Anybody who is anybody in the gaming world will know about Among Us, the online social game of Deduction, with its slightly creepy blobby Crewmates and intriguing gameplay. It’s a game for the social butterflies out there, and it really took off during the COVID-19 pandemic, hitting both Twitch and YouTube streams like a ton of bricks. The stylized characters and the quirky, unusual approach to gameplay, with lots of mini-games and maintenance work on the ship, have made Among Us popular, but what truly helped this game stand out?
Games have exploded in popularity with people of all ages, from toddlers to pensioners, so what’s changed in recent years? Whether you love games like Among Us, or you play baccarat online games, or something in between, you’ve probably already noticed how tricky it is to switch off the computer and stop gaming.
But what’s the magic behind Among Us? Given that we’re generally busier than we’ve ever been, and many people are stressed and feel like they barely have enough time for the basic essentials of life, how can we justify making time to push buttons on a computer, moving around a few pixels, and fulfilling arbitrary goals? It’s hard to figure it out, and yet there’s no question that we love it – so let’s find out what makes online games so appealing!
Table of Contents
Gaming Is A Low-Stakes Way To Build Social Skills
Gaming is very solidly about socializing; while there are a few single-player games out there, most of the time when we’re gaming, we’re doing it because we want to spend time with other people. We bond when we have fun and compete when we talk about games together, and yes, even when we lose! Games like baccarat and poker, which have existed for centuries, have been based on this bonding, but Among Us has taken it to a new level. In it, you’ve got Imposters working undercover against Crewmates and trying to kill them off without getting caught! You’ve got a whole pile of social skills being used and built here – trust, lying, manipulation, deception, and more, all within the safe framework of the game.
Of course, skills like this aren’t only linked to Among Us, and more and more online games are looking for ways to include more player interactions where you specifically need to try to figure out what your opponent’s intentions are. Even things like online card games often involve a degree of this; if you’re playing online poker, for example, you’re likely to be utilizing this kind of skill. At the same time, games such as baccarat generally depend heavily on luck, even though they also include a lot of socializing around the gameplay.
Whenever you’re playing online, you’ve got to balance trust and suspicion, figuring out how certain kinds of behavior tip you off to what other players’ motivations are and what they’re doing behind the scenes. And the great news is that Among Us isn’t literally about betraying and murdering your teammates – well, you aren’t grappling with high stakes like you would be while learning these skills in the real world. Few other video games have managed to achieve this balance of both cooperation and competition, and that’s helped Among Us change the face of gaming.
It’s Really Rewarding
All online games depend on rewards to keep us playing – that’s what we’re here for, after all – but the rewards can vary enormously. In some cases, the reward’s nothing more than a few bright flashing lights on the screen and some peppy music, but at other times, there’s a more tangible benefit for your victory. Online casinos are experts in delivering both kinds of reward – you’ve got the obvious financial boost of winning, but also the thrill that comes when the game concludes, and you find out you’re on top!
That’s exactly what Among Us has tapped into so effectively as well; rewards that are tangible and rewards that are emotional. Both sides desperately want to win and prove that they are the masters of the social skills being used – because who doesn’t want to look like a mastermind in front of all their friends or total internet strangers? Equally, the game serves up a more currency-like.
prize: beans (yes, like the food) for currency. This only lets the players buy in-game cosmetics, but it still triggers our desire to keep playing, just like a casino’s rewards do.
Final Thoughts
We can’t question the importance that gaming has today (and to be honest, has had for centuries), and the figures really support the idea that online games are integral to our society – especially when we’ve all been facing a literal plague and socializing all had to swap to the online space.
During the pandemic, Among Us gained around 40 million downloads in just 5 days, and online casinos saw a massive boost in popularity too. Games have provided us with rewards and social connections in the last few years, and Among Us has been a pioneer in helping computer games do what casinos have been doing for decades.
