One of the biggest gaming surprises of 2020 was the indie murder mystery game Among Us. The now three-year-old game was hovering in single digits for its player count until it became a streamer sensation overnight, catching both the developers and the industry by surprise. Despite being available on just PC and mobile devices, Among Us became an instant classic that was just as entertaining to watch as it is to play. However, relatively slow updates on the title as well as the fast-paced nature of the entertainment industry have caused Among Us to steadily decrease in popularity over the past year.

Still, the delay in bringing Among Us to every platform, namely PlayStation and Xbox consoles, may actually work in the game's favor. Among Us has steadily been losing popularity over the summer of 2021 even though a brand-new location was released in the spring. Now that the game has had some time to focus on itself outside of the spotlight, it's poised for a comeback that makes it bigger than ever. There are countless individuals who were interested in playing Among Us when it was popular, but didn't have any friends on PC or were unwilling to play it on a small mobile screen. Soon, though, that will change.

RELATED: Fan Makes Among Us Fighting Game

A New Fanbase for Among Us

among us collectors edition release date

Developer Innsersloth is showing no signs of giving up on Among Us. The recently revealed roadmap earlier in the summer showed off a number of additions to the game, such as new roles, tasks, and of course cosmetics to further customize the now-iconic spacemen. It is also adding new ways to play, but specific details are unclear on that currently as well as brand new game modes like hide-and-seek. One notable addition is that players will be able to link their accounts so all progress accumulated on PC and mobile will be carried over to the console versions when they launch. This is actually quite a big deal, as it doesn't force players to stay loyal to the same platform they began their journey on.

The greatest boon for Among Us actually comes down to its release date. The Xbox and PlayStation versions of Among Us will be launching on December 14, 2021, in the midst of the holiday season for an extremely affordable price of $4.99. This release date will allow Among Us to reach the most people possible during a time when so many are either gaming or receiving a brand new console. Cross-play and the aforementioned cross-progression will also be a feature included at launch, and games like Destiny 2 prove how just how crucial these can be to extending a game's lifespan. Furthermore, many players only play video games on their console, which means they missed out on the initial Among Us craze first hand.

It's shaping up to be another perfect storm for the hit game Among Us, as the developers and marketers are seemingly doing everything in their power to ensure that the console release is as big, if not bigger, than the initial explosion of popularity. New cosmetics and gameplay mechanics will ensure that the console launch is fun for both returning and first-time players. The fact that a lot of the hype and memes surrounding Among Us have died down substantially will create an excellent opportunity for the game to return bigger and better than ever.

Among Us has already proven itself to be one of the best games to play during a pandemic when everyone is at home, and has even influenced larger titles such as Fortnite. By branching out to more platforms and tinkering with different aspects of the core gameplay, it has a chance to stay around for the foreseeable future.

Among Us releases December 14 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Mass Effect Mod Turns Reapers Into Among Us Imposters