Over the past couple of months, the game Among Us rose in popularity as celebrities, streamers, and even congress members, such as Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (AOC), have been seen playing it.
In Among Us, a player can play as either a "crewmate" or an "imposter," each role having different goals. If you are a crewmate, your goal is to figure out who the imposter(s), who are randomly selected, are and vote them out or complete all your task. On the other hand, the imposter must kill all the crewmates without being caught to win. The game is available for free on mobile devices and $4.99 on computers, not including other in-game purchases.
Among Us is widely known now but just where did it come from? The game was first released on June 15, 2018 by a small group of developers now known as InnerSloth. The creators were inspired by similar game known as Mafia and decided to make Among Us after frequently playing it. The game had a slow start in popularity but greatly increased late in 2020, even reaching 3.8 million players in September. The game was even expecting to get a sequel but due to its success the developers thought it would be best to continue updating the current version.
But just why has the game risen to such heights? When SCHS student Carlos Tejeda was asked why he likes the game and why he thinks it became so popular he said: "It's a fun game that allows you to have a fun time with friends and connect with them. Trying to work together with people while also having to think about if [they're] tricking you makes it competitive and interesting." These elements of the game are new and seem to have everybody hooked on playing it. Forcing players to really think about their accusations and movements is something we have not seen in games recently.
Another student, Nicholas Marine, said when asked the same question: "I like to fake out and trick my friends and seeing their reaction. We get to connect and get more riled up playing than any other game we play." Among Us’ ability to bring people together and have a good time is crucial especially during the pandemic we are currently in.
Marine later went on to say "[Among Us']rise popularity can be credited to the streamers. Them streaming it led to it being broadcasted to a whole new audience and opened many gates for others." Many young teenagers and kids nowadays look up these streamers and want to play the games they play. Its rise in popularity can also be credited to the many streamers playing it. On Twitch, a streaming network used primarily for gaming, it has become one of the most streamed game, consistently being in the top ten as of early October. Streamers play a big role in promoting games due to the ability to reach the target audience of the game.
People are not just having fun playing themselves but are even watching people play with others. Almost every big streamer has streamed and endorsed playing it such as Ninja, Yourage, and Pokimane. It was even streamed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (NY-14). AOC streamed the game with other streamers to promote voting in the election and reached up to 400,000 viewers.
In light of all the challenges our country is facing, Among Us allows people to positively interact with friends and family. A huge role in Among Us’ success is its timing. Its popularity came at a perfect time because the increased needed for interaction. Not being able to go outside limits interactions and fun times but Among Us has been able to fill that void. Among Us' rise to popularity will be a good time to remember with friends and family as it has been keeping people entertained, competitive, and happy.
