It’s your first day at work. You try logging in, but someone’s encased your mouse in a block of jelly. By the time you’ve freed it, the email server goes down. You wander to the break room, where co-workers are dancing to a boombox, chugging beers from the fridge. Smoke’s billowing from a nearby office, and someone’s sprinting off with your mug. Suddenly, the manager calls an urgent meeting—and you’re fired.
Welcome to the hilariously chaotic world of Dale & Dawson: Stationary Supplies, a fresh take on the social deduction genre that challenges players to root out slackers in a dysfunctional office setting. Think Among Us, but with way more paper jams and cats.
The Social Deduction Genre Gets a New Twist
The social deduction genre has a long pedigree—from Mafia and Werewolves, to Secret Hitler and Trouble in Terrorist Town. But in recent years, Among Us has become the genre’s cultural touchstone, popularizing the concept of uncovering an “imposter” among friends.
Typically, social deduction games rely on secrecy, sabotage, and authority dynamics to create tension. Success often hinges on either subtle manipulation or bold deception. But Dale & Dawson adds a fresh spin: instead of being laser-focused on “winners” and “losers,” the game leans into the absurdity of office life, encouraging players to embrace the chaos and immerse themselves in it.
Pure, Unfiltered Office Mayhem
My first two hours playing Dale & Dawson: Stationary Supplies had me belly laughing and completely clueless as to who the real slackers were—because, frankly, everyone seemed to be slacking. Unlike Among Us, where crewmates unite to sniff out imposters, Dale & Dawson introduces a far more dysfunctional workplace dynamic. Managers hold ultimate firing power, and employees must scramble to maintain productivity while dealing with utter bedlam.
The dynamic between Management and Employees adds an interesting twist. Managers are not infallible—they can be overthrown if their decisions are terrible enough. During one memorable round, I found myself ousted after my colleagues decided my management style left much to be desired… in other words, I had sacked several people wrongly and indiscrimintantly (Are we sure this was a Paper company, and not a AAA Studio?).
What sets Dale & Dawson apart is how seamlessly ‘slacker tasks’ blend into everyone’s list of tasks, either intentionally, or because it’s too hard to not interact with some of the things like the boombox – beers – battlestar galactica. Everyone is a potential disruptor, with plenty of opportunities to mess around, dance, or—yes—set the bins on fire. This constant confusion creates a necessary smokescreen, where true slackers can thrive without immediately being caught. It’s less about pinpointing sabotage and more about having fun in the whirlwind of nonsense.
Integrating Pop Culture
If there’s one lesson for indie developers eyeing the crowded social deduction space, it’s this: lean into a recognizable setting. Dale & Dawson draws unabashedly from the hugely popular TV show The Office, a choice that’s both familiar and instantly appealing. When a friend sent it to me I thought “Among Us, but The Office,” and was sold in seconds. Clearly it worked for many, as the game is estimated as having grossed between $500,000 to $800,000+ in Revenue in the last two months: and has Very Positive reviews on Steam from 3,800 people.
Striped Panda Studios taps into our love for office tropes: which can be seen in most lobbies by people who have customized themselves to look like Dwight, or Michael Scott. They even have the Scranton branch as a map! The first person perspective lends itself to “Jim looking at the camera” moments for YouTubers and Livestreamers, which adds to the potential for virality. This blend of fan service and roleplaying opportunities makes Dale & Dawson an instant hit with players eager to recreate The Office’s hijinks.
The Future of Social Deduction: Pop Culture Mashups
Dale & Dawson has me wondering what other iconic settings could work as a social deduction game. Here are five ideas:
Rick and Morty: A multiverse of Ricks, where players try to identify the imposters among their alternate selves.
Breaking Bad: Set in a meth lab or a suburban home, players must uncover the secret drug kingpin among them.
Game of Thrones: Political intrigue meets social deduction in a courtly setting, with backstabbing and betrayal.
The Matrix: Find the undercover Agent in a digital world—or play as Agents hunting the infiltrator.
The Walking Dead: A survivor is secretly sabotaging the camp, with zombie hordes thrown into the mix.
Got any more? Comment your ideas below.