The Unexpected Multiplayer Game That's Blowing Up On Twitch
2020 has offered up a wealth of video game surprises. The fanbases of Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons joined hands in unexpected harmony. Fall Guys waddled out of left field and became a popular video game to both play and watch. And now, you can add yet another title to the list of games that have unexpectedly exploded in popularity.
Few (if any) people expected this multiplayer title to achieve the level of success it is currently experiencing. The graphics look like something out of a Newgrounds Flash game. It was the first title released by an indie studio, which might normally imply bugs and other issues. Most important of all, the game is two years old, and got little coverage before 2020. Yet, despite all those insurmountable odds, this game blew up on Twitch, edging out titles such as Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Dota 2 (but not League of Legends).
So, what is this mysterious game that went from "zero to hero" overnight?
Among Us
At over 400 thousand viewers on Twitch and a a Sept. 4 peak of 1.5 million players online at the same time, Among Us is without a doubt an unexpected success.
Among Us is a multiplayer party experience that launched in 2018 to little fanfare. Participants either take control of a crewmember or an imposter. If you're a crewmember, you have to keep your ship in tip top shape, report any suspicious behavior (i.e., report if anyone is acting kind of "sus"), and, above all, survive. If you're an imposter, however, it's your job to sabotage the ship, kill crewmembers, and trick players into ejecting an innocent crewmate out the airlock, thereby doing your job for you.
Ever since Among Us' unexpected increase in population (and popularity), the game has received equally unexpected attention. Innersloth has experienced an influx of Among Us merch purchases, and a number of high-profile YouTubers like PewDiePie, Pokimane, and Game Theory have released videos dedicated to the title.