Emergency Meeting!
The video game “Among Us” has taken the internet by storm. InnerSloth’s 2018 game has soared in popularity since late August, so much so that the developers have stopped production of a sequel to focus on improving the first installment.
Live streams on Twitch and uploads on YouTube created a community surrounding the game, and now, it is present on nearly all social media platforms, either in reference, meme or gameplay.
It is important to note the influence of gamers and streamers.
The top five most watched “Among Us” Twitch streamers are Gaules, Trainwreckstv, pokimane, itsHafu and 5uppp. Some have started uploading parts of their streams to YouTube to help boost their accounts and viewership.
YouTubers are also in the fray, including Jacksepticeye, PewDiePie, Markiplier and even old school YouTuber Ryan Higa. Musical artist CORPSE has built a following for the game, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took her turn as an “Among Us” gamer.
Clearly, the game has grown through its influential players. Streamers’ content naturally brings hype to a game, and as seen with “Among Us,” the hype can give a game life. It can also resurrect old favorites.
Back in the summer of 2019, Mojang’s 2009 game “Minecraft” surged to the forefront of the gaming community. The game peaked in 2014, clogging YouTube content with crafting blocks and iron ore, but has been on the downward path since. Yet, in 2019, “Minecraft” resurfaced. Again, it’s an old favorite—potentially a classic at this point. It’s bound to see a resurgence here and there.
Though, the popularity of “Among Us” may be in part to COVID-19.
Friends separated by state lines or quarantine regulations can still find fun together. With private lobbies, groups of friends can play exclusively. Whether players chat over Discord or Zoom or use the in-game chat function, it’s social.
Users can download the mobile game for free through the App Store and Google Play or purchase the PC version for $5 through Steam and itch.io.
Not to mention, it’s fun. The gameplay is similar to Mafia or Werewolf, which are deduction games either played with a deck of cards or just through storytelling.
In “Among Us,” players are designated as either crewmates or imposters (the number of imposters is determined by the number of players). The crewmates’ jobs are to complete tasks around the ship so that it runs smoothly. The imposters are supposed to kill off crewmates without getting caught.
When a dead body is found, a meeting is called to discuss who did it. After the meeting time is up, players can vote someone out or choose not to vote. This is how to get rid of imposters. The crew wins either by voting out all the imposters or completing all their tasks. The imposters win if they kill the crewmates, or at least have the majority over them.
The game has other minor aspects, like venting and emergency meetings, but it’s really about suspicion and fooling your friends.
I’m terrible at lying, so this kind of game is my worst nightmare. I do like interrogating my friends, though. “Among Us” and its similar counterparts allow players to suspend reality for a bit. They become imposters and crewmates and can do nearly whatever they want. Players can test different strategies and essentially act like a character for a while, depending on who they are casted as.
Ignoring that the game’s version of fun is accusing your friends of being a murdering imposter, the connectivity of “Among Us” is perfect for COVID-19. It’s no wonder it has grown as much as it has.
Nothing like a little suspicion to bring people together and keep a ship running.
Maddie Peters can be reached at pete9542@stthomas.edu.