Innersloth just dropped the biggest bombshell of 2025 gaming news - they're finally delivering a proper sequel to Among Us, and guess what? It's literally called Among Us 3D. After that whole 2020 sequel cancellation drama where they focused on the original's explosive popularity instead, the crewmates and impostors are finally getting the three-dimensional makeover they deserve. The teaser shows our old friend The Skeld space station, but oh boy, everything looks different when you're actually inside it rather than watching from some god-like top-down view. Sometimes, the best ideas are staring you right in the face - just add another dimension and watch the magic happen.

The Instant Sequel Formula: Just Add 3D!
Video games have had this secret weapon since Super Mario 64 rewrote the rulebook back in 1996: when you want to make something feel brand new, just make it three-dimensional. It's like that friend who shows up to the party with a new haircut - same person, completely different vibe! Some franchises absolutely nail this transition so perfectly that people forget they ever existed in 2D. Let's be real here:
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Metal Gear Solid: How many fans actually played the original 2D Metal Gear games from the '80s? For most players, the series was born in 3D with that iconic 1997 PlayStation masterpiece.
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Grand Theft Auto: GTA 1 and 2 were fun top-down crime sprees, but GTA III? That was a cultural earthquake that changed gaming forever.
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Helldivers 2: Just recently proved that moving from top-down to third-person shooter can make your game explode in popularity overnight!
But here's the thing - not every game series handles the third dimension gracefully. Castlevania has been trying to crack the 3D code since 1999 with Castlevania 64, and yet when people think "Castlevania," they still picture 2D Gothic castles filled with whipping action. It's literally half of the term "Metroidvania" that describes beloved 2D exploration games! Some franchises just have that 2D DNA running too deep, you know?
Nintendo's Masterclass: Living in Both Worlds
Now let's talk about the company that basically wrote the playbook on this whole 2D-to-3D thing. Nintendo isn't just good at making this transition - they're absolute wizards at maintaining both versions of their franchises simultaneously. Check out their track record:
| Franchise | Iconic 2D Games | Defining 3D Games | Current Status (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mario | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Super Mario 64 | Both 2D and 3D entries thriving |
| Zelda | A Link to the Past | Ocarina of Time | Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom alongside Link's Awakening remake |
| Metroid | Super Metroid | Metroid Prime | Dread (2D) and Prime 4 (3D) both highly anticipated |
| Pokémon | Red/Blue | Legends: Arceus | Mainline 2D games and 3D experiments coexisting |
This parallel track approach is pure genius for a company that makes both home consoles and handhelds. You get those massive, immersive 3D adventures for your big-screen TV, and then those tighter, more focused 2D experiences for gaming on the go. It's like having your cake and eating it too - except the cake keeps getting bigger and more delicious every year!
What Actually Makes a Sequel Feel "New"?
At its heart, every sequel is trying to solve the same puzzle: take something familiar and make players feel that original spark of discovery all over again. Developers have tried every trick in the book:
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More Stuff Approach: Super Smash Bros. Melee just piled on new characters and stages until the roster burst at the seams
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Tech Revolution: Half-Life 2 said "hey, remember physics? Let's make them the star of the show"
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World Expansion: The Witcher 3 went from contained stories to "here's an entire continent, have fun!"
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Character Multiverse: Recent Sony games (The Last of Us Part 2, Spider-Man 2) love adding second protagonists whose stories intertwine with the original heroes
But honestly? Adding that third dimension is the most fundamental change you can make. It's not just about new mechanics or story beats - it's about changing how players experience the entire world. Metroid Prime didn't revolutionize the exploration formula of Super Metroid; it just let you experience that same interconnected world through Samus's visor instead of from above. And man, what a difference that perspective makes!
Immersion: 3D's Secret Weapon
Here's the real tea: if you want players to feel truly immersed in your game world, 3D gives you tools that 2D games can only dream about. In first-person, you're literally seeing what the character sees. In third-person, you're following them through the world like a ghostly companion. The emotional connection just hits different.
Remember those beach levels in 2D Mario games? They were fun, with their palm trees and swimming sections. But Super Mario Sunshine? That game didn't just show you a beach - it made you feel the island heat, the splash of water, the glide of F.L.U.D.D. across wet sand. The difference between looking at a postcard and actually taking a vacation!
Among Us 3D has exactly this kind of potential. Think about it:
✨ Emergency meetings where you're actually standing in the same room as other crewmates, watching their little bean bodies fidget nervously
✨ Sabotage fixes that require you to physically navigate through three-dimensional corridors instead of just moving a cursor
✨ Venting impostors who now have to consider vertical spaces and actual hiding spots
Even if the core gameplay loop stays identical - complete tasks, report bodies, vote out impostors - the simple act of experiencing The Skeld in three dimensions could make everything feel fresh again. It's that tried-and-true sequel magic: same great taste, completely new experience.
The 2025 Gaming Landscape and Among Us 3D's Place
In today's gaming world where every sequel needs to be bigger, bolder, and packed with more features than ever before, Among Us 3D's approach feels almost... refreshingly simple. While other games are adding crafting systems, skill trees, and open worlds the size of small countries, Innersloth seems to be saying "hey, what if we just added depth - literally?"
And you know what? That might be exactly what the series needs. The original Among Us became a phenomenon not because it was complex, but because it was accessible, social, and endlessly replayable. By moving to 3D without (apparently) overhauling the core formula, they're preserving what made the original special while giving veterans something genuinely new to explore.
So as we look toward Among Us 3D's eventual release, remember this: sometimes the best sequels aren't about reinventing the wheel. Sometimes, they're just about letting you see that same wheel from a brand new angle. And honestly? We can't wait to see what sabotage looks like in the third dimension. It's gonna be sus-tastic! 😉
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