Podcast games your guests play from their phones.
StreamArena podcast games give hosts and guests something to play on camera: everyone answers in secret on their own phone, and the reveal is the moment the episode clips itself. No app, no account, and it works with two people and no chat at all.
How a podcast round works.
Rounds are built for video podcasts and shows with guests in the room or on a call.
Guests scan a code
No app and no account. Each guest picks a name and answers from their own phone.
Answers stay secret
Nobody sees what anyone said until you hit reveal, so the reaction lands on camera.
Viewers can play too
In Upstream.so your chat plays along. In OBS, viewers join by phone with the same code.
Two people is a game.
No crowd and no chat needed.
Built for hosts and guests. Viewers can join too.
One way to run it is below.
Everyone answers in secret on their own phone.
Best podcast games
These games need two people, not a crowd.
Chat vs Host
You answer in secret. Chat guesses what you said.
PopularMovie Barcode
Guess the film from its color barcode.
Higher or Lower
Chat votes 1 or 2 on which is older, taller or pricier.
ApprovedPrice Check
Guess the price. Closest answer wins the round.
Why do games work on podcasts?
A good podcast game gives hosts something to react to and the audience something to clip. A secret answer and a reveal do both: everyone commits, and the moment the answers flip is the one people share. Rounds are short, so one fits between topics.
What about remote guests?
Remote guests join the same way. They see the code in your stream preview, or you drop the short link in the call chat, and they play from their phone while they stay on camera.
For more segment formats, the blog has 10 podcast segment ideas for hosts and guests.
A ten minute game segment
Here is one way to run it. Swap the games for your show.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0:00 | Put the game on screen. Guests scan the code while you explain it in one sentence. |
| 1:00 | Warm up with Higher or Lower. Two rounds, everyone votes. |
| 3:00 | Chat vs Host. The guest answers in secret, you and chat guess. |
| 7:00 | One Movie Barcode for the clip. |
| 9:00 | Show the scoreboard. Loser picks the next topic. |
Questions
Do guests need to install anything?
No. They scan a code and play in their phone browser, with no app and no account.
Do the games work with two hosts?
Yes. Chat vs Host and Higher or Lower are built for two people, and viewers can join in.
Can I use it on an audio only podcast?
The games are visual, so they work best on video podcasts and live shows.
Which apps does it work with?
Upstream.so, plus anything with a browser source: OBS, Streamlabs and Meld. In StreamYard, share the game in a browser tab.
By Mario Jankovic, cofounder of Upstream.soUpdated
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