Friend or foe: Among Us takes the world by storm

Among Us, the online game taking the world by storm, is a multiplayer system created by InnerSloth in 2018. Although the game was created two years ago, the program’s appeal skyrocketed only recently due to many videos about the game going viral online.

Here is the basic rundown of how to play: gather four to ten friends to complete various outer space missions as “crewmates” without being defeated by the undisclosed “imposter” on your team. Players can create secret conferences within their group to determine who is the impersonator and may vote one teammate off. If they guess incorrectly, they must complete a series of tasks before the imposter eliminates the entire team.

United States representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar streamed their three hour attempt at the game to capture the attention of young people and spread the message of doing research before deciding on your vote. The app TikTok, and the streaming platform Twitch, also made a huge contribution to the current obsession, especially in Gen-Z. Online personalities, including PewDiePie and James Charles, downloaded the app and filmed their reactions when playing for their fans, increasing attention to the once unknown amusement.

The app is also a gateway to meet new people. If personal friends of players are not online, there are always other games going on, in which players can join and introduce themselves. 

“Among Us is a great way during COVID to engage with new people all around the world and have fun while playing,” said senior Timmy Glasgow.

Among Us focuses on reading people’s disposition and phrasing. The imposter could very well be a close friend, so noticing them acting suspicious could save the whole team. The video game places much demand on the group as a whole, rather than each teammate individually. Co-players must work together to protect each other and eliminate the “bad guy”.

Among Us has created opportunities for players to build communication and strategizing skills, while also becoming an outlet for entertainment during quarantine.