Social deduction game

A social deduction game is a specific genre of play. In these games, players attempt to uncover hidden roles or team allegiances. Most games divide players into teams. One team is often labeled as "good" and the other as "bad." However, some games feature multiple teams or unique roles for every individual. Players must use logic and deductive reasoning to find the truth. Meanwhile, other players use bluffing to avoid suspicion. This creates a tension between secret knowledge and public discussion.

The mechanics of these games often rely on a split in communication. Gameplay is frequently divided into private and public phases. In the private phase, players may share information or act secretly. This is followed by a "public square" phase. During this time, players make accusations or share known facts. Strategy involves deciding how long to stick to a specific story. If new information arrives, players must decide if their previous claims still hold up. Some researchers even suggest using a Monte Carlo tree search to assist with decision-making.

Different games use different rules for what players can know. In the game Bang!, only the sheriff's role is known to everyone. In Secret Hitler, the fascists know each other's identities. However, they do not know which player is Hitler. In Mafia, only the mafia members know who is on their team and what their specific roles are. These variations change how players interact and how they must hide their identities. Each game requires a different approach to managing information and deception.

Social deduction has deep roots in older traditions. These games grew out of party games like wink murder. In that game, a secret player "kills" others by winking at them. One of the earliest formal card games was Hoax, released in 1981. In Hoax, players could lie about one of seven possible characters. A more influential game was Mafia, which began in 1986. Mafia actually started as an academic psychological experiment in Russia. It later became a popular card game. Many experts believe almost every social deduction game since then draws inspiration from Mafia.

Modern versions have evolved to solve old problems. Early games like Mafia often required a non-playing referee. They also featured long periods where eliminated players could not participate. Newer designs try to remove these negative elements. The genre saw a massive rise in prominence during the late 2010s. In 2010, Margaret Robinson of Wired noted that Mafia had "infected" almost every major tech event. Video game adaptations also grew during this time. Custom maps for StarCraft: Brood War, such as Changeling and The Thing, helped spark this digital evolution.

Video games have introduced new layers to the genre. Among Us was released in 2018 and became extremely popular in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic helped its growth by allowing social interaction during distancing. One major improvement in Among Us was the addition of active tasks. Players must complete these tasks while searching for impostors. This differs from tabletop games that focus primarily on discussion. Other digital examples include Town of Salem and the Garry's Mod mode "Trouble in Terrorist Town."

These games also create a "meta-gaming" social component. This happens when players play multiple rounds together. Players must think about how others acted in previous rounds. They must also consider how they might need to act in future rounds. This connects the games to broader social psychology and long-term strategy. The influence of social deduction even extends to television. Shows like The Mole and The Traitors use these exact concepts. These programs adapt the mechanics of hidden roles for a global audience.