*Among Us* is a [multiplayer game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiplayer_video_game) for four to ten players. Up to three players are randomly[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-21) chosen to be the impostor(s) each round. A round can take place on one of three [maps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_(video_games)): a spaceship called “The Skeld”*,* a headquarters building called “MIRA HQ”*,* or a planet base called “Polus”.[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:6-22) A fourth map, “The [Airship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airship)”, was announced on December 10, 2020 and is planned for release in early 2021.[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-23)[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-24)

At the start of the game, Crewmates are assigned “tasks” to complete around the map in the form of [minigames](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minigame), consisting of maintenance work on vital systems such as fixing wires and downloading data.[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:1-25) Impostors are given a fake list of tasks to blend in with Crewmates. However, they are unable to actually perform any task. Impostors can sabotage vital systems (such as the ship’s oxygen supply), covertly travel through vents, and work with other Impostors to kill Crewmates. If a player dies, they become a ghost. Ghosts can pass through walls, spectate other players, and chat with other ghosts.[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:2-26) Living players have a [limited cone of vision](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fog_of_war#In_video_games),[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:5-27) but ghosts do not have this limitation.[\[23\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-28)

Ghosts help their living teammates by completing their tasks (as a Crewmate) or performing sabotages (as an Impostor).[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:6-22) The Impostors win when they kill enough Crewmates to be equal in number, or when the Crewmates fail to resolve a major sabotage.[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:2-26) The Crewmates win by completing all tasks, or by identifying and ejecting all Impostors.[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:6-22) 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).[\[24\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-29)[\[25\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-30)

To help the Crewmates identify Impostors, there are various surveillance systems on each map, such as security cameras system on The Skeld,[\[26\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:20-31) a doorlog in MIRA HQ,[\[27\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-32) and a vitals indicator in Polus.[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:6-22) Crewmates may also confirm their identity through visual tasks, which cannot be faked by Impostors.[\[28\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-33) Any living player may call a group meeting by reporting a dead body, or by pressing the Emergency Meeting button at any time.[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:2-26)[\[29\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:0-34)[\[30\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-35)

During a meeting, players discuss who they believe is an Impostor based on the available evidence. A plurality vote is held, and the chosen player is ejected from the map and they become a ghost.[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:1-25)[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:2-26) Players can communicate in a [text chat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_chat),[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:1-25) but only during meetings, and only if they are alive (though ghosts can speak with one another at any time).[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:6-22)[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:2-26)[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:5-27) While the game does not have a built-in [voice chat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_chat_in_online_gaming) system, it is common for players to use external programs such as [Discord](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discord_(software)).[\[31\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:8-36)[\[32\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:9-37)[\[33\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:10-38)

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,[\[34\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:4-39) or whether or not an impostor is revealed after being voted off.[\[35\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-40) There are also many cosmetic options, including spacesuit colors, [skins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_(video_gaming)), hats, and pets,[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-41)[\[37\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:19-42) some of which are paid [downloadable content](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downloadable_content).[\[f\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-44)[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:7-7)[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-gamerantsequel-14)[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:5-27)

## Development and release

### Early development

***Among Us*** **timeline**2018IOS/Android releaseWindows 10 ReleasemacOS release2019″MIRA HQ” release”Polus” release2020[Nintendo Switch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Switch) release2021″The Airship” releaseXbox Series X/S release

*Among Us* was inspired by the live party game [*Mafia*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_(party_game)),[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:7-7)[\[39\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:16-45) and science fiction horror film [*The Thing*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(1982_film)).[\[40\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-46) The idea for the concept was originally gave by Marcus Bromander, co-founder of Innersloth, which played *Mafia* since he was a kid.[\[41\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-47) The game was initially intended to be a mobile-only [local multiplayer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_multiplayer) game with a single map.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-improb-6) Originally, the game had no audio to avoid revealing hidden information in a local setting.,[\[g\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-48) and Willard mixed sounds from numerous sound packs to compose the SFX during the game’s Steam release.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-newgroundspod-9) Bromander paused development on Innersloth’s other game, *The Henry Stickmin Collection*, in order to build *Among Us*’ first map, The Skeld.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-newgroundspod-9) In designing maps Bromander and Artist Amy Liu would use Google images to determine what kind of details a room such as an the electrical room should have.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-newgroundspod-9) 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 10 players.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-newgroundspod-9)

The game was released in June 2018 to [Android](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system)) and [iOS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS) under the AppID of “spacemafia”.[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:7-7)[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-49) Shortly after release, *Among Us* had an average player count of 30 to 50 concurrent players.[\[34\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:4-39) Bromander blamed the game’s poor release on Innersloth being “really bad at marketing”.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-improb-6) The team nearly abandoned the project multiple times, but continued work on it due to a “small but vocal player base”,[\[43\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:14-50) adding in online multiplayer, new tasks, and customization options.[\[43\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:14-50) The game was released on [Steam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_(service)) on November 16, 2018.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-improb-6)[\[44\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-outofbeta-51) [Cross-platform play](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-platform_play) was supported upon release of the Steam version.[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-52)[\[46\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-53)

On August 8, 2019, Innersloth released a second map, MIRA HQ,[\[47\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:11-54)[\[48\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-55) which was firstly announced to be in development after the incrementation of map filters during 2019’s first update.[\[49\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-56) A third map, Polus, was added later that year on November 12.[\[47\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:11-54)[\[50\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-57) The fourth map, the Airship, is set to come out in early 2021 and is based on a location in the Henry Stickmin universe. MIRA HQ and Polus were initially US$4 via in-app purchase, however their prices were reduced to $2 on January 6, 2020, then made free on June 11, 2020.[\[51\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-58) 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.[\[52\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-59)

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, [snowballing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowball_effect) the game’s player base. Bromander attributed this to the studio having enough savings to keep working on the game even while it was not selling particularly well.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-improb-6)

### Popularity

#### Initial spike in popularity

📷Twitch streamer [Sodapoppin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodapoppin), credited with popularizing *Among Us* on Twitch

While *Among Us* released in 2018, it was not until mid-2020 that it saw a surge of popularity, initially driven by content creators online in South Korea and Brazil. Bromander stated that the game is more popular in Mexico, Brazil, and South Korea than the United States.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-improb-6)[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:7-7) According to Willard, Twitch streamer [Sodapoppin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodapoppin) first popularized the game on Twitch in July 2020.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-improb-6) Many other Twitch streamers and YouTubers followed suit, including prominent content creators [xQc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XQc), [Pokimane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokimane), [Shroud](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shroud_(gamer)), [Ninja](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_(gamer)), and [PewDiePie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PewDiePie).[\[53\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:15-60)[\[54\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-61)[\[39\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:16-45)

The [COVID-19 pandemic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic) was frequently cited as a reason for the popularity of *Among Us*, as it allowed for socializing despite [social distancing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_distancing_measures_related_to_the_COVID-19_pandemic).[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-improb-6)[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:2-26)[\[55\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-62)[\[47\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:11-54) Emma Kent of [*Eurogamer*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurogamer) believed that the release of Innersloth’s *The Henry Stickmin Collection* also contributed to awareness of *Among Us*,[\[53\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:15-60) and [*PC Gamer*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC_Gamer)’s Wes Fenlon credited Twitch streamer SR\_Kaif for “prim\[ing\] *Among Us* for its big moment.” Fenlon also praised *Among Us* for improvements over other popular tabletop games that had been inspired by Mafia, such as [*Secret Hitler*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Hitler). He said other video game adaptation of Mafia such as [*Town of Salem*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_of_Salem) and [*Werewolves Within*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolves_Within) were “just add\[ing\] an online interface for the basic Werewolf rules,” whereas *Among Us* is as an entirely new take on the concept.[\[39\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:16-45) Along with [*Fall Guys*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_Guys) and the [*Jackbox Party Packs*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackbox_Party_Pack), *Among Us* provided a narrative-less experience that helped to avoid the “cultural trauma” of the pandemic, according to M.J. Lewis of [*Wired*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wired_(magazine)).[\[56\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-63)

#### Continued popularity

The game’s popularity continued into the following months. [YouTube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube) reported that videos about *Among Us* were viewed 4 billion times in September 2020,[\[57\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-youtube-64) and [TikTok](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TikTok) videos related to *Among Us* had over 13 billion views in October 2020.[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-newyorktimes-1) YouTuber CG5 wrote a song based on the game in September 2020, titled “Show Yourself”, and gained over 60 million views in 4 months.[\[58\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-65) In September 2020, the game exceeded 100 million downloads[\[39\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:16-45) and its player count rose to 1.5 million concurrent players[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:3-3)[\[59\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-66) (nearly 400 thousand of which were on Steam),[\[47\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:11-54) then peaked at 3.8 million in late September.[\[60\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-67) The sudden increase in players overloaded the game’s server, which according to Willard was “a totally free [Amazon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_(company)) server, and it was terrible.” This forced him to work quickly, under [crunch time](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crunch_time_(video_gaming)), to resolve these issues.[\[43\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:14-50)

In August, Innersloth opened an online store for *Among Us* themed merchandise.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-gamerantsequel-14)[\[34\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:4-39) The game’s popularity inspired many original songs, [fanarts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_art) and [internet memes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_meme),[\[26\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:20-31)[\[29\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:0-34)[\[43\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:14-50)[\[61\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-68) Willard expressed that fan-created content “really is the best part” of making *Among Us*, and Bromander called it “my favorite thing to see”.[\[43\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:14-50) The game popularized the slang word “sus” (meaning “suspicious”),[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-cnbc-2)[\[62\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-69)[\[63\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-70)[\[64\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-71) which had been used as a slang term before the game’s release.[\[65\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-72)

During its time of widespread popularity, *Among Us* was controversially played by the [U.S. Navy Esports team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Army_Esports), in which players on the stream used in-game names referencing the [N-word](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N-word) and the [bombing of Nagasaki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki). The stream was deemed “offensive” and “intolerable” by some viewers.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-73) In October 2020, U.S. Representatives [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria_Ocasio-Cortez) and [Ilhan Omar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilhan_Omar) streamed the game alongside several other prominent streamers such as Pokimane and [Hasan Piker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasan_Piker) as a way to encourage people to vote in the [2020 United States presidential election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_United_States_presidential_election), drawing almost 700,000 concurrent viewers on Twitch.[\[67\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-74)[\[68\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-75)[\[69\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-76)[\[70\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-77)

Amid its popularity, Innersloth considered releasing the game to [PlayStation 4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_4) and [Xbox One](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_One) consoles, but encountered a problem in implementing player communication as standard text-based or voice-based chat seemed unusable. They considered a system similar to the “quick comms” system from [*Rocket League*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_League), as well as the possibility of developing an entirely new communication system for the game.[\[31\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:8-36)[\[32\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us#cite_note-:9-37)

### Canceled sequel and ongoing updates

In August 2020, the team shifted focus onto a sequel,