In 2020, the pandemic took the world by storm, seemingly overnight, and everyone was confined to their houses, unable to go outside or see friends and socialise. From Zoom meetings with families to board games with the household, it was a very strange time for many.
For a lot of people, one escape was to play online games with friends, with such games as Call of Duty and FIFA being some of the main hitters. One game that came out of nowhere was Among Us, a 2D Indie game that became one of the most played games on the planet. With Among Us having just turned seven years old, in this article, we’ll take a look at how it showed us the value of social gaming during the pandemic.
Table of Contents
How it started
The year is 2020, and people have just been told to stay indoors and not go outside unless necessary. With people not being able to go outside and socialise, they were trying to find a way to keep busy and interact with their friends. Quickly, people started to stumble onto a small indie game released 2 years prior, named Among Us.
The small game had players go around a spaceship, completing tasks with one player being the traitor. Their task was to sabotage the mission and do it without being detected or found out by the other players.
This seemingly small and innocent game exploded onto the scene and became something virtually everyone was playing in a matter of days. Everyone was playing it, content creators were making videos off it, and it became a worldwide sensation overnight.
Why it became so popular
With many of the popular games, such as Fortnite or Call of Duty, having limits on how many people could play together in a group, it’s no surprise that Among Us became so popular, as it could host up to 15 people in a lobby. Meaning all of your friends could play in the same game together at one time. There were no separate chats or lobbies, just everyone at home playing together at the same time.
In times where people struggled to interact, these gaming sessions became a focal point of people’s lives, allowing people to stay connected and have some great gaming experiences directly from home.
With most games costing over £50, it was a nice change as originally Among Us on PC was only around £5, giving a lot more people the option to play, as this was much more affordable compared to the other games. Not only this, but they also then released a mobile game that was free to play with in-game ads, allowing more people to join in the fun with their friends.
The game was also relatively simple with easy to learn controls, meaning anyone of any age or skillset could pick up the game and start playing. This meant not only could large groups of friends play, but also families looking to compete in game nights, both in person at home and via Zoom meetings.
Connecting with new people
With people not being able to meet or socialise outside, it offered an alternative as people were able to meet new players via the game using the chat function. Players could add other players as friends and continue to play together once that session had ended. Numerous people made friends this way and still speak to them, showing just how much this game helped during the tough times of the pandemic.
More games like this
Due to its success, there were numerous new games released after this, trying to jump on the hype of gathering friends and playing together. Such games as Fall Guys attempted this and also saw large jumps in popularity; however, none hit the heights of Among Us, and it’s tough to think of a game that will match this again any time soon. Whilst lots of new games have taken inspiration from this game, none match the magic and simplicity of the game to truly rival it in terms of what it offered and how it affected the world around it.
Many industries tried to emulate the success. Casinos often have social games, but they offer different experiences. Social casinos simulate gambling with slot machines, poker, and other casino games, focusing on luck, rewards, and flashy visuals. They emphasize competition and progression but lack deep interaction. In contrast, Among Us centers on teamwork, deception, and communication. Players collaborate or deceive to win, requiring real-time social deduction and discussion. While social casinos attract users with quick gameplay and reward systems, Among Us fosters deeper engagement through social strategy and group dynamics. Both are popular for their social aspects but cater to different motivations and play styles.
For most, the pandemic was a tough time and one that people really struggled with. One thing that kept people going was the ability to play games with friends and socialise with them via an online method. Among Us embodied this in its full form and showed how a game so simple can be so effective and have such a big impact on not only the gaming world, but just on people in general.
