What is Impostor?
Impostor is a free online social deduction party game for 3 to 20 players. It works entirely in your browser — no download, no account, no app store. One player is secretly the Impostor and doesn't know the round's secret word. Everyone else are Citizens who know the word. The goal? Citizens try to expose the Impostor. The Impostor tries to blend in.
Step 1: Create a Room
One person opens playimpostorgame.com, enters their name, picks an avatar, and clicks Create Room. You'll get a 5-letter room code — share it with your friends via chat, text, or voice call.
Step 2: Everyone Joins
Each friend opens playimpostorgame.com, enters their name and the room code, and joins the lobby. You need at least 3 players to start. The host starts the game when everyone is ready.
Step 3: Choose a Category
The host selects one or more word categories (Food, Sports, Animals, Movies, Footballers, and more). The game picks a random secret word from that category.
Step 4: Roles Are Assigned
Each player taps their role card to reveal it privately. Citizens see the secret word. The Impostor sees nothing — just their role.
Step 5: The Discussion Phase
A 3-minute timer starts. Players take turns giving one-word or one-sentence hints about the secret word. The Impostor listens carefully to figure out what the word might be, while trying to give convincing fake hints. Citizens try to catch anyone who sounds vague or off.
Step 6: Vote
When time's up (or the host ends the phase early), everyone votes for who they think is the Impostor. The player with the most votes is eliminated — and their role is revealed. If it's the Impostor, Citizens win. If not, the Impostor wins.
Quick Tips for Your First Game
- Citizens: Give real hints but keep them slightly vague — the Impostor is listening and picking up clues.
- Impostor: Match the confidence level of other players. If everyone sounds certain, don't hesitate.
- Everyone: Watch for players who give hints that are too generic ("it's round", "it can be red") — that's a classic Impostor tell.
- The best group size is 5–8 players. It's chaotic enough to hide the Impostor but small enough to track everyone.
How Long Does a Game Take?
A single round runs 5–10 minutes including setup. You can play multiple back-to-back rounds from the results screen. Most groups play 3–5 rounds in a session.
Ready to Start?
Head to playimpostorgame.com, create a room, and share the code. The first round teaches itself.