Imposter Game: Rules, How Many Players and How to Win

Imposter is a social deduction game: everyone but one or two players knows the secret word. You give clues, argue about who's faking, and vote. It's simple to learn, fun to lie in, and one of the best games for a group that likes to talk.

How many players do you need?

You need at least four, and it takes up to ten. With four to seven players there's one imposter. With eight to ten there are two. The game is built around that range: with fewer than four there's nobody to hide among, so it isn't offered below four.

How a round works

• Everyone except the imposter privately sees the same secret word. The imposter sees only that they're the imposter, with no word and no category.
• In turn order, each player types one short clue. If you know the word, hint at it. If you're the imposter, bluff.
• A discussion timer starts, 75 seconds by default. Talk out loud, on your call or across the room.
• Everyone votes at the same time. Votes stay hidden until everyone's in or the 30-second timer ends.
• If an imposter is voted out, they get one guess at the word. A right guess still wins the round for the imposters.

Who wins?

The crew wins only if every imposter is caught and the caught imposter's guess at the word is wrong. If nobody is caught, or there's no clear accusation, the imposters win. The result screen shows who the imposter was and how everyone voted.

Strategy for the crew

• Be specific, but not too specific. A clue that only someone who knows the word would give is good. A clue that lets the imposter guess the word is bad.
• Watch for the too-safe clue. The bluffer often says something vague that fits almost anything.
• Discuss the clues, not just the people. "Why did you say that?" catches more bluffers than "I don't trust you".

Strategy for the imposter

• Go late if you can. The more clues you've heard, the easier it is to guess the word and blend in.
• Match the level of the earlier clues. If everyone's being specific, don't be vague. If everyone's vague, don't be the one who gives it away.
• Remember the guess. Even if you're voted out, you can still win by naming the word, so listen closely.

Is anything sent to the imposter's device?

No. The word is never sent to an imposter's device at all, so there's nothing to look up or peek at. The game only shows clues, a countdown and the vote. The talking is up to you, so it works well on a video call or in the same room. Ready for a round? Start an Imposter room, and for a louder game, try Bomb Pass.