Cut That Wire: The Next Big Social Deduction Game?

Hello, Elias here from RivalSector.com. I spend my days digging through the latest hardware and grinding in games like Marvel Rivals, but my real passion is finding that next big indie hit. You know the one, the game that comes out of nowhere and suddenly becomes your entire friend group’s main obsession. I’m talking about those late-night, “just one more round” sessions filled with laughter, betrayal, and pure chaos. Well, I’ve got my eye on a new contender that fits this description perfectly: Cut that Wire from WakaStudio.

Social deduction games are a dime a dozen, but every so often, one introduces a high-stakes twist that just works. Cut that Wire looks like it’s strapping a bomb to the genre, both figuratively and literally. It’s poised to be one of those “friendship-ruining” party games in the best way possible. With its release just days away, I’ve been digging into everything we know. Let’s defuse this thing and see what we should expect.

What Exactly is Cut that Wire?

At its core, Cut that Wire is a first-person, multiplayer social deduction game. If you’ve ever played Among Us or a classic game of Werewolf, you’ll instantly get the basic idea. But instead of fixing a spaceship or surviving the night, you and your friends are tied to chairs with active bombs strapped to your chests. Yeah, the stakes are a little higher this time.

The premise is beautifully simple and terrifying. You are all “victims” of a psychopath, except for one of you, who is the secret “Imposter.” Your goal is to survive. The Imposter’s goal is to make sure you don’t. This all plays out over a tense, four-step gameplay loop: Play, Discuss, Vote, and Cut.

The first-person perspective is a game-changer here. It’s not a top-down, cartoony view. You’re in the room, looking at your friends, all of you sweating bullets as a timer ticks down. This level of immersion is bound to crank the tension and paranoia up to eleven.

The Roles: Engineer vs. Imposter

Like any good social deduction game, your experience will be defined by your role. While the majority of players are simply “Victims” trying to survive, the two key roles are the Engineer and the Imposter.

• The Engineer: This is the Imposter’s main threat. The Engineer is a Victim who has one crucial piece of information: they know one wire that is safe to cut. Their challenge is figuring out how to communicate this information to the group without the Imposter catching on and turning the vote against them.
• The Imposter: This is the saboteur, the agent of chaos. The Imposter’s job is to mislead, deceive, and sow discord. They can lie about mini-game results, accuse innocent players, or try to trick someone into cutting the deadly wire. They can also win by simply stalling, as everyone’s bomb is on a timer. If the clock hits zero, everyone explodes.

This simple dynamic creates a fantastic web of suspicion. Is the player confidently telling you to cut the blue wire the Engineer, or are they the Imposter about to score an easy kill? Trust is your most valuable and most fragile resource.

The Gameplay Loop: How to (Hopefully) Survive

WakaStudio has outlined a clear-cut gameplay cycle designed for maximum tension. Each round will have you and your squad navigating this high-stakes process.

1. Play Bluff Games: To gain information (or spread misinformation), all players will participate in a series of mini-games. These are described as “BIG BLUFF Games” designed to be chaotic and make your heart race. Your performance in these games might give you clues, but it also might make you a target.
2. Discuss: After the games, the mics go live. This is the core social deduction phase. Players debate, accuse, and defend themselves. “Why did you fail that mini-game?” “You’re acting really suspicious.” The Imposter will be working overtime here, while the Engineer will be desperately trying to pass on their info.
3. Vote: Once the discussion (or shouting match) is over, everyone votes for who they think the Imposter is. The player with the most votes is the “loser” for the round.
4. Cut That Wire: This is the moment of truth. The player who was voted “loser” doesn’t just get kicked, oh no. They must choose one of four wires on their bomb and cut it. Three wires are safe. One wire is… not. If they cut the deadly wire, they are instantly eliminated in a cartoonishly violent explosion.

If the group successfully votes out the Imposter, the Victims win. If the Imposter survives and either tricks everyone into exploding or runs down the clock, they win. It’s a brutal, high-energy loop that I can already see creating some legendary gaming clips.

Key Features at a Glance

Here’s a quick breakdown of what makes Cut that Wire stand out from the pack.

• First-Person Immersion: Puts you right in the hot seat.
• High-Stakes Tension: It’s not just getting voted out, it’s getting blown up.
• Social Deception: The core of the game is bluffing and reading your friends.
• Chaotic Mini-Games: “Bluff Games” designed to mess with you and your crew.
• Two Ways to Lose: Get tricked into cutting the wrong wire or let the master timer expire.
• Key Roles: The classic Imposter dynamic is enhanced by the presence of the Engineer.

Meet the Developer: WakaStudio

So, who is behind this explosive party game? WakaStudio is an indie developer and publisher that seems to be carving out a niche in the co-op and party game space. This isn’t their only project, as they’ve also announced RunOut and Chicky Horn, which also appear to be focused on multiplayer fun.

This is a great sign. It shows a developer that understands what makes co-op games tick. They aren’t trying to build a massive, sprawling RPG. They’re focused on creating those tight, repeatable, and hilarious experiences that you can jump into with friends for a few hours. This focus gives me a lot of confidence that Cut that Wire will be a polished and well-designed party experience right out of the box.

Game Facts: What You Need to Know

My Final Verdict (For Now)

I am genuinely hyped for Cut that Wire. The social deduction market needed a fresh spark, and a literal bomb is a pretty good way to provide it. The first-person view, the simple-yet-brutal gameplay loop, and the clear focus on chaotic fun all point to a potential indie smash hit.

This is the perfect “friend slop” game, a term the community uses for fun, low-stakes (well, low in-game progression) co-op games like Lethal Company or Content Warning. It’s a game you play for the experience, for the laughs, and for the stories you’ll tell afterward.

WakaStudio is launching this game at the perfect time. We’re all looking for the next great party game to get us through the coming winter, and Cut that Wire might be it. It’s set to release in just a few days on October 22, 2025, exclusively on Steam for PC. For now, there’s no word on a console release, but if this thing blows up (pun intended), I’d expect to see it ported down the line.

So, what should we expect? Expect chaos. Expect paranoia. Expect to yell at your best friend for cutting the red wire when you specifically told them not to. I, for one, will be in the queue on day one, pliers in hand.

What do you think? Does Cut that Wire have what it takes to be the next big party game? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. And for more deep dives and reviews on upcoming indie gems, be sure to check out our Gaming Insights category right here on RivalSector.