The social deduction game Werewolf (often referred to as Mafia) was invented in 1986 by Dmitry Davidoff, a psychology student at Moscow State University in the Soviet Union.
Here are the key details regarding the creation and purpose of the game:
Among us is a video game, a digital version of this, where players must identify the "imposters" among them.
Here are the key details regarding the creation and purpose of the game:
- Original Purpose: Davidoff created the game to act as a research tool, specifically a classroom experiment designed to prove a thesis: an uninformed majority will often lose against an informed minority.
- Original Name: The game was originally known as Mafia. The "Werewolf" theme is a popular alternative re-theming of the same mechanics, featuring villagers vs. werewolves rather than civilians vs. mafiosi.
- Sociological/Psychological Concept: The game models conflict, showcasing how hidden information, persuasion, and deception can influence group decisions and allow a small, cohesive group (the minority) to manipulate a larger, unorganized group (the majority).
- Game Structure: The game alternates between a "night-phase," where the informed minority (Werewolves/Mafia) secretly eliminate a player, and a "day-phase," where the surviving players debate and vote to eliminate a suspect.
Among us is a video game, a digital version of this, where players must identify the "imposters" among them.