HOW TO PLAY
How to play Imposter
- Players
- 3–12
- Time
- about 8 minutes
- Ages
- 8+
- Price
- Free
Imposter is a social deduction word game for 3 to 12 players. Everyone in the room gets the same secret word, except one player: the Imposter, who only knows the category. Over a few rounds of one-word clues, the crew tries to prove they know the word without making it obvious, while the Imposter listens closely, blends in and tries to work out what everyone is talking about.
It is one of the best games to start a game night with because the rules take thirty seconds to explain, there is no drawing or typing skill involved, and every round ends in a vote that gets the whole room talking. It is free to play on FamGames, online with everyone on their own phone or passed around one phone.
What you need
Three or more players, one phone each (or a single phone to pass around), and somewhere you can all hear each other — the same room or a video call.
Rules: how a round works
- Get your card. Everyone privately looks at their card. The crew sees the category and the secret word, for example Food → Pancakes. The Imposter sees only Food.
- Drop one-word clues. Going round the group, each player says one word related to the secret. A good crew clue proves you know the word but is vague enough that the Imposter can't guess it.
- Talk it out. After the clue rounds, discuss. Who hesitated? Whose clue felt generic? The Imposter argues just as loudly as everyone else.
- Vote. Everyone votes for the player they think is the Imposter. The player with the most votes is caught.
- Last chance. A caught Imposter gets one guess at the secret word. Guess right and they steal the win anyway.
Scoring
The crew scores +2 each when the Imposter is caught and +1 for voting for the right person. The Imposter scores +3 for escaping the vote, or +2 for being caught but guessing the word.
Difficulty levels
- Easy: More time, an extra clue round, and fewer wrong options in the Imposter's last-chance guess — good for younger players.
- Normal: The classic game.
- Hard: Less time, one fewer clue round, and the Imposter doesn't even get the category.
Tips and strategy
For the crew
Aim for the middle ground. A clue that is too obvious (syrup for pancakes) hands the Imposter the answer; a clue that is too obscure makes you look like the Imposter. Something like flip or stack works well.
For the Imposter
Speak later in the round if you can, listen to the first two or three clues, and give a safe, general word that fits all of them. During the discussion, accuse someone specific — staying quiet is the fastest way to get voted out.
Reading the room
Watch for the player who repeats the idea of an earlier clue in different words. That is often the Imposter playing it safe.
Variations and house rules
- Two Imposters (house rule for 8+ players): pick two people offline and let them both bluff — they don't know who the other one is.
- Silent clues: instead of speaking, each player acts out their clue in three seconds. Great for younger kids.
- Category draft: let the youngest player pick the category before each round so everyone has a fair chance.
Who it's best for
Mixed-age family gatherings, groups who like talking and arguing, and anyone new to party games. Kids around eight and up can play as the crew; younger children usually enjoy it most on Easy.
Playing on FamGames
Free to play — every account gets weekly credits, and each round uses one credit for the whole group. The host picks the game and difficulty, creates a room and shares the five-character room code. Everyone else joins from their own device — no download needed. No phone for everyone? Switch to one-phone mode and pass a single device around.
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Last updated 2026-10-21