Do you find yourself in need of a new addicting video game? Well, Among Us isn’t exactly new. The online video game was released in 2018 by InnerSloth, but it is a long-known idea that forms the basis of the game. Among Us is based on the game “Mafia” and all other versions of it, where players must collectively try to figure out who the Mafia, traitor, or in Among Us, the Imposter.
In Among Us, the Imposter kills innocent players, called Crewmates, and when a dead body is found, the players vote off the person who they think is the Imposter. The game takes place on a ship where Crewmates run around the map trying to complete tasks like emptying trash and downloading data, and also have the ability to report dead bodies if found. While most people participate in the game as crewmates, between 1-3 people are chosen as Imposters to sneak around in vents and kill off crewmates. The goal of the crewmates is either to find out the imposter(s) or complete the tasks, and the goal of the imposter is to kill everyone without being suspected as the killer.
There are many different worlds, avatars, and custom settings you can build for your game. The game is free for all iOS and Android users, and if you play on Steam, only $5.
The question is, if Among Us came out in 2018, why is it becoming so popular now, in 2020? The short answer is the Coronavirus pandemic. During the pandemic and quarantine, groups of friends can no longer gather for game night or hang out whatsoever. Among Us allows friends to join the same game, letting people hang out, talk in the chat, and play a social game online. This game allows you to feel like you are laughing with your friends all trying to figure out the secret killer(s), even though you’re playing it from the comfort of your bed, hooked up to a phone/computer and wifi.
There are over 7.3 million estimated Among Us players on Steam (PlayTracker). Among Us users also quickly get addicted to the game with the never-ending ability to play in public games, not just private rounds for your friends. One Youtuber tweeted, “Among Us released in November 2018… In its first 6 months, it had a peak average player count of 8.2 people. [On September 20, 2020], it peaked at 388,385 players on Steam. It’s currently the third highest played game … and is taking over Youtube. Never give up” (Essentially Sports). This inspiring quote not only inspires video game developers not to give up but also shows people that there will always be some fun, new, addicting game for them to try. Games like Among Us are especially needed during times like quarantine, and a way to have fun by yourself and with others.
Sources:
https://www.pcgamer.com/how-among-us-became-so-popular/
https://filmdaily.co/gaming/among-us-popular/
https://playtracker.net/insight/game/37805
