The Walking Dead: Betrayalis a newly announced eight-player social deduction game reminiscent of Innersloth’sAmong Us. Published bySkyboud Gamesand developed by Other Ocean Interactive,The Walking Dead: Betrayalplayers must work together against the roving undead while watching their backs for Traitors in their midst.
Skybound Entertainment is best known as the publisher of comics likeThe Walking Dead. The company established its gaming subsidiary Skybound Games in 2018. Meanwhile, Other Ocean Interactive is primarily known for thesocial deduction gameProject Winter. Released in 2019,Project Winterenjoys a Very Positive rating on Steam.
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Skybound Games and Other Ocean Interactive revealedThe Walking Dead: Betrayalwith an announcement trailer on Wednesday. Marketed as “AProject Wintergame,” the similarity should be evident to anyone familiar with Other Ocean Interactive’s critically acclaimedsocial deduction survival game. Survivors will need to cooperate and communicate as they cook, craft, gather supplies, and hold back the ever-present undead hordes. At the same time, the hidden Traitors undermine their efforts and secretly bump Survivors off one by one. However, death is not the end inThe Walking Dead: Betrayal, as dead players can return as undead Walkers to seek revenge.
The Walking Dead: Betrayaltrailer opens with players setting out from their stronghold searching for supplies. The expedition succeeds thanks to good teamwork and communication, but it’s not long before the Traitors make their move. Traitors who get themselves alone with a Survivor can always eliminate them using guns and melee weapons. However, Traitors may need to get creative if they hope to avoid detection. Examples from the trailer include planting bombs on supply containers or deliberately releasing packs of Walkers to serve as a distraction. The new game is on its way later this year, with an open beta starting August 10.
Given its popularity,Among Usis most people’s go-to example of a social deduction game, andThe Walking Dead: Betrayalseems like agreat game forAmong Usfanswho also fancy a bit of zombie survival. However,Among Usdid not invent the social deduction genre, which arguably originates with the party gameMafiafrom 1986. Early video game examples include 2003’sSpace Station 13and “Trouble in Terrorist Town” fromGarry’s Mod. The common element of all these games is that an unaware majority must flush out a secret minority attempting to undermine them from within.
However, most social deduction games only need players to worry about each other.Project Winteradds wilderness survivaland dangerous animals to the mix, withThe Walking Dead: Betrayalupping the threat with the addition of the franchise’s titular Walkers.
