoft’s claim that it made Games for Work to enhance professional relationships and boost morale, the new integration isn’t entirely altruistic. Teams is one of a few major communication tools available to remote workers and their employers, and it isn’t exactly everyone’s first pick. Employers often pick Zoom for its familiarity, participant capacity, and video quality, and Google Meet is a very user-friendly option, especially when workers are already accustomed to Google Workspace. Teams, meanwhile, has to overcome its reputation as the communication tool employers really only pick when they already use Microsoft software. Game integration might not inspire employers using Zoom or Google Meet to make the swap, but it could be a convincing factor for new startups or companies that are finally giving in to the remote work craze.

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