AMOUNG US

Among Us  is a 2018 online multiplayer social deduction game developed and published by American game studio
[c]

Innersloth. The game was inspired by the party game Mafia and the science fiction horror film The Thing. It allows
for cross-platform play, first being released on iOS and Android devices in June 2018 and on Windows later that year in
November. The game was then ported to the Nintendo Switch in December 2020, and will release on PlayStation
4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in December 2021. While the game was initially released in 2018, to
little mainstream attention, it received a massive influx of popularity in 2020 due to many well-
known Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing it. The timing of the COVID-19 pandemic has also been credited with
boosting the game's popularity.
Among Us takes place in a space-themed setting where players look like colorful armless cartoon astronauts; however,
since the release of "The Skeld" spaceship, three other maps have been added in later years: the floating "MIRA HQ",
the "Polus" planetary station, and "The Airship" (based on Infiltrating the Airship from the Henry Stickmin series, also
developed by Innersloth). Each player takes on one of two roles—most are Crewmates, but a small number
play Impostors—which does not alter their appearance.[d] Players suspected of being Impostors may be eliminated via
a plurality vote of the remaining players, which any player may initiate by reporting a dead body or calling for an
Emergency Meeting (except during a crisis). The goal of the Crewmates is to identify the Impostors, eliminate them, and
complete tasks around the map; the goal of the Impostor(s) is to covertly sabotage the mission either by killing the
Crewmates before they complete all their tasks or by triggering a disaster that cannot be resolved.
The game received positive reviews from critics, being praised for its gameplay and setting but criticized for technical
issues. In response to the game's popularity, a planned sequel, Among Us 2, was hastily announced in August 2020.
However, it was canceled a month later and the team shifted its focus to improving the original game, which has over
time inspired the creation of multiple internet memes, mostly related to the slang term sus (e.g., "Sussy Baka").
Among Us is a multiplayer game for four to fifteen players, although recommended for at least five.[11] Up to three players
are randomly[12] and secretly chosen to be the Impostor(s) each round. As of 2021, a round can take place on one of
four maps: a spaceship called "The Skeld"; a headquarters building called "MIRA HQ"; a planet base called "Polus";[13] or
something based on Innersloth's Henry Stickmin series called "The Airship".[14][15]
The Impostor(s) win(s) one of two ways: either by killing most of the crew (to the point that they're equal in number) or
by sabotaging a critical system on the map (provided the Crewmates don't resolve it in time). The Crewmates likewise
can win one of two ways: either by completing all tasks or by identifying and ejecting all Impostors.[13] Games can also
end by players quitting the match if doing so fulfills any win condition (if a Crewmate quits the game, their tasks are
automatically considered completed).[16][17][18]
At the start of the game, Crewmates are assigned "tasks" to complete around the map (in the form
of minigames, minpuzzles, and simple toggles), mostly consisting of maintenance work on vital systems such as fixing
wires and downloading data.[19] Impostors are given a fake list of suggested tasks to blend in with Crewmates. However,
they cannot legitimately perform tasks and can only pretend to be doing any of the tasks on the ship. Impostors,
however, can sabotage vital systems (such as The Skeld's oxygen supply), close the doors to rooms, quickly and
covertly travel through the ventilation system (commonly referred to as "venting"), and kill Crewmates when standing
near them. To help the Crewmates identify Impostors, there are various surveillance systems on each map, such
as security cameras and an admin system on The Skeld,[20] a doorlog in MIRA HQ,[21] and a vitals indicator in Polus.
[13]
 Crewmates may also confirm their identity through "visual tasks" (tasks that have animations that play only for
Crewmates), which cannot be faked by Impostors.[22]
If a Crewmate is killed or any player is voted out and ejected, they become a ghost. Ghosts can pass through walls,
spectate other players' activities, and see and chat with other ghosts.[18] Living players have a limited cone of vision;
[23]
 ghosts do not.[24] Moreover, ghosts cannot communicate with living players or be seen by them. Ghosts help their
living teammates by completing their tasks (as a Crewmate) or performing various acts of sabotage (as an Impostor).[13]
Any living player may call a group meeting by reporting a dead body, or by pressing the Emergency Meeting button on
the map at any time (except during major sabotages, when Emergency Meetings cannot be called, but dead bodies can
still be reported).[18][25][26] During a meeting, players discuss who they believe is an Impostor based on the
available evidence. Impostors can be identified beyond all reasonable doubt if they are seen venting or killing. A player
may be suspected for many other reasons though. However, all the players form a sort of jury and must weigh the
veracity or value of each other's statements and questions during the meeting. A plurality vote is held, and if a plurality
is obtained, the chosen player is ejected from the map and they become a ghost.[19][18] Players can communicate in a
built-in text chat (with some predefined phrases for phone users),[19] but only during meetings, and only if they are alive
(though ghosts can speak with one another at any time).[13][18][23] While the game does not have a built-in voice
chat system, it is common for players to use external programs such as Discord,[27][28][29] or to converse regularly if they are
in close physical proximity to one another. In case players can hear each other's voices, the game reminds them to not
speak except during meetings.
In each game's lobby, various options can be adjusted to customize aspects of gameplay, such as player movement
speed, the allowed number of emergency meetings, number of tasks, if there will be "visual tasks",[30] or whether or not
an Impostor is revealed after being voted off.[31] There are also many cosmetic options, including spacesuit colors, skins,
hats, and pets,[32][33] some of which are paid downloadable content.[e][5][7][23]
Among Us was inspired by the live party game Mafia,[5][35] and the science fiction horror film The Thing.[36] The idea for the
concept was originally given by Marcus Bromander, co-founder of Innersloth, who had played Mafia since he was a kid.
In the original game, function cards were dealt and players wandered around a house, aimlessly, while another person
secretly killed the players, drawing a finger around their neck. Most of its mechanics were still present in Among Us, but
the team wanted to "alleviate the need to create an interesting home model and have someone wandering around in a
boring environment". So, they decided that the game would be space themed and also added tasks, which, according to
Forest Willard, programmer at Innersloth, "changed several times during development".[36][37]
Development began in November 2017.[37] The game was initially intended to be a mobile-only local multiplayer game
with a single map.[38] Bromander paused development on Innersloth's other game, The Henry Stickmin Collection, in
order to build Among Us' first map, The Skeld.[39] When they began developing the first map, they intended that the ship
was always in crisis and that the Impostors could do tasks. However, they found this setup "stressful" and decided that it
"[wouldn't leave] much time for detective work and informed meeting conversations".[36][37] Willard described playtesting as
painful and frustrating, as the game would break down during sessions forcing him to send playtesters new builds off
of Google Play. The team tested the game with 8 of their friends and never tested the game with 9 or the maximum of
10 players.[39] The game was developed using the Unity engine.[40]
The game was released in June 2018 to Android and iOS under the AppID of "spacemafia".[5][41] Shortly after
release, Among Us had an average player count of 30 to 50 concurrent players.[30] Bromander blamed the game's poor
release on Innersloth being "really bad at marketing".[38] The team nearly abandoned the project multiple times, but
continued work on it due to a "small but vocal player base",[42] adding in online multiplayer, new tasks, and customization
options.[42] The game was released on Steam on November 16, 2018.[38][43] Cross-platform play was supported upon
release of the Steam version.[44][45] Originally, the game had no audio to avoid revealing hidden information in a local
setting,[f] and Willard mixed sounds from numerous sound packs to compose the SFX during the game's Steam release.
[39]

On August 8, 2019, Innersloth released a second map, MIRA HQ,[46][47] a "tightly packed headquarters roughly the size of
The Skeld." A third map, Polus, was added on November 12, 2019, and is set in a research station.[46][48] The fourth map,
the Airship, was released on March 31, 2021, and is based on a location in the Henry Stickmin universe.[14][15] MIRA HQ
and Polus originally cost players US$4 via in-app purchase. Their prices were reduced to US$2 on January 6, 2020,
then made free on June 11, 2020.[49] While the map packs are still available for purchase on all platforms, they now only
provide the player the skins that were bundled with the maps.[50]
According to programmer Forest Willard, the team "stuck with [the game] a lot longer than we probably should have
from a pure business standpoint", putting out regular updates to the game as often as once per week. This led to a
steady increase in players, causing the game's player base to snowball. Bromander attributed this to the studio having
enough savings to keep working on the game even while it was not selling particularly well.[38] In August 2020, the team
shifted focus onto a sequel, Among Us 2.[6][7][8][9] During this time, Forest Willard and Amy Liu continued to update Among
Us, increasing the maximum player base, adding four servers and three regions,[51] and implementing longer multiplayer
codes to support more concurrent games.[52] On September 23, 2020, the team canceled the sequel, instead opting to
add all content intended for the sequel to the original Among Us, due to "how many people [were] enjoying [the original
game]".[53][54][55] However, Innersloth deemed the game's codebase "outdated and not built to support adding so much new
content", so the team made plans to rework the game's core code to enable adding new features.[55]
The team subsequently announced their plans to fix the game's server issues and widespread cheating problem,[56][57]
[58]
 as well as add a system for banning disruptive players.[59] In October 2020, colorblind support for the "wires" task was
added to the Among Us beta on Steam, as well as some previously unannounced lobby customization options.[60][61] As-
of-yet unimplemented features include improving gameplay for ghosts,[62] adding customizable controls,[63] a friends
system, a fifth map, new game modes, and new roles.[53][54][59][64][65]
In mid-February 2021, the game added a feature called Quickchat, which replaces the standard chat interface with a
series of preset phrases that players must pick from. Players under the age of 13 are required to use Quickchat, but
those over 13 are also allowed to use Free Chat, which allows them to type original messages.[66][67]
First announced at The Game Awards 2020, the Airship map was released on March 31, 2021.[14][15] The Airship features
multiple floors, contraptions, tasks, and "more."[68][69] In addition, Game Awards presenter Geoff Keighley's face was
added as a skin. The map itself is based upon the Henry Stickmin's Toppat Clan Airship.[70] Innersloth also stated that
the map would be free to all players.[71][15] It also features a skin bundle that includes Henry Stickmin-themed cosmetic
that can be bought on Steam.[15]
The accounts system was implemented along with the update, and it allows players to report players that are not
following Innersloth' Code of Conduct in order to make the game a welcoming and respectful place. Punishment ranges
from temporary to a permanent ban. They also stated that reports would be viewed manually and not by bots, that
account creations would be required if players want to use Free Chat or to customize their nicknames, and that people
under the age of 13 would need their parents' permission to create an account. A friends system and the ability to link to
multiple accounts would be added somewhere in the future.[72][73]
Innersloth later revealed on the game's official Twitter account a new color to the game, Rose, which was included in
the game's next update along with five other colors: Coral, Tan, Gray, Maroon, and Banana, which were revealed during
Summer Game Fest on June 10, 2021, alongside other upcoming content, including a fifth map, new Hide & Seek game
mode, and new roles such as Sheriff and Scientist.[64][65] The new colors, along with 15 player lobby support, new meeting
screen and revamp at the game's design, was released on June 15, 2021, during the game's 3rd anniversary.[11]
On July 7, 2021, Innersloth released a minor update that adds a new task, "Clean Vent", which involves the Crewmate
cleaning a specific vent, preventing Impostors from using it.[74]
Amid its popularity, Innersloth considered releasing the game to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, but encountered
a problem in implementing player communication, since standard text-based or voice-based chat seemed unusable.
They considered a system similar to the "quick comms" system from Rocket League, as well as the possibility of
developing an entirely new communication system for the game.[27][28] Versions of the game for Xbox consoles were later
announced.[75]
Among Us was released for the Nintendo Switch on December 15, 2020, the same day it was announced
during Nintendo Direct Indie World showcase. The Switch version supports cross-platform play with the mobile and
Windows versions.[76] This port was published by Play EveryWare.[77] Upon release, the Switch version had an exploit to
access The Airship prior to its official release in early 2021.[78] The exploit was fixed two days after release in the Switch
version's first update.[79][80] Currently, all the game's downloadable content is unavailable on Switch, although the team
stated that it will be added in some point.[81]
Among Us will be released digitally for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles on
December 14, 2021, along with its release on the Xbox Game Pass for console. These versions will support cross-
platform play with existing Windows, Switch, and mobile versions. Unique to the PlayStation ports are special
customization options based on Ratchet & Clank. Physical releases for consoles will be available in Europe the same
day, while North American physical releases will be available in January 2022.[82]