Microsoft is making some changes to its popular virtual workspace, Microsoft Teams, and adding a bunch of classic games to play with coworkers.
This comes in the form of a new app for Microsoft Teams called Games for Work. There are a lot of casual multiplayer games like Microsoft Minesweeper, Microsoft Solitaire, and a word game called Microsoft Wordament that can be played on this platform.
Up to 250 people can play these games at the same time, which is suitable for big companies that use Teams to communicate every day. Also, the classic games have been changed so that they can be played with more than one person. In Solitaire, people play against each other, and in Minesweeper, people work together to clear the board of mines.
Some games have leaderboards that let you see how you stack up against your coworkers. There’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, right? Microsoft IceBreakers is a game that helps coworkers get to know each other by asking pointed questions and doing fun activities.
Games promote creativity, collaboration, and communication in powerful and unique ways. We can’t wait to see how the Games for Work app on Microsoft Teams boosts productivity and helps people connect at work.
Jill Braff, General Manager of Integrations and Casual Games at Microsoft
In support of this, the company points to research that shows coworkers who play games together for 45 minutes are 20% more productive than those who do other team-building activities.
Microsoft says it wants to hear what people think about the app and will soon add more games and update the ones that are already there.
