Among Us unveiled a new game mode at The Game Awards 2022 called "Hide N Seek," which promises to bring in fresh players with a unique take on its tried-and-tested gameplay. Unlike its original whodunit concept with an imposter among the players, Among Us' the new hide and seek mode will have far less subterfuge or cloak-and-dagger meetings.
Instead, the game mode has a new range of interesting mechanics, with developer Innersloth seemingly capitalizing on trends among players - especially streamers - to recapture the initial magic of Among Us. Distributed to all players via a free update immediately after The Game Awards, Hide N Seek could be a sign that additional game modes are somewhere in Among Us' future.
How Among Us' New Hide N Seek Mode Works
The new Hide N Seek mode does exactly what it says on the tin, with the imposter seeking crew members that are hiding out on each map. While crewmates avoid the imposter at all costs and attempt to survive by completing tasks or winding down the clock, the imposter's sole objective is to kill every single crewmate to become the last one standing. This means some of the core mechanics that characterized Among Us like reporting bodies and emergency meetings are easily identifiable as they roam the level, but the imposter is no longer hidden away.
Other subtle changes to the game mode range from crewmates being able to use vents to a danger meter giving them a warning when the imposter is nearby. But more significant changes to the mechanics are introduced in the mode's "Final Hide" stage once Hide Time has elapsed, which ultimately sees the imposter receiving a boost to their speed and several tools that give them one last edge. The ability to ping crewmates so that they can locate them in the dark, as well as hints on the general area of the map they're in, will create intense Among Us moments, particularly among streamers.
The Inspiration Behind Among Us' Hide N Seek Mode
Though this is an official way to play Among Us, it's likely the idea behind the mode started life within its community of players. After Among Us' late surge in popularity thanks to global lockdowns during a viral pandemic and online gaming personalities showcasing the experience, the original scope of Among Us naturally began to wane with the cancelation of its sequel in favor of improving the original title. Consequently, players began to experiment with the game, introducing mods to create new roles for players and in-game voice chat.
One of these experiments was adjusting the in-game settings to create a fan-made mode that's pretty similar to Hide N Seek. The core idea was the same, where imposters had their field of view reduced and their kill cooldowns made practically negligible, while crewmates were unable to report the imposter. It's a positive sign that Innersloth can incorporate and build upon fans' ideas like this, just as it had with Among Us VR. It could ensure that Among Us' longevity goes even further still with more post-launch updates keeping its gameplay dynamic and distinct among the social deduction genre.
Among Us is available on Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.