History Main / SocialDeductionGame

* ''VideoGame/DeceiveInc'' is a FirstPersonShooter where all players are spies trying to steal the same MacGuffin. Each player starts the round disguised as an NPC, and can take on the appearance of any NPC they encounter. Identifying enemy spies among the crowds of [[=NPCs=]] wandering each mission is a core mechanic of the game.

* Creator/HalfbrickStudios internally tested, but [[DevelopmentHell ultimately squashed]] a hybrid of social deduction and TurnBasedStrategy codenamed "Tank Tactics". The premise is that each player pilots a tank across a grid, then can move and fire at each other based on action points, the last person standing wins; the twist comes in how action points could be passed voluntarily between one other, and eliminated players formed a jury that could vote to also award points to active players. The prototype is notable for being scrapped due to being ''too addictive'' -- players in the Halfbrick office were eager to join in the game and developed a [[{{Metagame}} meta strategy]] of daisy-chaining all their points into a single player who would have the power to take out who they agreed to eliminate [[ILied or not]], resulting in an intense honor-based network of interpersonal discussion and heightened sensitivity to trust and betrayal. The game ultimately had to be stopped due to having a sizeable effect on studio morale and productivity, with an increasing consensus that the negotiation aspects started to get too personal.

* Creator/HalfbrickStudios internally tested, but [[DevelopmentHell ultimately squashed]] a hybrid of social deduction and TurnBasedStrategy codenamed "Tank Tactics". The premise is that each player pilots a tank across a grid, then can move and fire at each other based on action points, the last person standing wins; the twist comes in how action points could be passed voluntarily between one other, and eliminated players formed a jury that could vote to also award points to active players. The prototype is notable for being scrapped due to being ''too addictive'' -- players in the Halfbrick office were eager to join in the game and realized a [[{{Metagame}} meta strategy]] of daisy-chaining all their points into a single player who would have the power to take out who they agreed to eliminate [[ILied or not]], resulting a network of interpersonal discussion and heightened sensitivity to trust and betrayal. The game ultimately had to be stopped due to having a sizeable effect on studio morale and productivity, with an increasing consensus that the negotiation aspects started to get too personal.

* Creator/HalfbrickStudios internally tested, but [[DevelopmentHell ultimately squashed]] a hybrid of social deduction and TurnBasedStrategy codenamed "Tank Tactics". The premise is that each player pilots a tank across a grid, then can move and fire at each other based on action points, the last person standing wins; the twist comes in how action points could be passed voluntarily between one other active players, and eliminated players formed a jury that could vote to also award points to active players. The game is notable for being scrapped due to being ''too addictive'' -- players in the Halfbrick office were eager to join in the game and realized a [[{{Metagame}} meta strategy]] of daisy-chaining all their points into a single player who would have the power to take out who they agreed to eliminate [[ILied or not]], resulting a network of interpersonal discussion and heightened sensitivity to trust and betrayal. The game ultimately had to be stopped due to having a sizeable effect on studio morale and productivity, with an increasing consensus that the negotiation aspects started to get too personal.

* Creator/HalfbrickStudios internally tested, but [[DevelopmentHell ultimately squashed]] a hybrid of social deduction and TurnBasedStrategy codenamed "Tank Tactics". The premise is that each player pilots a tank across a grid, then can move and fire at each other based on action points, the last person standing wins; the twist comes in how action points could be passed voluntarily between one other active players, and eliminated players formed a jury that could vote to also award points to active players. The game is notable for being scrapped due to being ''too addictive'' -- players in the Halfbrick office were eager to join in the game and realized a [[{{Metagaming}} meta strategy]] of daisy-chaining all their points into a single player who would have the power to take out who they agreed to eliminate [[ILied or not]], resulting a network of interpersonal discussion and heightened sensitivity to trust and betrayal. The game ultimately had to be stopped due to having a sizeable effect on studio morale and productivity, with an increasing consensus that the negotiation aspects started to get too personal.

Compare TheMole, as identifying the hidden traitor/s is usually one of the objectives of the game, TenLittleMurderVictims, and BlendingInStealthGameplay, which usually involves hiding from the AI. On the SlidingScaleOfCooperationVsCompetition, this genre falls under either "Treacherous Teammate" (when there is only one traitor player) or "Informed Minority vs. Uninformed Majority" (when there are more traitors and they cooperate with each other).

* The card game ''[[TabletopGame/{{Saboteur}} Saboteur]]'' (and its ''Saboteur 2'' expansion) features randomly assigned hidden roles, and corresponding VariablePlayerGoals. A big part of the game is figuring out who is on which side, and whose goals align with your own.

* The card game [[TabletopGame/{{Bang}} Bang!]] features randomly assigned hidden roles, and corresponding VariablePlayerGoals. A big part of the game is figuring out who is on which side, and whose goals align (at least temporarily) with your own.

* ''Series/Taskmaster'' does this occasionally on team tasks, where one team member is given a different goal from the rest of the team.

* ''TabletopGame/Werewolf1997'' and its predecessor ''Mafia'' are the TropeCodifier. Players are assigned various 'civilian' roles (some of whom have special abilities) and there's at least one killer, who offs one villager during the night each round. During the day the rest have to figure out who it is, and can choose to execute someone they suspect is the werewolf (although the werewolf/mafioso can misdirect them as well). The werewolf/mafioso wins if he kills all (or all but a couple) of villagers; the civilians win if they successfully identify the killer.
* ''TabletopGame/TheWerewolvesOfMillersHollow'' is a more complex version of ''TabletopGame/Werewolf1997'', with more roles and cards. The premise is still a Social Deduction Game, however, as villagers have to root out the werewolf who is killing them by voting on who they think it is.

* ''TabletopGame/SecretHitler'': Among the players, most are Liberals, some are secretly Fascists, and one Fascist is Hitler. The Fascists know who each other are and must covertly pass fascist policies (done through a "President" and an elected "Chancellor" who choose from randomly-drawn liberal/fascist cards) without the liberals suspecting who they are. The liberals win if five of their policies are enacted; fascists win with six, but they can also win if Hitler is elected Chancellor past a certain point.

* ''[[Series/TrappedGameShow Trapped!]]'' is a British kids TV game show in which, every round, the contestants are set a task, but a player is secretly nominated to be a saboteur who must try and stop them from finishing the task without the others realising what they're doing. If the players complete the task, the saboteur is removed from the game, but if the players fail, they vote on who they think the saboteur was and the player with the most votes is eliminated instead.
* ''Series/OnlyMurdersInTheBuilding'': "The Tell" is themed around "Son of Sam", a parlor game of Oliver's. It is a social deduction game themed similar to ''TabletopGame/Werewolf1997'' (but themed around David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam killer). Characters are handed cards -- most are [[SlashersPreferBlondes "innocent blondes"]], but one is the Son of Sam killer, who pinches/"kills" an unknowing victim in each round. The group must then vote on who they think the killer is (if Oliver doesn't get it before them) lest the killer gets them all; if an accused person turns out to be innocent, they die as well. Oliver prides himself on always guessing right.

* ''VideoGame/Deceive Inc'' is a FirstPersonShooter where all players are spies trying to steal the same MacGuffin. Each player starts the round disguised as an NPC, and can take on the appearance of any NPC they encounter. Identifying enemy spies among the crowds of [[=NPCs=]] wandering each mission is a core mechanic of the game.

* ''VideoGame/{{Barotrauma}}'' is about a crew trying to survive in a submarine at the bottom of the ocean. The game has a 'traitor' mechanic that can be enabled; traitors then have to sabotage the submarine with the others being none the wiser.

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[[caption-width-right:350:''[[ParanoiaFuel You're a sneaky little impostor]]\\

[[Music/CG5 Aren't you? Aren't you?'']]

[[Music/CG5 Aren't you? Aren't you?]]''

Aren't you? Aren't you?'']]

* ''TabletopGame/TheResistance'' and its Myth/KingArthur version ''Avalon''. There are spies (informed minority) within a greater group of government agents (uninformed majority); the latter only knows how many spies there are and not who is one. Players go on 'missions' that must be approved by the group; during the mission, 'good' members turn in Mission Success cards while spies can sabotage the mission by turning in a Mission Fail card (at the risk of their identity being exposed). The game continues in this manner until one team gets three points.

* ''Website/MafiaScum'' hosts long-form versions of the classic social deduction game Mafia, with in-game days often occur over more than a week of real time. Its [[https://wiki.mafiascum.net/index.php?title=Main_Page wiki]] contains thousands of in-depth articles on Mafia roles, strategy, and more.