Can Among Us 3D recapture the 2020-21 craze?

In a surprise move, publisher Innersloth has announced Among Us 3D, a rendition of the iconic multiplayer social deduction game rendered in the third dimension. Simply put, this is a non-VR version of Among Us VR released in 2022. So, while nothing novel, it is still something new for mainstream fans who are bored with the 2D version to look forward to.

The question is: Can this upcoming rendition truly rekindle the surge in popularity its original version did back in 2020 and 2021? The answer is not as simple as one might think.

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Among Us 3D is unlikely to be as popular as its 2020 original launch

Though derived from the VR version, it will likely be a new experience for many fans (Image via Innersloth)

There is no doubt that Among Us 3D will feature the same chaotic gameplay the normal rendition did, making for a nice double-dip opportunity for many people. Players will once again step back into the suits of the Crewmates as they perform tasks on a spaceship while an Imposter works among them to sabotage and kill others unseen.

While the original formula was a smash hit, the Among Us VR game was a commercial flop in comparison, which is likely why it is being rebranded to Among Us 3D. The reason for that is that the original Among Us found itself in a unique position back at launch. With the COVID-19 pandemic looming over everyone's heads, gamers were confined to their homes.

The original Among Us remains a popular multiplayer game to date (Image via Innersloth)

This resulted in a surge of popularity for Among Us, as players had something new and fun to enjoy to pass the time with friends and family online, resulting in a whopping 447K players at an all-time peak. This granted it a place in the Top 30 most-played Steam games of all time. Sadly, it will be incredibly tough if not impossible for the upcoming rendition to get anywhere as close.

Not only is there no reason for quarantine-esque scenarios to occur once again, but the murder-mystery deductive franchise has seen many new competitors in the market. That said, we will likely see Among Us 3D be more popular than its original VR version, which currently sits at a measly 24-hour peak of just 30 players.

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Among Us 3D will arrive on PC via Steam.