Few recent games have seen such a sudden and massive boom in success as Among Us, a social deduction game that rose to fame during 2020. Among Us is now a gaming sensation, and 2021 has seen an addition of several updates that aim to keep the game feeling new despite shifts in playerbase and popularity. Some players, however, are wondering just how much longer Among Us can manage to stay relevant.
Among Us was initially released in 2018, and by 2020 developer InnerSloth was ready to move on from the game and start developing other projects. Even a potential sequel, Among Us 2, was announced before being scrapped in order to focus on updating and improving the original. This news came after the game saw a drastic rise in popularity during 2020, as multiple streamers with significant platforms began broadcasting it. The onset of the 2019 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns also encouraged many gamers to branch out and give the small indie game a chance, and from there Among Us' success was further heightened due to the cooperative online features the game is built around.
Several major updates have been provided to the game since then, including a new Among Us map in the form of the Airship and integrated Twitch and Discord features to make the game even easier to share with others. Another upcoming release plans to up the maximum amount of players from 10 to 15 in addition to adding new colors for players to choose from. An active modding community has also served to provide the game with even more longevity. The game has become so popular that some people are even getting sick of Among Us, which is a testament to its mainstream relevance. However, how much longer will its success realistically last?
Is Among Us Just A Fad Game?
Not everyone is convinced that Among Us will maintain its status for much longer. Even the creator of Smash Bros., Masahiro Sakurai, wondered if Among Us' success would prove to be long-lasting or if it could be considered a fad game. Among Us' popularity is largely dependent on its community. The activity of modders and streamers can significantly impact the size of its playerbase. Among Us' success also may have had something to do with the real-world climate in 2020, with many people being stuck in lockdown and unable to connect with friends in any other manner due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world changes, it's possible that Among Us' player numbers could, too.
What could InnerSloth do to help Among Us maintain popularity? For one, Among Us 2 could be put into development again. Innersloth has already provided a large amount of updates to help make Among Us more smooth and stable. Compared to its initial launch, it can now more reliably handle large amounts of players without much issue. As the game is further optimized, it could be time to move on and provide a sequel in order to capitalize off of the success of the first one. However, the tactic of continually adding support and new features to Among Us seems likely to keep the game popular enough as it is for some time.