Opinion: Among Us theories
“Among Us” is a multiplayer mystery and deduction game that was released in 2018. The game takes place in a sci-fi setting, with astronaut crewmates attempting to finish tasks before one to three imposter crewmates kill everyone.
Since the game has become more popular since the Summer of 2020, fans have been obsessing over the Indie game and are preparing for a sequel. Playing the game, it seems simple enough, with no overarching story to play to. However, many theorists have found some things to add to the “Among Us” universe that make the game much more interesting.
Here are some of the most popular Among Us Theories:
- All of the crewmates are Imposters.
According to a theory by Screenrant, all of the players in the game are shape-shifting aliens: “Perhaps the violent Impostors in ‘Among Us’ are a result of a genetic mutation, and once confined with other Crewmates, they turn into killers. The possibilities are really endless…” It seems that if they are confined to a tight space, or reach a certain age, certain aliens just can’t handle the pressure and start killing their crewmates.
- The Player will always lose.
It is impossible to win “Among Us.” “Game Theory” states, “This is a game where canonically, you lose. Your best interrogation skills, your mastery of 900 IQ stats, your sussing out of the most sus suspects: all for nothing. You will die. Your friends will die. Your loved ones will all die. There is no winning in “Among Us.”
He goes on to explain that the game may seem fair but discovers that no matter where you play the game—The Skeld, MIRA HQ and Polus—the imposters come back. Meaning, that you never got rid of them in the first place. You will fail to get rid of them, and they will come back to your home planet and kill the population. “You may have thought that you won, but as the game title says: the alien imposters are still among us.” No matter what you do, the imposters will follow you to previously safe locations.
- Default Imposters.
According to a theory by FilmDaily, Red and Black avatars are the default imposters of the game. Of course, that doesn’t sound right since in every game, one or two players, no matter the color, are chosen to be the imposters at random. But the article states, “Red is on the game’s logo, opens each game, and is heavily featured in the tutorial. Black also has an important role as the imposter. Black is the character on the sabotage button.” This actually makes sense, but is it just an unimportant game design, or seeds into the deeper lore of “Among Us?”
Miscellaneous theories about disturbed human crewmembers, family units, government conspiracies, or the imposters actually being the good guys have some merit. But everything that is theorized must be compared to the canon content on the creators’ website.
I love the theory that the Henry Stickmin games are in the same universe because of all the callbacks found in the “Among Us” game; they have the same creators. This is a valid theory, due to all the visual hints and interconnected game lore.
Sometimes the most logical theories come from deep examination that most fans won’t notice, but no theory deserves hate or disrespect because they’re each as probable as any other theory.
Which theory do you believe?
Megan Cowdell is a freshman opinion columnist studying for a bachelor’s in Communications. She loves music, reading and wants to write books for a living.
megan.cowdell@usu.edu