Hidden Game in Instagram Messages

A number of Instagram users have discovered a secret game hidden in the direct messaging (DM) feature of the app. The hidden game can be accessed by opening a DM chat and sending an emoji to a friend, then tapping on the emoji to move to a yellow screen featuring a "black paddle" that must be moved left and right to return the animated emoji and prevent it from falling, simulating the classic Pong game from Atari in the 1970s. The game can also be activated by tapping on an emoji sent to you by someone else in a direct message. Although the game works on both iOS and Android operating systems, not everyone has access to it. In an email to TechCrunch, a spokesperson for Instagram stated that the company is always looking for new ways to make the app "fun," which is why they introduced the game. However, the company did not share any details about its availability.