Traitors Finalist Jade Scott Credits Video Games for Her Reality TV Strategy
The latest series of The Traitors, which concluded with a tense finale last week, showcased a diverse cast of characters, from outgoing personalities to meticulous observers hunting for signs of betrayal. Among them, Jade Scott stood out for her composed and determined approach, despite facing relentless suspicion and accusations throughout the competition. In an interview, Scott revealed that her background as an avid gamer played a crucial role in her ability to stay calm and strategic under pressure.
From Minecraft to Social Deduction: A Gamer's Journey
Scott's introduction to gaming began at age 15 with Minecraft, where she built friendships and developed early social skills. "Minecraft was my way in," she explains, noting how it led her to more complex titles like the first-person shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and the multiplayer battle-arena game Dota. It was these experiences that sparked her interest in strategy gaming, a skill set that proved invaluable on The Traitors. The show itself is heavily inspired by social deduction games such as werewolf or mafia, where players must identify hidden traitors among them, mirroring the mechanics of popular online games like Among Us.
Training for the Faithful Role Through Indie Games
In the year leading up to her appearance on the show, Scott immersed herself in indie social deduction games, including the survival adventure Project Winter and the office satire Dale & Dawson Stationery Supplies. Both games require players to complete tasks while identifying saboteurs within the group, effectively simulating the challenges faced by faithful contestants on The Traitors. Scott confirms she always aimed to enter as a faithful, believing it offered a harder, more puzzle-oriented experience. "My strategy was to go in and immediately garner some suspicion, because that way you're protected from murder," she says, though she admits underestimating the level of scrutiny she would face.
Defending Against Accusations with Logic and Observation
Despite being a constant target at the roundtable, Scott found that her gaming experience helped her defend herself effectively. She credits social deception games for honing her ability to present logical arguments and remain composed under pressure. "The second you approach the table with some logic and reasoning, and say, 'I understand why you think that, but I have done nothing to suggest it', they have nothing to argue with," she notes. Additionally, she adopted meticulous observation techniques from strategy sims, using a traffic light system to track suspicions and drawing connections between contestants on paper, akin to detective work. However, she reflects that this focus on defense sometimes caused her to overlook obvious clues, such as the dynamics between other players.
Life After The Traitors: New Games and Academic Benefits
Since leaving the show, Scott has shifted away from social deduction games, now enjoying titles like Outer Wilds and Blue Prince, which involve solving environmental puzzles rather than interpersonal conflicts. Interestingly, her experience on The Traitors has also impacted her academic pursuits as a PhD student. She believes the skills learned in defending herself at the roundtable will be beneficial for her upcoming viva, where she must defend her thesis before examiners. "I've really learned how to defend myself and argue a point," she says, highlighting the unexpected crossover between reality TV strategy and academic challenges.
