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THE IMPOSTOR
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THE IMPOSTORThe Impostor — Free Party Game for Groups, Pass-and-Play

The impostor game (also spelled imposter) — a free in-person party game for 3 to 20 players on one phone.

Trust no one. Suspect everyone.

Who is faking it?

Add players, pick a category, and pass the device around. Can you catch the impostor before time runs out?

This game requires everyone in the same room

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visibility_offSecret Roles
The Impostor — a glowing neon orange hooded figure with a sly, masked smirk. A social deduction party game where players identify the liar in their group.
3-20
Players
11
Theme Packs
1,300+
Words
11
Languages

How to Play THE IMPOSTOR

An easy-to-learn hidden role mechanic. Find out who's lying in quick deduction games.

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1

Set up & pass the phone

Enter 3 to 20 names and pick a category, then pass the one phone around the room so each player privately sees the secret word — except the impostor, who sees nothing.

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2

Give clues in person

Going around the room, each player says one clue about the word out loud. The impostor must listen carefully and fake a clue to avoid detection.

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3

Discuss & vote

Debate who is faking it, then vote and reveal. If the impostor is caught, the group wins. If they survive, the impostor wins!

View Full Rulesarrow_forward

What is the impostor game?

The Impostor is a free in-person party game for 3 to 20 players that runs on one shared phone. Everyone gets the same secret word — except one player, the impostor (also spelled imposter), who has to fake a clue without knowing the word. You pass the phone around the room, give clues out loud in turn, then discuss and vote on who is bluffing. No app, no download, no account — just open it in any browser and play.

Why play the impostor game in person

  • payments

    Free forever

    100% free with no paywall, no required purchases, and no sign-up.

  • cloud_off

    No app, no download

    Runs in any browser on one phone. No install and no account needed.

  • groups

    Made for the same room

    An in-person, pass-the-phone party game — everyone plays together on one device.

  • category

    11 themed word packs

    1,300+ word pairs across Animals, Food, Cinema, Sports and more, for 3 to 20 players.

Learn more about the impostor game

A worked example round

Say five friends pick the Animals pack on one phone. Everyone's screen shows the same secret word — DOLPHIN — except one player, the impostor, whose screen just reads "You're the impostor, blend in." Going around the room, players give one clue out loud: "ocean," "smart," "flips," "grey." The impostor, with no idea of the word, hears the others and gambles on "playful" — vague enough to pass. In the discussion the group agrees "playful" was the odd one out, they vote, and the impostor (also spelled imposter) is unmasked. The citizens win the round.

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The skill is all in the clue: aim for specific but not obvious. "Lives in the ocean" keeps you safe; "has a blowhole" hands the round to the impostor, while a clue so vague it fits anything marks you as the faker.

Word categories and packs

Every round draws from one of 11 themed categories — 1,300+ word pairs in total. Pick a pack that fits your group:

  • Animals120
  • Food135
  • Music136
  • Travel127
  • Tech125
  • Memes124
  • Nature122
  • Brands121
  • Anime120
  • Cinema118
  • Sports118
View all themesarrow_forward

The best in-person party game for groups

Pull out The Impostor at parties, family dinners, road trips, classrooms, or team nights — anywhere a group has five minutes and one phone. Rounds are quick, there is no game master, and nothing to set up, so you go from "who's in?" to your first vote in under a minute.

  • checkQuick 5–10 minute rounds — play one or a dozen
  • checkNo game master, no equipment, nothing to print
  • checkScales from 3 to 20 players in the same room
Read the strategy guidesarrow_forwardBest party games for groupsarrow_forward
CITIZEN
Your word
DOLPHIN
Done

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know before you start lying.

What is the impostor game?expand_more
The impostor game (also spelled imposter) is a social-deduction party game where every player gets the same secret word except one — the impostor — who must blend in by faking a clue. Players give clues in turn, then vote on who they think is lying. It is played in person, on one shared phone passed around the room.
How do you play the impostor game?expand_more
Enter 3 to 20 player names and pick a category. The app secretly gives everyone the same word and marks one player the impostor, so pass the one phone around the room to reveal each role privately. Going around the group, each player says one clue about the word out loud — the impostor bluffs without knowing it. Then you discuss, vote, and reveal.
Can you play remotely or online with separate devices?expand_more
No — this is an in-person game. The Impostor is built for one shared phone passed around the same room, so you do not need separate devices, video calls, or an internet connection beyond the first page load. Everyone has to be physically together, which is exactly what makes it a great party game.
Do you need an app or internet to play?expand_more
No app and no download. The impostor game runs in any modern browser — just open theimpostor.app on one phone. You only need internet for the initial load; after that a round runs entirely on the single device in the room.
How many players do you need?expand_more
3 to 20 players. The imposter game works best with 4 to 10, but it scales the whole 3-to-20 range; for big groups you can add 2 to 3 impostors to keep it balanced.
Is the impostor game free?expand_more
Yes, it is completely free to play. There is no paywall, no required purchase, and no account — every mode, theme, and word pack is available to everyone at no cost.
How long does a round take?expand_more
About 5 to 10 minutes, including setup, clues, discussion, and voting. Rounds are quick, so most groups play several back to back.
How do you win as the impostor?expand_more
The impostor fakes a clue without knowing the secret word. Players win by voting out the impostor; the impostor wins by surviving the vote (or, in Classic mode, by correctly guessing the secret word).
See all FAQsarrow_forward
The Impostor — a glowing neon orange hooded figure with a sly smirk, the masked face of hidden identity in this social deduction party game

Ready to play?

Join now and show off your deception skills. No installation needed.