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“Among Us” was one of the most viral games during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The indie social deduction multiplayer game allowed communities to socialize and have fun. The game was so successful that even non-gamers found it enjoyable and thrilling. It almost seemed like everyone was playing it, whether it be with their friends or joining a lobby full of strangers. Fast forward to 2023; you may be curious, is the game still worth playing?
The Origins Of “Among Us” (2018)
Originally created by a three-person team at Innersloth, it took years to make this murder-mystery title. Marcus Bromander was the first to conceive the idea for the game, drawing inspiration from the game “Mafia” and the sci-fi horror movie The Thing (1982). (( Paez, Danny. “Who Created Among Us.” ScreenRant, 19 Feb. 2021. ))
The video game began as a mobile-only game that supported local multiplayer, but it expanded into something much more than the developers would have ever thought. In October 2020, “Among Us” peaked at 60 million daily active players. (( “Among Us Revenue and Usage Statistics (2023).” Business of Apps, 9 Jan. 2023. )) The developers additionally attempted to do a sequel, but decided to cancel it due to players’ disinterest and instead worked more toward the original game.
Basic Gameplay Overview
The game involves crewmates and imposters having different goals. If selected as a crewmate, one must complete a series of tasks to win; if selected as an imposter, one has to kill crewmates sneakily and try to manipulate everyone else that it wasn’t them.
Up to ten players can play in a match, and the majority of players are randomly selected as crewmates. Other notable features of the game are the reporting, emergency meetings, chatting, and voting aspects.
The Video Games’ Updates
Last year, Innersloth introduced many new updates for the game, including “Crewmate Roles:”
- Scientist: Access vitals at any time. Complete tasks to recharge your battery.
- Engineer: Can use the vents.
- Guardian Angel: Cast a protection shield around the remaining Crewmates.
The game also introduced one “Imposter Role” called Shapeshifter, which allowed imposters to disguise themselves as any Crewmate they desired. Scary.
Though the video game had an item shop and cosmetics selections before, Innersloth is looking to gain more revenue to keep the server running and players satisfied. “Cosmicubes” are a new way of getting themed cosmetics by unlocking a branching path. Different Cosmicubes are bought with their in-game currencies called “Beans” and “Stars.”
Recently, “Among Us” also released cosmetics in collaboration with “Destiny 2,” a game developed by Bungie. Cosmetics are not vital to the gameplay and do not provide any advantages, but it gives gamers some joy in customizing their bean-shaped space character. In December 2022, Innersloth announced a new game mode called “Hide n Seek,” perfect for those who got burnt out from the original mode. Before the game starts, the Imposters are revealed.
Crewmates, of course, still have to find a way to survive, and there is a timer they have to run out of in order to win. By doing tasks, they can reduce time. Imposters are in charge of eliminating all the Crewmates and cannot use the vents like they usually do. In “Hide n Seek,” the Crewmates are more busy zooming across the map rather than focusing on tasks.
Lastly, “Among Us” is usually classified as an indie game, but it has recently expanded into the virtual reality realm. It has a separate title called “Among Us VR” (2022) where the original murder mystery mode is played with a VR headset, making the players feel like they are in the game right in their homes.
“Among Us VR” is available on the Meta Quest store, the Rift store, or Steam. The classic “Among Us” is available to play on mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. It is only free to play on mobile devices.
The “Among Us” Phenomenon Lives On
“Among Us” was not able to retain its popularity despite the unique gameplay experience and its impact on pop culture, especially memes involving the premise of being “sus.” But the game is still very much alive.
After all these years, “Among Us” did not change significantly in regards to the gameplay and the crewmate and imposter roles. The thrill, however, is still there. With the uncanny pressure to survive and look out for nobody but yourself, the game can be nerve-racking but exciting — similar to a rollercoaster.
The Exciting & Mysterious Lore
With the addition of the new “Hide n Seek” mode is more fast-paced, a good alternative mode if one is burnt out from dragged-out games and doing repetitive tasks, especially if selected as a Crewmate.
Besides the gameplay, the vivid bean-shaped characters that look like astronauts are what make the game stand out from the rest. They look so innocent but so mysterious, especially when the lore of “Among Us” is relatively unknown. Despite this, fans have made assumptions and theories involving these space travel beans. It has been said that The Skeld or spaceship, is equipped with various facilities that imply long-distance travel. (( Griffin, Ross. “What Among Us’ Story Is Actually About.” ScreenRant, 18 Oct. 2020. ))
“Among Us'” Pop Culture Impact
In its own universe, “Among Us” has also made a connection to pop culture with its sly references known as “easter eggs.” For instance, when an imposter is found on the Polus map, it shows a scene of them falling in the lava, only to rise up and give a thumbs-up sign.
This is a reference to Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), when the Terminator, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, does something similar. So far, though, most of the easter eggs seem to connect to the Henry Stickmin games (developed by Innersloth), from posters to hat accessories. Collaborations with other video games and brands is an aspect “Among Us” has greatly implemented for the community, whether in-game cosmetics or game features. Recently, they collaborated with “Destiny 2” and “Fortnite.”
Plus, the “Among Us” characters were even featured in a game called “NEW STATE MOBILE” for a limited time. Official merchandise of “Among Us” has also been made for fans, including plushes, shirts, socks, and more. During its peak popularity in October 2020, the store was closed due to completely selling out. A month later, they teamed up with Dual Wield Studio and relaunched the store. Besides merchandise, “Among Us” fans have created creations ranging from artwork to cosplays. There are also Youtubers that base their videos exclusively on “Among Us” gameplay, so the fanbase is still alive and thriving no matter which platform they play it on.
Skilled and tech-savvy fans have also created their own mods of the game that makes the game more customizable like texture packs and skins. With the new changes, pop culture aspects, and its artistic fanbases, there are countless things to catch up to and it is worth checking it out, especially if you haven’t touched the game in a few years. Who knows? What if “Among Us” is more enjoyable post-pandemic?