How To Make A Trivia Game: Here's The Secret Sauce

Learning how to make a trivia game isn't rocket science, but there's an art to making the quiz experience genuinely fun.

As a trivia host, I'm finding it easier than ever to make great trivia games, but not for the reason you might think.

No, it has nothing to do with AI.

Sure, you can get ChatGPT to spin up a few clever trivia questions, but you'll still need to:

• Present the quiz in an engaging way.
• Mark the answers quickly.
• Deliver the results promptly.

When these three elements align, your friends, family, or colleagues are almost guaranteed to enjoy a fantastic trivia experience.

I use Water Cooler Trivia to make trivia games that engage even the most reluctant colleagues and family members.

I'll tell you more about why I love Water Cooler Trivia's platform shortly.

But first, I've got a few questions:

Are you...

• Struggling to come up with trivia questions that aren't boring?
• Tired of spending hours writing and formatting your quiz?
• Frustrated by the lack of enthusiasm from your players?

If you found yourself nodding to any one of those questions, you're in luck.

I'm going to tell you about my not-so-secret sauce for creating trivia games that turn heads and raise eyebrows for the right reasons.

Learning How To Make A Trivia Game In 2025: My 3-Step Process

Step 1 - Admit You’re Not A Trivia Genius

The first step is acceptance.

I know it's annoying, but the sooner you realize you don't have to be a trivia mastermind, the better your game will be.

When I come up with a killer question, it's usually by accident rather than by design.

I've found that trying too hard to create the "perfect" question just leads to frustration and wasted time.

Nowadays, I leave it to the trivia professionals at Water Cooler Trivia to handwrite entertaining and thought-provoking questions that keep players engaged.

Okay, they don't handwrite the quizzes, but you get what I mean.

There is no artificial intelligence involved in the process.

I think AI would actually slow these trivia professionals down.

They have an instinctive feel for creating trivia games that entertain and thrill.

Also, is it just me, or is everyone getting a little fed up with consuming AI-generated content?

As soon as I notice content is AI-generated, I completely tune out.

There is magic to content created by professionals.

The human touch adds an element of surprise and nuance that AI just can't replicate.

Step 2 - Pick A Theme That Won’t Bore Everyone

Now that you've accepted you're not the next great trivia mastermind, let's talk about themes.

A trivia game without a theme is like a party without music. Technically fine, but not nearly as fun as it could be.

The biggest mistake I see trivia hosts make is picking themes that only appeal to a small group of people.

If your theme is too niche, half your players will check out before the first round is over.

That’s why I always go for broad themes that allow everyone to participate.

Some foolproof themes include:

• Pop Culture Through The Decades (keeps things interesting for all age groups)
• Around The World (geography, cultures, travel - there’s something for everyone)
• Famous Firsts (first albums, first inventions, first movie roles - a great mix of history and entertainment)
• Food & Drink Trivia (because who doesn’t love talking about food?)

Picking the right theme ensures your trivia night doesn’t turn into a snooze fest.

When in doubt, I ask Water Cooler Trivia's team to prepare a fresh quiz, which is delivered via email to each participant in no time at all.

Step 3 - Write Questions A Toddler Couldn’t Guess

The final step is crafting questions that strike the perfect balance between challenge and accessibility.

Too easy, and your players will breeze through them without thinking.

Too hard, and they’ll lose interest fast.

A common mistake is writing questions that are either ridiculously obscure or painfully obvious.

For example, instead of asking: "What’s the capital of France?" (too easy) or "Which French king issued the Edict of Nantes in 1598?" (too obscure), go for something like: "What iconic landmark in Paris took two years, two months, and five days to build?"

The trick is to make players think, not Google.

I like Water Cooler Trivia's quizzes because they always mix up the question formats to keep things engaging.

Multiple-choice, true or false, and fill-in-the-blank questions add variety and help keep players on their toes.

And I love keeping participants on their toes!

Step 4 - Avoid A Trivia Night Disaster

A great trivia night isn’t just about coming up with good questions. It’s about creating an experience where everyone has fun, stays engaged, and actually wants to play again.

That means:

1. Making the quiz experience fun and interactive.
2. Scoring answers quickly and fairly.
3. Keeping things moving at the right pace.

And that’s exactly what Water Cooler Trivia does best.

Here’s why I rely on it for a stress-free trivia experience:

• A fresh, expertly crafted quiz lands in your inbox each week.
• A variety of topics keep players engaged.
• Tiebreaker questions eliminate awkward deadlocks.
• Team bonding without the pressure of scheduled events.

I love that I can sit back and enjoy the game instead of stressing over the details.

Why Our Pros Save The Day

You need more than just great questions to make a trivia game engaging.

It's all about how it comes together.

Delivery is key.

The right mix of challenge, engagement, and seamless execution turns a basic quiz into something people actually look forward to.

That’s why I trust Water Cooler Trivia to handle the hard part, so I can focus on having fun with friends, family, or colleagues.

Try Water Cooler Trivia today with a free four-week trial.