Conspire in a live murder mystery

A game night like no other

On any given evening in Portsmouth, a medley of strangers and a few mates gather around a circular table in a single room.

This is Conspiracy Live, a social deduction game that turns an ordinary game night into a high-stakes drama of alliances, betrayals, and strategic manoeuvring. Think The Traitors show meets games like Werewolves and Among Us, but with the added intensity of face-to-face interaction.

As up to 16 players take their seats, with iPads propped in front of them, the host moves around the table, explaining rules to newcomers and bantering with regulars to break the ice.

Regulars and new joiners gather to begin. Photograph: Conspiracy Live

“It’s time to check your roles,” the host announces, and the room falls silent as everyone pulls back their iPads away from each other to check their in-game roles.

There are three teams: Neighbours, Conspirers and Lovers.

The Neighbours must work together to vote off the Conspirers each ‘morning’ before the Conspirers can kill them all off at ‘night’. Among the Neighbours are roles with special abilities to protect fellow Neighbours and ultimately decipher the identities of Conspirers through various clues.

Meanwhile, the Conspirers must kill a Neighbour each ‘night’ without being discovered and voted off the following morning.

Then there are the Lovers, a subsidiary team of the Neighbours, that prioritise survival with other Lovers above all else. With roles assigned, the host signals the first night.

“Everyone go to sleep,” they instruct. The players close their eyes, and the room falls into an eerie silence, broken only intermittently by the heavy footsteps on the carpet as the host circles the table. “Cupid, please wake up,” the voice calls.

A brief rustle as Cupid selects the Lovers, who are stealthily woken by the host to acknowledge their new alliance. Once the Lovers return to sleep, come the Conspirers who pick their first kill.

Subsequently, the Neighbours with special abilities are woken in turns to carry out their duties.

Players are enjoying the game. Photograph: Conspiracy Live

"Everyone, please wake up… someone was murdered last night,” the host declares.

The victim reveals their role, and the room erupts into discussion. Alliances form and dissolve as the game progresses. A Neighbour prematurely declares their role to persuade others. A Conspirer incessantly lies to throw off suspicion.

The voting begins, and the room holds its breath as the host tallies the results. Someone is eliminated – wrongly so. “See? I told you I was just a Neighbour!” comes the protest, punctuated by the reveal of their role.

The cycle continues: night falls, another murder, another morning of accusations and betrayals.

After a session, I spoke with Laura Miller, a staff member, about what sets Conspiracy Live apart from similar games. “We’re very community-based,” she explained. “I think we stand out because rather than sitting at home and playing online by yourself, you can come together and meet people that you probably wouldn’t usually meet.”

The table was set for a night of wonder. Photograph: Conspiracy Live.

The Conspiracy Live team had humble beginnings, born out of the founders’ sheer passion for social deduction games.

“They struggled to organise a large enough group to play,” Laura shared. “So they wanted to open a business where strangers who shared the same passion could come together to play.”

What started out as pop-up Conspiracy Live sessions in local pubs in 2024 soon garnered a steady following, eventually leading the team to secure a permanent venue: PLAYGROUND, The Home Of Conspiracy LIVE, 58D High Street, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 3AG.

Today, the business boasts a growing base of regulars. “Some of them come a couple of times a week”, Laura gushed.

To foster such loyalty, the team implemented a monthly leaderboard, culminating in a League game where the top players compete for the chance to create a new in-game role. These roles are incorporated into expanded versions of the base game, available during certain Conspiracy Live sessions.

On League days, the excitement is palpable, with some spectators coming just to watch the action between the very best players of the game they all adore.

Discussion between the players. Photograph: Conspiracy Live.

The next time you are seeking a unique game night, head over to Conspiracy Live and immerse yourself in this thrilling game and welcoming community.