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What Made Among Us So Popular?

  • PRG

If you thought Among Us was released in 2020, you’d be mistaken. But for good reason. While originally becoming available in 2018, InnerSloth’s game experienced a phenomenal surge in popularity in 2020, becoming a global sensation virtually overnight. This begs a few questions: what made Among Us so popular? And why didn’t that popularity come when it was initially released?

Let’s take a look into this and more, as we unravel why Among Us became the gaming icon we know it as today.

1.   COVID and Social Isolation

Let’s begin with the elephant in the room. You don’t need me telling you that 2020 was a year of staying inside, getting socially isolated and missing friends—you lived through it too. This disruption to the usual way we socialised opened the doors to many exciting new innovations. While many looked towards the metaverse as a new revolution, a lot of us were simply looking for ways to reconnect with our loved ones.

Among Us was the perfect remedy for this.

From its simple mechanics to its foregrounding of discussion and communication (something we were all craving), the game ticked all the boxes of what people wanted to play while living through the isolation of COVID.

This is why the game blew up like it did in 2020. But, that’s not the whole story. The game has retained its popularity and social influence, so it’s not just a case of being a great pandemic-era game, it’s also simply a great game.

2.   Low Barrier to Entry

As just mentioned, Among Us is incredibly accessible. This can be seen in a few ways.

First, we have its simple premise: do some tasks, avoid getting killed, figure out who is the imposter. Even if you’ve never played Among Us, chances are you’ve played or heard of a similar game structure from popular games like Werewolf or Mafia. This simple premise makes the game very easy to pick up and play.

Speaking of which, we also have the controls. Whether playing on computer, mobile or even VR, the interaction used in Among Us is very simple and intuitive; the game requires no complex combinations or button presses. Simply go there, click that. The real meat of the game is in the discussion which, as long as you’re all speaking the same language, comes quite naturally.

Finally, the aesthetics of Among Us also hold a universal appeal. From the now iconic spacemen to the environments themselves, everything is simple, readable and easy to enjoy. Welcoming a diverse audience—including both gamers and non-gamers alike.

3.   Social Deduction and Deception Mechanics

At its heart, Among Us is a social game. It’s about discussing with other players to figure out who the imposters are—and then convincing others that you’re right. This creates two defined roles for players to get behind; the observers and the stealthy imposter—their play styles being more relaxed and stressful respectively.

This blend of different play styles, along with the focus on team building creates a dynamic and ever-changing experience.

4.   Livestreaming and Content Creation

While Among Us is a great game to play, it’s also a great game to watch. This is because even if your hands aren’t on the controls, you can still attempt to deduce who is the imposter and why—and even get involved in group discussions.

This made Among Us an ideal game for livestreaming, because chat could very easily feel involved in the experience, keeping viewers engaged for hours on end. This is a large contrast to more traditionally streamed games like CS:GO or Fortnite which, although engaging, provide a very one-sided viewing experience. That said, Fortnite is great. And it’s awesome to see players using the best Fortnite Items, which you can only dream of using unless you buy Fortnite items directly.

5.   Customizability and User-Generated Content

Finally, Among Us allows players to participate in the game’s creation through custom characters and game modes. Not only do you get to change your physical appearance to build a unique aesthetic, but many players have gone a step further to create custom games and mods. These extra pieces of user generated content have exploded the variety of gameplay options available within Among Us, contributing to the sustained entertainment value of this already excellent game.

Ultimately, Among Us came into the limelight due to the pandemic—there’s no denying that. But what kept it there was the strong, entertaining and engaging experience that it is. Among Us is a game that connects players through communication, discussion and teamwork—three things which will change every single time you play, guaranteed. Ultimately, Among Us became a cultural sensation because it gave us a forum to talk, discuss and argue when the real world had made that difficult—and that’s a pretty beautiful thing.

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