To play a virtual murder mystery with a boxed game, either every household buys the same box or one host shows the evidence through a phone used as a document camera. Cold cases like Unsolved Case Files check answers online, and party kits from Broadway Murder Mysteries include separate video-chat rules.
Virtual version (murder mystery party kit) — A set of rules sold or included by some party-kit publishers, such as Broadway Murder Mysteries and Night of Mystery, that adapts character assignment, clue rounds and the final accusation to a video call instead of a shared room.
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Pick your setup first
A virtual murder mystery with a boxed game comes down to one decision: who holds the evidence. There are three setups, and each one suits a different kind of game.
| Setup | Who buys | Best with | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirrored boxes | Every household buys the same game | Cold case files, one-evening boxes such as EXIT | Each player needs a copy; keep everyone on the same envelope |
| One shared box | The host owns the game and shows it on camera | Cold cases for two or three remote players | Slower reading; the host handles every document |
| Party kit, virtual version | The host buys one kit and emails the roles | Groups of 6 to 20 who want to play characters | Needs a host and a video app with private chat |
Mirrored boxes give the smoothest game. Everyone reads at their own pace, and the call becomes a team discussion, the same way an in-person group works at a table. One shared box is cheaper but turns the host into a camera operator. Party kits are the only format written for video calls from the start.
What publishers say about remote play
Party-kit publishers are the most explicit. Broadway Murder Mysteries says each of its games includes a separate set of rules for playing over video chat, and it runs an online random assigner that emails each player whether they are the killer, so the host can play too. Its games have 20 scripted characters for 3 to 20 players. Night of Mystery sells a virtual version of its party games, separate from the in-person version, and tells hosts to pick a video platform with a private chat function. Shot In The Dark Mysteries publishes a full Zoom guide that uses breakout rooms as places to interview suspects and private chat for scheming between guests.
Cold case publishers do not sell a dedicated video-call edition, but their design helps. Unsolved Case Files checks every objective on an online answer key that anyone on the call can open, and its FAQ suggests that groups larger than six to eight split into teams, each with its own copy of the case. That same advice is the cleanest way to run a large remote game. Cryptic Killers puts part of its evidence online, including a police officer’s inbox that you must get into, which every remote player can reach from their own browser. Hunt A Killer boxes are built around printed documents and small props, so mirrored copies work better than a camera for them.
Paid live events hosted by actors on Zoom and mystery video games and apps also exist. This guide does not cover them: it is about playing a box you own with people you know.
Set up the call
The document camera. A phone on a small stand or a gooseneck clamp, pointed straight down at the table, does the job. Join the call with it as a second device, muted and with the speaker off, so it only sends video. Pin that video so everyone sees the documents large. A USB document camera does the same thing with less fiddling if you host often.
Screen sharing. For long statements, a photo or scan of each page shared on screen is easier to read than a live camera. Keep the files in a folder shared only with the people playing that night, and delete them after. Unsolved Case Files limits its missing-document tool to one document per email address to fight piracy, so never post scans of a case publicly.
Shared notes. Open one shared document or online whiteboard for the timeline and the suspect grid. On a call, nobody can point at a sticky note, so a shared page replaces the table.
Time limits. Free plans on some video apps cut group calls short. Shot In The Dark Mysteries points out that the Basic Zoom plan stops at 40 minutes, so hosts either upgrade or chain several meetings. A cold case can run two to three hours, so plan the breaks around the limit.
Give everyone a job
On a video call, four people reading the same document at once is chaos. Assign roles before you open the box:
- The host runs the camera or shares the scans, and decides when to move on.
- The reader reads each statement aloud, so the group hears it once and together.
- The timeline keeper owns the shared document and adds every time, place and name.
- The answer keeper holds the link to the publisher’s answer key and is the only one who submits.
- The hint keeper reads any hint alone first and tells the group only which document to revisit.
In a game with mirrored boxes, the reader and the host can be the same person, since everyone has the documents in hand. Rotate roles between objectives so nobody spends the whole night as camera operator. Our guide on how to solve a murder mystery explains the timeline and suspect grid in detail.
Plan the timing
Remote play is slower than a kitchen table. Use this outline for a cold case and adjust.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0:00 to 0:10 | Sound and camera check, roles assigned, objective read aloud |
| 0:10 to 0:50 | First read of the evidence, timeline started |
| 0:50 to 1:00 | Break; restart the call if your plan has a time limit |
| 1:00 to 1:40 | Test suspects, submit the first answer, open the next envelope |
| 1:40 to 2:30 | Second and third objectives, then the wrap-up document read aloud |
Unsolved Case Files says its cases take 2 to 3 hours on average, and teams of two or more take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. If your group is new to cold cases, start with a shorter box and keep the full case for a second session. For a party kit, Broadway Murder Mysteries estimates about 10 minutes per player, so a game for six runs about an hour.
Use hints and answer keys on screen
Online answer keys make remote play fair, because nobody holds a secret solution sheet. In Unsolved Case Files, you enter the documents that prove each objective, and the hint button appears only after a wrong answer. The FAQ says it then gives three hints, each revealing more. Have the answer keeper share their screen while submitting, so the whole group sees the result at the same moment.
Cryptic Killers has a hints and answers page that goes from subtle hints to the full answer. ThinkFun’s Cold Case series checks answers on ThinkFun’s website and points you back toward the right evidence after a wrong answer. Agree on a rule before you start, such as one hint after 20 minutes stuck on the same objective, so nobody opens help early.
Running a party kit over video
A party kit changes the setup: there are no documents to share, only characters. The host emails each guest their character booklet in advance, asks everyone to rename themselves on the call with their character’s name, and reads or plays the opening announcement. Shot In The Dark Mysteries suggests making guests co-hosts so they can move freely between breakout rooms named after places in the story, then closing the rooms on a timer and bringing everyone back for accusations. Collecting accusations through private messages to the host keeps everyone honest.
For groups of eight or more, compare party kits and team formats in our list of the best murder mystery games for large groups.
Which boxes work best remotely
For two households, a single full cold case such as Unsolved Case Files: Harmony Ashcroft works with mirrored copies or one shared box, since its 50-plus documents are flat paper that reads well on camera. For a shorter first night, ThinkFun Cold Case: A Pinch of Murder holds 31 pieces of evidence and runs 60 to 120 minutes. Boxes that ask you to fold, cut or combine physical pieces, like EXIT, only work with one copy per household.
For couples who live apart, our best mystery games for couples flags which picks play well with two. The full ranking of best cold case games gives player counts and playing times. New to the whole genre? Start with murder mystery for beginners, or browse every guide in Mystery Games by Group.
Key facts
- Broadway Murder Mysteries includes a separate set of rules for playing over video chat in each game, and for virtual play it offers an online random assigner that sends each player the killer assignment secretly by email.Broadway Murder Mysteries, FAQ, 2026
- Broadway Murder Mysteries party games include 20 scripted characters, are recommended for 3 to 20 players and take about 1 to 2 hours, estimated at 10 minutes per player.Broadway Murder Mysteries, FAQ, 2026
- Night of Mystery sells a virtual version of its party games, separate from the in-person version, and says the video platform used must offer a private chat function.Night of Mystery, Virtual Murder Mystery Party, 2023
- Shot In The Dark Mysteries notes that a Basic (free) Zoom plan has a 40-minute time limit, so hosts either upgrade or chain several meetings, and it uses breakout rooms and private chat for interrogations.Shot In The Dark Mysteries, How to Host a Virtual Murder Mystery Party Game Using Zoom, 2020
- Unsolved Case Files sets no player limit and, for groups of more than 6 to 8 people, suggests splitting into teams that each work on their own copy of the case; its online answer key offers three hints, each revealing more.Unsolved Case Files, FAQs, 2026
FAQ
Can you play a murder mystery game over Zoom?
Yes. Party kits with a virtual version, such as those from Broadway Murder Mysteries or Night of Mystery, are written for video calls. Cold case files work too: either each household owns the same case, or the host shows the documents on camera, and everyone checks answers on the publisher's website.
Does everyone need their own copy of the game?
Not always. A party kit only needs one buyer, because the host emails each guest their character. For cold cases, one shared box works for two or three remote players; larger groups do better with one copy per household, so nobody waits for the camera.
How many people can play a virtual murder mystery?
A cold case works best with two to six people on one call; Unsolved Case Files suggests teams with separate copies beyond six to eight players. Party kits scale further: Broadway Murder Mysteries recommends 3 to 20 players.
How long does a virtual murder mystery take?
Plan longer than in person. Unsolved Case Files says its cases take 2 to 3 hours on average, and screen sharing slows the reading. Broadway Murder Mysteries estimates 10 minutes per player for its party games, so about an hour for six.
What do you need to host a murder mystery on a video call?
A video app with screen sharing and private chat, a phone on a stand as a document camera, a shared folder or document for notes, and the game itself. Check your app's limit on free group calls before game night.
Sources
- Broadway Murder Mysteries: FAQ (virtual play, players, timing)
- Night of Mystery: Virtual Murder Mystery Party (2023)
- Shot In The Dark Mysteries: How to Host a Virtual Murder Mystery Party Game Using Zoom (2020)
- Unsolved Case Files: FAQs
- Unsolved Case Files: How to Play
- Cryptic Killers: official site and How to Play