Cozy season is here and the latest season of The Traitors is streaming. What better way to spend a fall evening with friends than a Traitors-themed game night?
A TV-themed party is a fun way to connect around a shared interest. Keep reading to learn how to recreate the twisted tournament at your own home.
How to Play Traitors
If you’re not familiar with the TV show, here’s a quick run down on The Traitors.
A group of players arrives at a castle in the Scottish Highlands and is greeted by a fabulously dressed Alan Cumming (in the American version, anyway). Their goal is to win challenges and earn money towards the prize pot. The twist? Not everyone is playing for the same team.
Players attend a roundtable where their roles are revealed: traitor or faithful. Traitors are a select few players whose main goal is to knock off the faithfuls and be the last ones standing. The faithfuls’ goal is to correctly identify the traitors and banish them from the castle before they win the game. Along the way there’s backstabbing and conniving galore.
Think of it like a murder mystery party with a twist.
The Game Setup
First, you need to decide who will be your traitors and who will be your faithfuls. You can handpick your guests’ roles or leave it to chance.
To select your traitors and faithfuls, ask everyone to sit in a circle with a blindfold on their faces. Walk around the group several times and tap the shoulders of whoever you want to be a traitor. Do it quickly and discretely so no one suspects anything. You might even consider giving guests earplugs so they can’t hear you walking around.
To assign roles randomly, give each player a playing card when they enter the party. Instruct them not to show it to anyone else. If they received a face card — Jack, Queen, or King — they are a traitor and if they received a number card they are a faithful.
The Challenges
Now the fun begins! All players will participate in challenges to earn prizes and advantages. If players successfully complete a challenge, they earn money towards the grand prize. The challenges can be physical or mental: puzzle races, scavenger hunts, or even classic board games.
Everyone will participate in the challenges but, depending on their role, some players may try to throw the competition for their team.
After each challenge, give players a few minutes to mingle before the roundtable. This is where they will vote on who they think is a traitor or a faithful. Give players a few minutes to deliberate among themselves and share observations or reasoning. Then, ask them to write down the name of a fellow player who they believe is a traitor.
The player with the most votes will be banished from the game and forced to reveal their true identity.
The Details
It’s not just the game that fans love; it’s the theatricality of The Traitors experience. Every detail adds to the aesthetic.
Invite guests to your party with an old-fashioned letter in the mail. Seal it shut with a wax seal.
Print a photo of each party guest and frame it in a grid on the wall. Once players start getting knocked off, mark a red X on their photo for the full theatrical effect.
Ask guests to dress up for the occasion. Think castle chic and dark academia vibes: trench coats, blazers, sweater vests, stockings, and turtlenecks. Fans of the show might also choose to dress up as iconic players like Rob from Love Island.
The Decor
The setting is a character of its own. Lean into the cozy castle vibes with candles, blankets, and velvet accents. Throw in a sprinkle or two of tartan to honor the game’s Scottish heritage. Play orchestral music in the background for added ambiance.
The Concessions
What’s a game night without any refreshments? While the show is known for its breakfast buffet — and the infamous smoked salmon — you can make your menu as creative or traditional as you like.
- Have “pun” with traitorous treats like Death by Chocolate brownies or Bloody Marys
- Treat your guests to the rich flavors of a Scotch Pie
- Offer cozy drinks like mulled wine and hot toddies made with Scottish whiskey
- Or, keep it simple with classic game night snacks like a charcuterie board and wine
Whether you’re a traitor or a faithful, we hope you have a bloody good time!
Rachel Kauffman is a Detroit-based content writer, bookworm, and cat mom to two feisty felines.
