Group in Person

Quick rules

Werewolf is a party game for about 7 to 12 players and one moderator. A few players are secretly werewolves. Everyone else is the village, and the village has to work out who the werewolves are before it's too late.

  1. Deal. The moderator sets the number of players and taps Deal roles. Pass the phone around: each player types their name, looks at their role in private, and hides it before passing it on.
  2. Night. Everyone closes their eyes. The moderator reads each line on the screen. The werewolves wake and silently point at a player to attack. The Doctor wakes and points at someone to protect. The Seer wakes and points at someone. The moderator says "I'll nod if they're a werewolf and shake my head if they're not", then nods or shakes. The moderator taps each pick.
  3. Dawn. Everyone opens their eyes and the moderator reads who died in the night, unless the Doctor saved them.
  4. Day. Everyone talks it over. Then count down from three and everyone points at one player. The player with the most votes is out, and the moderator reads out their role.
  5. Repeat until one side wins. The village wins when every werewolf is out. The werewolves win when there are as many of them as everyone else.

Players who are out stay quiet for the rest of the game. They can keep their eyes open at night and enjoy the show.

Werewolf roles explained

🐺 Werewolf

On the werewolf team. Each night the werewolves wake together and silently agree on one player to attack. By day they act like villagers and try to steer the vote onto someone innocent.

🧑‍🌾 Villager

On the village team, with no power at night. Villagers win by talking, reading people and voting well.

🔮 Seer

On the village team. Each night the Seer points at one player and learns if they are a werewolf. The Seer's best move is often to stay hidden and steer the vote quietly, because the werewolves will go after a Seer who shows their hand.

🩺 Doctor

On the village team. Each night the Doctor protects one player, themselves included. If the werewolves attack that player, nobody dies. Some groups don't let the Doctor protect the same player two nights in a row; that's a setting here.

🏹 Hunter

On the village team, and optional. When the Hunter is taken out, by the werewolves or by the vote, they point at one player and take them down too. Turn it on in Settings.

How many people do you need to play Werewolf?

You need at least 5 players plus a moderator, and the game is best with 7 to 12. This page handles up to 20. When you change the number of players, the game suggests a balanced mix of roles:

  • 5 or 6 players: 1 werewolf, a Seer, a Doctor, the rest villagers.
  • 7 to 11 players: 2 werewolves, a Seer, a Doctor.
  • 12 to 15 players: 3 werewolves, a Seer, a Doctor.
  • 16 to 20 players: 4 werewolves, a Seer, a Doctor.

Want a harder game for the village? Add a werewolf in Settings. Want it easier? Turn on the Hunter.

Werewolf vs Mafia: what's the difference?

They are the same game with a different story. Mafia came first, in 1986, set in a town where the Mafia picks people off at night. Werewolf retold it in a village with werewolves, and added roles like the Seer. The rules play the same way: a hidden team strikes at night, everyone votes by day.

The roles line up one to one:

  • Werewolf is the Mafia.
  • Villager is Townsperson.
  • Seer is Detective.
  • Doctor and Hunter keep their names.

Pick the story in Settings. Every line the moderator reads, every role card and the rules on this page switch to match.

Werewolf FAQs

Where can I play the Werewolf game?

Right here, free, in your browser. There's no app to download, no cards and no sign-up. One person moderates from a phone, the phone goes around once so everyone sees their secret role, and then the app tells the moderator every line to read.

What is the Werewolf game called?

It's usually just called Werewolf, and the same game is also known as Mafia. Mafia came first, in 1986; Werewolf retold it with werewolves and a village. Boxed card versions sell under names like Ultimate Werewolf and The Werewolves of Millers Hollow, and One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a shorter spin-off with different rules.

Is there an online version of the Werewolf game?

This version is for playing together in the same room, on one phone. A version where everyone uses their own phone is on the way.

What is the best Werewolf game to play?

Start with the classic game on this page. It works for 5 to 20 players plus a moderator, takes about 15 to 30 minutes, and needs nothing but people and one phone. Once your group knows it, add the Hunter in Settings or try more werewolves for a harder game.

Do we need cards to play?

No. The phone deals the roles. Pass it around once at the start and everyone sees their own role in private.

Does the moderator play too?

Not in this version. The moderator holds the phone, reads the lines and taps what happens. A version where everyone uses their own phone, and the reader can play too, is on the way.

How do I explain Werewolf to new players?

Tap New players? Explain the game first on the first screen. It gives the moderator a script to read out loud, about a minute long, or 30 seconds for the quick version. It starts with what kind of game this is, and it's written for the roles in your game, so it never mentions a role you aren't using.

What if the moderator taps the wrong player?

Tap Undo under the game. It steps back one screen at a time.

What if someone forgets their role?

It happens. The moderator taps Someone forgot their role? under the game, then the player's name, and hands them the phone. They hold it close and see their role again. A werewolf also sees who's on their team, and the Seer sees everyone they've checked so far. Then the phone goes back to the moderator, right where the game left off.

Can the app read the lines out loud?

Yes. Tap the speaker on any line and your phone reads it. The screen stays on while a game is running.

What happens if we close the page?

The game is saved on this phone. Open the page again and it picks up where you left off.

Is it OK for kids?

Yes, from about 8 with a grown-up moderating. Nothing on screen is gory: players are "out", not killed. If werewolves are too spooky for your group, Settings has a Mafia version of the same game.