Hey there! Have you heard about the wildly popular online multiplayer game Among Us that everyone seems to be playing lately? If so, you might be wondering how to join in on the fun without having to pay the $5 Steam price tag. Well, you‘re in luck, because in this guide I‘ll be showing you multiple ways to install Among Us on your PC through Steam completely for free.
I‘ve done plenty of research into the best methods that are 100% legal and safe, so you can feel confident following the steps I lay out. Let‘s dive in!
An Overview of Why Among Us is So Popular
Before we get into the installation specifics, I want to briefly overview why Among Us has become such a massive hit. As someone who closely follows gaming trends and online entertainment, I‘ve been amazed at how the game has exploded in popularity since 2020.
Here are some key reasons why Among Us is so addictive:
It takes the best elements of popular games like Werewolf and Mafia and expands them into an online world. The social deduction concept hits the sweet spot of being easy to learn but endlessly engaging.
Matches only last around 5-10 minutes on average, making it the perfect casual game to play in short bursts. You say "just one more round" and end up playing for hours.
The cute, colorful art style gives it mass appeal from kids to adults. Among Us breaks the idea that all popular online games need intense graphics.
It‘s cross-platform across mobile, PC, and consoles, allowing people to play together regardless of what device they‘re on. The portability makes it super convenient.
Streaming culture on sites like Twitch and YouTube has amplified Among Us even further. It‘s entertaining to watch popular personalities try to sniff out imposters!
Some key stats that demonstrate its growth:
By late 2020, Among Us was averaging over 400 million players per month, up from around 50 million earlier in the year according to innerSloth.
It was the most downloaded mobile game of 2020 with over 264 million downloads according to App Annie data.
In September 2020, Among Us had over 1.5 billion views of related content on YouTube as gamers shared funny and intense match highlights.
So in summary, the game clearly taps into something special with its deductive multiplayer formula that makes it hard to put down. If you aren‘t already playing, I‘m sure you can see why so many people have gotten hooked! Now let‘s look at how you can join in the fun.
Method 1: Watch for Free Promotional Offers
The most hassle-free way to get Among Us for free is to grab it during one of the promotional periods where the developer offers it at 100% off. While the Steam edition normally costs $5, it has frequently been available for no upfront cost during the following promos:
Free release weekends
To celebrate major milestones like Among Us‘ PC launch in 2018 and the Airship map release in 2021, the developers have run free weekends where anyone can download the game at no cost. Keep an eye out for these short events!
Epic Mega Sale giveaways
In May 2021, Among Us was one of the free games given away during Epic‘s Mega Sale promotion. Over 3.8 million copies were claimed during that week according to Epic‘s reports!
Steam Game Festival demos
For select Steam Game Festivals, Among Us has provided free limited-time demos. These demo versions are fully playable but limit your cosmetic options.
Best practices for claiming it free:
Follow gaming news sites like IGN, PC Gamer, and GameSpot to stay on top of upcoming promotional deals. Among Us giveaways are normally announced a week or two before they go live.
Add Among Us to your Steam wishlist so you get notified right when a free offer starts. This avoids missing out!
Once a promo goes live, claim the game quickly before the deal expires or all copies are given away. Don‘t risk waiting and missing your chance!
As you can see, just keeping a close eye on gaming news and Steam itself will give you plenty of opportunities to grab Among Us for a limited time at no cost. Now let‘s look at other ways to play even when it‘s not on a promotional discount.
Method 2: Use Steam Family Sharing
If you have a gaming friend or family member who already owns Among Us on Steam, you‘re in luck! You can gain access to the full game through Steam‘s Family Library Sharing feature without having to personally buy it.
Here‘s a quick 4 step process:
1. Verify your friend has sharing enabled
They need to go into their Steam settings and ensure sharing is activated. All members must have accounts in good standing.
2. Get authorization to share their library
After being friends on Steam for 3+ days, they can authorize sharing. There are 5 sharing slots per account.
3. Install Among Us after getting access
Once library sharing is approved, you‘ll see their full game library. Install Among Us on your own computer through this!
4. Run, play, and betray your friends
With access to the full game, you can now play online and enjoy all features for $0!
This method works great as long as you personally know someone who already owns Among Us on Steam. Even better if they have other fun multiplayer games you can access as well!
Some limitations to keep in mind:
You can only access their library when they aren‘t actively playing. If they decide to boot up a game, you‘ll get kicked out.
Both accounts must be online and connected to Steam to play. You won‘t be able to access their games in offline mode.
But besides those small caveats, Steam Family Sharing is a simple way to legally get Among Us at no cost if you have the right connections.
Method 3: Play the Free Mobile Version
Here‘s another great option – since the mobile version of Among Us is 100% free on iPhone and Android, you can just download it there at no cost! This allows you to enjoy the full experience even if you don‘t want to buy the Steam edition for PC.
Let‘s run through getting it set up:
1. Download on your device
For iPhone or iPad, grab Among Us on the App Store.
For Android phones and tablets, get it on the Google Play Store.
2. Create an account
You‘ll need to make a free InnerSloth account to play online. This only takes seconds.
3. Start playing matches!
Once installed, you can immediately start joining both public and private games online.
4. Connect with friends
The best part is that even on mobile, you can play cross-platform with friends who own the Steam version thanks to integrated accounts!
So if you have a relatively recent higher-end mobile device, playing on it directly gives you the full Among Us experience at no added cost. The main limitations are the smaller screen and lack of mouse/keyboard controls. But it‘s a viable option!
Method 4: Use an Android Emulator to Play Mobile on PC
Now let‘s talk about a way you can get that free mobile version running on your PC if you prefer playing on a bigger screen. By using an Android emulator, you can access the mobile app through your computer!
Here are the steps to get set up:
1. Download an emulator like BlueStacks or NoxPlayer
These programs simulate an Android device environment so you can run mobile apps on Windows or Mac. They are 100% safe and legal to use.
2. Install Among Us through the emulator
Inside the emulator, just access the Google Play Store like normal and download Among Us. It will think you‘re on an Android phone or tablet.
3. Configure your controls
Map touch inputs to keyboard and mouse clicks. For instance, you can left click on locations to mimic tapping the screen.
4. Enjoy mobile Among Us on desktop!
The emulator will smoothly run Among Us, giving you that mobile experience on your monitor and with PC controls.
With some quick setup, this lets you play on desktop for free while accessing the same features and community as the mobile release. An emulator like BlueStacks paired with the free Among Us app is a powerful combo!
What Are the Risks of Downloading Among Us Through Illegal Means?
I want to take a moment here to strongly advise you to only get Among Us through legitimate methods like the ones described above. While you may come across websites offering pirated or cracked copies of the Steam version for free, these come with real risks:
Viruses and malware – Illegal game copies often bundle harmful programs and security exploits that can really damage your PC. It gives hackers easy access.
Account bans – Among Us developers actively monitor piracy and may ban accounts caught playing with invalid copies of the game. Don‘t risk losing access!
Legal penalties – Distributing and downloading pirated material is illegal and can result in fines or even jail time in certain cases, though enforcement against individual downloaders is rare. Still, it‘s best to avoid piracy altogether.
As you can see, the small one time $5 investment for the legitimate Steam edition is well worth avoiding those risks! Stick to the free options I outlined above for 100% safe and legal downloading.
Getting the Most Out of Your Free Copy
Alright, let‘s now talk about some tips to maximize your enjoyment once you manage to grab Among Us for free through one of the above methods:
Add friends for private games – Playing with people you know takes enjoyment to the next level. Build up your in-game friends list with people you like playing with.
Join public matches to meet people – When your friends aren‘t around, public games are great for quick entertainment and meeting new players.
Use Discord for voice chat – Set up a private server where you can coordinate over voice chat in real time for an added dimension of strategy and fun.
Study game strategy guides – For advanced tips on completing tasks efficiently as a Crewmate and evading detection as an Impostor, read detailed game guides.
Watch skilled streamers – You can pick up great gameplay habits by watching popular Among Us streamers and YouTubers control the action.
Try out the various maps – Master the layout and best practices for maps like The Skeld, Polus, MIRA HQ, and the Airship for variety.
Complete cosmetic tasks – Work towards unlocking all the hats, skins, pets, and other accessories to customize your character.
Following this advice, even if you got the game at no upfront cost you‘ll be maximizing your enjoyment. Focus on the social and deductive elements that make Among Us so addictive when played with friends!
Closing Thoughts
I hope this guide gives you plenty of options to consider for installing Among Us on Steam free of charge. While purchasing the game is well worth the $5 investment, I understand not everyone has the ability to pay for games. The good news is that with promotions, sharing, emulators, and the mobile version, you have great free alternatives!
Here are some key takeaways as a recap:
Keep watch for limited-time 100% free deals on Steam and claim quickly when they pop up.
Utilize Steam Family Sharing if you know someone who already owns the game.
Grabbing the mobile version allows you to play free on iPhone or Android.
With an Android emulator, you can access that same mobile release on desktop.
And most importantly, stick to these legitimate methods! Avoid piracy.
Now get out there, defeat those imposters, and have a blast playing Among Us – without spending a single cent! Let me know if you have any other questions. Have fun!
