An imposter game for teams gives colleagues a shared puzzle: most players know a secret word, one player has to blend in, and everyone tries to make sense of the clues. It can fill a short office break or be one activity in a longer team event. Treat it as an optional game, not a test of someone's honesty or performance at work.
Find the Imposter supports 3–15 people, in local Pass & Play or in an online room. For a larger event, split into smaller groups. Allow a few minutes to explain the rules, join the room and play a practice round.
Choose a Format for Your Office Party
| Your group | Suggested setup | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| 3–10 remote colleagues | One online room alongside your usual voice or video call | Room invitation, shared language, familiar categories |
| 3–15 people in the office | Pass & Play on one phone or tablet | Player names and a place to pass the device privately |
| More than 10 remote players | Separate game rooms and matching call groups | One host per group and a shared finishing time |
| A mixed office and remote team | Each player joins on their own device | Check that remote players can hear every clue |
Splitting a large group is an event arrangement, not a built-in tournament mode. Track any scores separately. Smaller groups also mean less waiting between turns.
How to Run an Imposter Game for Teams
- Open the game setup and choose Online for separate devices or Pass & Play for one shared device.
- Pick a language everyone is comfortable using. Ask the group which categories they know; Animals or Household Items can be an easier start than specialist films or sports.
- For an online game, create a private room and share the invitation with the group. Keep your voice or video call open separately. For local play, add the players' names.
- Start with one imposter and Hint Round. Leave imposter hints enabled for a gentler introduction, or switch them off if the group wants a harder round.
- Each player reads their card privately. Never share a screen showing a secret word or role. Pass the device back with the card hidden, or let online players use their own screens.
- Follow the speaking order, give clues without saying the answer, discuss them and vote. Show the results, explain any confusing rule, then decide together whether to play again.
Read the full imposter game rules before hosting if you have not played. The first round is for learning; there is no need to keep score.
Virtual Team Building Games: A 30-Minute Session
If you are comparing virtual team building games, start with the time available, the number of players and the amount of explanation your group wants. Here is a suggested schedule for one remote group of up to 10:
| Time | Host's task |
|---|---|
| 0–5 minutes | Check audio, share the invitation and explain how private cards work |
| 5–12 minutes | Run a practice round with a familiar category and hints enabled |
| 12–23 minutes | Play one or two more rounds if time allows; let someone else choose a category |
| 23–28 minutes | Ask an optional question about a clue or an unexpected interpretation |
| 28–30 minutes | Finish at the agreed time; share the link for anyone who wants another game later |
These are planning estimates, not fixed game lengths. A larger group or a lively discussion can take longer. Skip a round rather than rushing someone through their clue.
For 24 remote participants, for example, arrange three groups of eight, each with its own game room and call group. Send the same short instructions to the three hosts. Bring everyone back at the agreed time to share a funny clue, without ranking colleagues by how convincingly they lied.
If the group prefers an activity without secret roles, use the remote team icebreakers guide to compare other formats. An imposter game is one option, not a requirement for a successful event.
Play on Zoom or Discord
Join the same Zoom call or Discord voice channel before the host creates the game room. Send the game invitation or code in the call chat; this is separate from the meeting invitation. Each player opens the game in their own browser, keeps their card private and returns to the call for clues. Submit votes in the game. Do not share the host's role screen.
If someone does not use Discord, use Zoom or the group's usual call instead. Zoom guests can join without an account when the host allows it; browser joining must also be enabled. Check Zoom's guest guide before sending invitations. On Discord, join a voice channel available to everyone in the game; see the official voice channel instructions. For one-phone setups, test that audio continues when switching to the game before roles are dealt.
Categories and Modes for Work Events
Office Life is now a playable category. Open Categories in standard game setup and choose Office Life for 40 workplace words, including Keyboard, Meeting room, Coffee machine and Video call. Keep only this category selected for office-themed rounds, or combine it with other familiar topics. It is available in Pass & Play and online rooms. Undercover uses its own paired-word categories, so Office Life is a standard-mode option.
Ask before assuming that a category is familiar across languages, generations or countries. Food and Animals are reasonable starting points, but even everyday words can have different meanings. Avoid turning a colleague's unfamiliarity into evidence that they are the imposter.
Hint Round is a simple first choice: give a clue and listen to the others. Question Round adds a different discussion structure once the group understands the game. Save Silent Round or drawing for a group that actively wants that variation.
For Drawing with paper or a tablet, each person needs paper or a separate drawing tool. The game suggests drawable categories, and the host can still change the selection. It does not provide a shared drawing canvas. Keep private cards off camera and show only the drawing you want others to see.
Random Imposters is a separate option. Keep it off for the practice round; explain and enable it later if the group wants it. There is no need to add every optional rule at once.
Include People Without Putting Them on the Spot
- Make participation optional. Let someone watch, help with timing or sit out without explaining why.
- Use game clues for discussion. Avoid questions about personal finances, health, relationships or workplace conflicts.
- Give remote players room to speak. In a hybrid meeting, pause after each clue so people on the call are not drowned out by the room.
- Allow thinking time. Fast answers do not prove that someone understands the word, and hesitation does not prove that they are bluffing.
- Keep the debrief light. Ask which clue had two possible meanings or which category the group wants next. Do not use the result to judge trustworthiness or job skills.
Common Hosting Problems
Someone cannot join: check the invitation, the room's joining settings and whether it has reached the online limit of 15. Split the group if necessary. Do not ask a colleague to reveal their card to troubleshoot a connection.
Someone accidentally shows the word: agree to start a fresh round with a different word. Avoid making the player feel responsible for spoiling the event.
The category excludes part of the group: change it for the next round and leave hints enabled. Specialist knowledge should be a choice everyone agrees to.
The event is running late: finish the current round and stop. A clear ending is more useful than adding an unplanned championship round.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people can play an imposter game for teams? Find the Imposter supports 3–15 people, on one device or in one online room. Larger events need separate groups; they do not share one larger room or an automatic tournament leaderboard.
Does everyone need an app or a paid account? The browser game is free to play and supports guest play. You can use your existing call alongside it. Your call provider's own limits and charges are separate.
Does the host need to share their screen? No. Online players receive their cards on their own devices. Share the invitation and spoken instructions, not the host's private role-reveal screen.
Can we use this for onboarding? It can be an optional social activity if the new colleague wants to participate. Choose familiar categories, explain the rules and avoid expecting a newcomer to know company trivia.
Which office party games should we choose for a quieter group? Offer a short practice round and an alternative such as a shared puzzle or an optional show-and-tell prompt. For more ideas, see why imposter games can fit team building events. Let the group's preference guide the choice.
Set up an imposter game for your team. Choose the group size and categories first, then share the invitation when everyone is ready.
Planning for 3–10 colleagues? Compare nine team building games for small groups by time, materials and remote setup before choosing your activity.
