The popular social deduction game Among Us released on PlayStation and Xbox consoles on December 14, and there’s more that makes them similar than makes them different. Although the game was originally released in June of 2018, it didn’t see major popularity until 2020. Since then, Among Us has been released on even more consoles, making it available to practically anyone who’s interested in trying out the title for themselves.
What began as a social deduction game similar to Mafia and Town of Salem but in an outer space setting has since become an internet phenomenon. In addition to popularizing the word “sus” - a word short for “suspicious” that also saw use in similar games - Among Us has generated countless memes and is a well loved game choice to watch on Twitch and YouTube. The social nature of Among Us makes it a game that’s easy to come back to and play any time, so its release across many platforms is a natural progression from its surge in popularity.
In fact, with its release on PlayStation and Xbox, Among Us is now available on every major current-gen console. Additionally, cross-platform play is possible between all versions of the game. With PC, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 to pick from, the games must naturally all be similar so players won’t have any inherent advantages or disadvantages based purely on the system they’re playing on. Among Us crossplay is part of its appeal: players can play the game with their friends even if they don’t all have the same system as each other. But this means each version of the game has more things in common than things that are different, especially for the Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
Among Us Costs $5 On PlayStation And Xbox
When Among Us released on June 15 for Android and iOS and November 16 for PC in 2018, the game was free, with in-app purchases for cosmetic items such as skins and hats. All subsequent releases of the game have been for consoles and have cost $4.99 to download. This game purchase doesn’t include special cosmetics, however, meaning anyone who wants additional Among Us costumes will have to pay for them on top of the game’s price. An alternative option exists for Xbox players, though, as Among Us is part of the Xbox Game Pass service. Anyone who pays the $9.99 monthly fee can download and play Among Us.
Online Subscriptions Are Needed To Play Among Us Multiplayer
In order to access online multiplayer when playing Among Us on PlayStation 4 or 5, a PlayStation Plus service is required. The same is true for playing Among Us on Xbox consoles: although Microsoft removed the Xbox Live Gold requirement for online play for free-to-play games earlier this year, Among Us is not free-to-play on any home console. Xbox Live Gold is required for playing online games like Among Us, and even the Nintendo Switch isn’t exempt from online service requirements with Nintendo Switch Online. Players who want to avoid paying for online subscriptions will have to look away from the Xbox and PlayStation releases of Among Us and instead opt for the PC or mobile versions of the game.
Playing Among Us With A Controller (And Without A Keyboard)
Although it’s possible to play Among Us with a controller when playing on PC, access to a keyboard has made chatting during meetings easier on PC and mobile than it is on Nintendo Switch. The same is true for the game’s release on Xbox and PlayStation consoles. For players who aren’t fond of touch controls, having movement and tasks set to the control sticks and buttons may make playing the game feel easier. But with no keyboard or voice chat, communicating in Among Us can be more tedious on console compared to its 2018 releases.
Getting used to the Quick Chat system will be helpful for Among Us players on both PlayStation and Xbox consoles, even if it has its limitations compared to just typing normally. Another option console players may consider is using an external chatting method, such as Discord, but it’s important to remember that when in a lobby with random players, it’s beneficial to keep them in on the conversation, too. For private games, however, external chatting methods can help alleviate the communication limitations that Among Us faces on consoles.
Cosmetic Differences In Among Us On Xbox And PlayStation
Players in Among Us can customize their character using hats that appear on or cover the upper part of the Crewmate’s body, skins that cover the lower half of their body, pets that follow them around on the map, and even unique visors. All versions of Among Us are updated at the same time, so they all have access to the same cosmetics and Cosmicubes. Here, however, is where the biggest difference between the PlayStation and Xbox versions of the game lie: the PlayStation version of Among Us will be getting exclusive cosmetics based on the Ratchet & Clank video game series.
These exclusive cosmetics haven’t been released yet, but have been revealed as a “Ratchet skin,” designed to look like Ratchet’s jumpsuit, “Ratchet ears” as a hat, and a “Clank pet.” As the Ratchet & Clank series is PlayStation-exclusive, it makes sense that these cosmetics will only be available on the PlayStation version of Among Us. It also doesn’t hurt gameplay, since costumes are entirely optional, so players who don’t have access to the PlayStation editions of the game aren’t at any sort of disadvantage.
The upcoming inclusion of these cosmetics may lead fans to wonder if other costumes exclusive to certain versions of Among Us will be produced, but it seems unlikely that this will be the case. Currently, it’s possible to link Among Us player accounts across all platforms except for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation. By linking an account, players can transfer all of their in-app purchases as well as level and Cosmicube progress across Among Us systems. Although account linking with the Nintendo Switch isn’t possible at the moment, it’s currently in progress and will hopefully be made available soon. Account linking with PlayStation systems, on the other hand, isn’t planned at all at this time. Further system-exclusive cosmetics may not be ideal with the flexibility of account linking, so the PlayStation editions of Among Us may be the only ones to see such exclusive content.