What host controller mode does
Host Controller mode separates the game into two views. You use a private Host Controller to run the game and see correct responses, while players watch a clean Audience View without host-only controls.
This is especially useful when the Audience View is displayed on a projector or television, or shared in an online meeting.
Choose the right play mode
- Standard: Control the game directly from the Audience View your players see. Host controls remain visible in the Audience View.
- Host Controller: Control the game from a private screen. Host controls are removed from every Audience View.
The selected play mode applies to the active game and appears in the in-game menu and Settings menu. Select the mode badge whenever you want to change modes.
Watch the walkthrough
Start in Host Controller mode
- Find the board you want to use on the Buzzinga homepage and select Play.
- Under With Buzzers, choose Host Controller, then select Play.
- Keep the Host Controller screen private. Only you, the host, should see it.
- When prompted, select Open Audience View. If the Audience View is already open on the screen your players will see, close the prompt and keep using that tab.
- Show, cast, or mirror the Audience View on a television or projector, or share its tab or window for remote play.
What you can control
The Host Controller and Audience View stay synchronized automatically. Actions taken from the controller appear in the Audience View, so you do not need to interact with the screen your players see.
From the Host Controller, you can:
- select categories and clues;
- see correct responses privately;
- manage buzz-ins and mark responses correct or incorrect;
- adjust scores and control clue media;
- move through rounds and finish the game.
Hide or restore the host controls
Host controls are managed through the selected play mode:
- To hide host controls from the Audience View, select Host Controller mode.
- To restore host controls in the Audience View, select Standard mode.
You can switch modes by selecting the current-mode badge in the in-game menu or Settings menu. If you open the Host Controller while Standard mode is active, use the banner at the top to switch to Host Controller mode.
To return to the private controller at any time, open the main menu and select Host Controller under Game Tools. This opens the Host Controller without changing the selected play mode.
Keep audio on the Audience View
Game audio should play from the Audience View. The Host Controller is muted when you select Host Controller mode. To change this later, select its gear icon to open the Settings menu, then select Mute all audio on this page or Unmute all audio on this page.
Choose your setup
In person
Show, cast, or mirror the Audience View on the projector or television. Keep the Host Controller open on a phone, tablet, laptop, or private browser window that only the host can see.
On Zoom
Share only the browser tab or window containing the Audience View. Keep the Host Controller in an unshared tab or on a second device so participants do not see the controls or responses.
See Hosting a game on Zoom for the rest of the meeting setup.
Test it before the game
- Confirm that the Host Controller is private and the Audience View is the only view shown to players.
- Check that the current-mode badge says Host Controller.
- Confirm that actions taken from the Host Controller immediately update the Audience View.
- Make sure game audio plays only from the Audience View.
- Run through a few clues before participants join.