Among Us developer InnerSloth has surprised players with news of a July 7 update, which will add a new vent-cleaning task. More than just offering a different activity for crewmates to complete, the task could actually change the outcome of many future matches.

InnerSloth has been working steadily on new features since Among Us surged to popularity in 2020. Progress has been slow because of the company's size - less than a dozen people, not counting outside partners - but it has so far managed to add things like the Airship map, a refined art style, and bigger 15-player lobbies with a new voting screen. Coming later are things like a fifth map, a Hide & Seek mode, and new roles like the Sheriff. Xbox and PlayStation ports are due later in 2021 - the game is already available for PC, mobile, and Switch.

Related: Will Among Us Stay Popular For Much Longer?

Highlighted in an InnerSloth Twitter post, Among Us' vent task will be fast and simple, requiring only that crewmates open a grate and click on any junk inside to clear it. Impostors won't be able to enter or exit a vent that's being cleaned. If someone is already in a vent when cleaning starts, they'll be kicked out, which could expose the Impostor or force an immediate confrontation. On top of the vent task, the only other planned changes in the update are "a bunch of bug fixes," according to InnerSloth. This could include a recent bug that causes crewmates to get stuck in place, for which InnerSloth has created a temporary workaround that involves waiting for the next meeting, then opening and closing the Vote Menu.

Vents are an integral part of Among Us as the main way for Impostors to travel undetected. In fact, only Impostors can crawl through vents, so anyone spotted entering or exiting one is automatically guilty. The July 7 update could force Impostors to use vents less often since the chance of detection will be higher. Innocent crewmates will have to be wary too, however, since they could get themselves ambushed and killed with very little warning. It's possible that InnerSloth made the change with the idea of prompting more in-game confrontations between crewmates and Impostors.

Among Us fans have continually requested more gameplay variety. To that end, InnerSloth is planning not just Hide & Seek and more roles, but further unspecified "ways to play." That could mean taking a cue from the PC mod community, which has added everything from Pokémon trainers to the murderous clown from It, Pennywise to the popular social deduction game.

Next: Among Us' Next Map: Why An Industrial Factory Would Be Perfect

Source: InnerSloth