Zoom added games to play during meetings. Here's how to do it

Zoom is adding games that you can play with your friends and coworkers directly in the video conferencing app, the company said Wednesday. In the Zoom App Marketplace, you'll find games like Live Game Night Poker, Kahoot and Heads Up, which you can access within your Zoom meetings. In a time when businesses are navigating hybrid workplaces, the addition of Zoom Apps including games aims to provide a new way to nurture company culture and connect people directly within the Zoom platform.

Live Game Night Poker allows up to 10 people to play together in a face-to-face matchup, according to a release from Flowplay, the video game company partnering with Zoom to launch the game. Users can also find Heads Up -- the charades-style game popularized by Ellen Degeneres -- and Kahoot, a game which lets users create multiple choice quizzes.

The in-app gaming comes alongside Zoom Apps, which allows third-party apps to be embedded in Zoom Meetings, while Zoom Events seeks to create a wider range of virtual events for users.

How to play games on Zoom

Here's how to get these games on Zoom and play them:

1. Log into Zoom.

2. Search for Live Game Poker Night or Heads Up in the Zoom App Marketplace. Install the game.

3. Start a Zoom meeting as normal.

4. Click the Zoom Apps tab at the bottom of the meeting window to launch the game.

5. Once the host has configured any game options and set up the game, players will be taken to the poker room to play.

Zoom is the latest company to make the move into mobile gaming. Netflix plans to expand into original video games in the future. Even exercise equipment company Peloton is launching an in-app fitness game to help users engage more with their workouts.

For more, check out 20 tips and tricks to make your video calls run smoother and what information others may be able to see from your Zoom video chats.