Frequently Asked Questions

The Impostor is a free online social deduction party game. Everyone receives a secret word except one player — the Impostor — who must bluff their way through the round. Players give clues, discuss, and vote to find the Impostor before time runs out.

The Impostor was created as a free, accessible party game that anyone can play directly in their browser. It is inspired by classic social deduction games like Spyfall, Werewolf, and Mafia, with a unique word-based twist.

Yes, 100% free with no hidden purchases or premium features. The game is supported by non-intrusive ads. All game modes, themes, and word packs are available to everyone at no cost.

Yes! The Impostor shares a similar concept with Spyfall — one player does not know the secret information and must bluff. However, The Impostor uses word pairs instead of locations, offers three game modes (Classic, Mysterious, Chaotic), and is completely free to play in your browser with no app required.

The Impostor supports 3 to 20 players. The game works best with 4 to 10 players. For larger groups (10+), we recommend using 2-3 Impostors to keep the game balanced.

A typical round takes 5 to 10 minutes including setup, word reveal, discussion, and voting. The round timer is adjustable from 1 to 15 minutes. Quick rounds with small groups can be done in under 3 minutes.

There are three modes: Classic (the Impostor has no word and must bluff entirely), Mysterious (the Impostor gets a different but related word from the same category), and Chaotic (the number of Impostors is randomly assigned each round, creating maximum paranoia).

Absolutely! The game is family-friendly and suitable for ages 8 and up. The Animals and Nature themes work especially well for younger players. Choose Classic mode for the simplest experience.

No, The Impostor is designed exclusively for in-person play. Players pass a single device around to view their secret roles privately, so everyone needs to be in the same room. This is what makes it a great party game!

No. The Impostor works directly in any modern web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) on phones, tablets, and computers. No download or installation required — just open the website and start playing.

Any device with a modern web browser works: iPhones, Android phones, iPads, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. The game is optimized for mobile since it is designed to be passed around.

You need an internet connection to load the game initially. Once loaded, the core gameplay works with the device being passed between players. A stable connection is recommended for the best experience.

You can play as a guest without creating an account. However, signing in with Google or email allows you to save your game preferences and player statistics across sessions.

There are 8 themed word packs: Animals, Cinema, Sports, Nature, Anime, Tech, Brands, and Travel. Each theme contains over 65 word pairs. You can also select 'All Themes' to combine all 520+ word pairs for maximum variety.

Each word pair consists of a Citizen word and an Impostor word. These are related terms from the same category — close enough to create confusion but different enough that careful players can spot the Impostor. For example, 'Dog' (Citizen) and 'Wolf' (Impostor) in the Animals theme.

Custom word packs are not currently available but are planned for a future update. For now, the 8 built-in themes with 520+ word pairs provide extensive variety for many game sessions.

As the Impostor, listen carefully to other players' clues to identify the category and word. Give clues that sound plausible but are vague enough not to expose your ignorance. Avoid going first, as you will have less information. In Classic mode, you can also win by correctly guessing the secret word.

As a Citizen, give clues that prove you know the word without making it too obvious for the Impostor to guess. Watch for players who give vague, generic, or slightly off-topic clues. Discuss with your group before voting — collaboration is key to catching the Impostor.

A good clue is specific enough to show you know the word but vague enough that the Impostor cannot guess it. For example, if the word is 'penguin,' saying 'bird' is too broad, but 'tuxedo pattern' is clever. Avoid one-word clues that could apply to many different things.