mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

Exploring Large Language Models for Communication Games: An Empirical Study on Werewolf

arXiv 2309.04658 ↗First posted 9 Sep 2023cs.CLcited by 238

On the map: World models → World models for language agents

Abstract (arXiv)

Communication games, which we refer to as incomplete information games that heavily depend on natural language communication, hold significant research value in fields such as economics, social science, and artificial intelligence. In this work, we explore the problem of how to engage large language models (LLMs) in communication games, and in response, propose a tuning-free framework. Our approach keeps LLMs frozen, and relies on the retrieval and reflection on past communications and experiences for improvement. An empirical study on the representative and widely-studied communication game, ``Werewolf'', demonstrates that our framework can effectively play Werewolf game without tuning the parameters of the LLMs. More importantly, strategic behaviors begin to emerge in our experiments, suggesting that it will be a fruitful journey to engage LLMs in communication games and associated domains.

Key facts. Cited by 238 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in World models for language agents, one of 11 directions in World models. Builds on 15 of its 48 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 9 Sep 2023.

Builds on

15 of 48 references.

Closest ancestors · 1

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2023Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior7 Apr

Other references · 14

  1. 2023GPT-4 Technical Reportcited by 18,132
  2. 2022Chain-of-Thought Prompting Elicits Reasoning in Large Language Modelscited by 12,302
  3. 2019Sentence-BERT: Sentence Embeddings using Siamese BERT-Networkscited by 9,049
  4. 2022ReAct: Synergizing Reasoning and Acting in Language Modelscited by 8,355
  5. 2022Large Language Models are Zero-Shot Reasonerscited by 4,323
  6. 2019Parameter-Efficient Transfer Learning for NLPcited by 4,195
  7. 2023Sparks of Artificial General Intelligence: Early experiments with GPT-4cited by 2,579
  8. 2022Survey of Hallucination in Natural Language Generationcited by 2,056
  9. 2022Least-to-Most Prompting Enables Complex Reasoning in Large Language Modelscited by 1,397
  10. 2023Visual ChatGPT: Talking, Drawing and Editing with Visual Foundation Modelscited by 659
  11. 2023Improving Language Model Negotiation with Self-Play and In-Context Learning from AI Feedbackcited by 202
  12. 2015Semi-supervised Sequence Learningcited by 198
2 more
  1. 2023Clever Hans or Neural Theory of Mind? Stress Testing Social Reasoning in Large Language Modelscited by 161
  2. 2023Playing the Werewolf game with artificial intelligence for language understandingcited by 16

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Cited by year (2026 to 7 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2023: 25; 2024: 107; 2025: 68; 2026: 38.

238 papers.

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  2. 2023The Rise and Potential of Large Language Model Based Agents: A Surveycited by 1,422
  3. 2024Large Language Model based Multi-Agents: A Survey of Progress and Challengescited by 752
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  5. 2023Large Language Models Empowered Agent-based Modeling and Simulation: A Survey and Perspectivescited by 253
  6. 2024Agent Hospital: A Simulacrum of Hospital with Evolvable Medical Agentscited by 210
  7. 2024From Persona to Personalization: A Survey on Role-Playing Language Agentscited by 206
  8. 2024Chain of Agents: Large Language Models Collaborating on Long-Context Taskscited by 201
  9. 2025AgentSociety: Large-Scale Simulation of LLM-Driven Generative Agents Advances Understanding of Human Behaviors and Societycited by 180
  10. 2024Understanding World or Predicting Future? A Comprehensive Survey of World Modelscited by 161
  11. 2023Language Agents with Reinforcement Learning for Strategic Play in the Werewolf Gamecited by 148
  12. 2023War and Peace (WarAgent): Large Language Model-based Multi-Agent Simulation of World Warscited by 143
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  3. 2024AI Agents Under Threat: A Survey of Key Security Challenges and Future Pathwayscited by 122
  4. 2024Cooperate or Collapse: Emergence of Sustainable Cooperation in a Society of LLM Agentscited by 120
  5. 2024GTBench: Uncovering the Strategic Reasoning Limitations of LLMs via Game-Theoretic Evaluationscited by 118
  6. 2024A Survey on Large Language Model-Based Game Agentscited by 106
  7. 2023Avalon's Game of Thoughts: Battle Against Deception through Recursive Contemplationcited by 102
  8. 2024MatPlotAgent: Method and Evaluation for LLM-Based Agentic Scientific Data Visualizationcited by 98
  9. 2024LLM as a Mastermind: A Survey of Strategic Reasoning with Large Language Modelscited by 97
  10. 2024Agent-Pro: Learning to Evolve via Policy-Level Reflection and Optimizationcited by 93
  11. 2024Large Language Models and Games: A Survey and Roadmapcited by 91
  12. 2024GameBench: Evaluating Strategic Reasoning Abilities of LLM Agentscited by 89
  13. 2025SPIRAL: Self-Play on Zero-Sum Games Incentivizes Reasoning via Multi-Agent Multi-Turn Reinforcement Learningcited by 89
  14. 2023On Generative Agents in Recommendationcited by 88
  15. 2024A Survey on Self-Evolution of Large Language Modelscited by 86
  16. 2023MetaAgents: Large Language Model Based Agents for Decision-Making on Teamingcited by 85
  17. 2023MM-VID: Advancing Video Understanding with GPT-4V(ision)cited by 82
  18. 2024Self-playing Adversarial Language Game Enhances LLM Reasoningcited by 80
  19. 2024From Individual to Society: A Survey on Social Simulation Driven by Large Language Model-based Agentscited by 76
  20. 2024Self-Evolving Multi-Agent Collaboration Networks for Software Developmentcited by 73
  21. 2024Unveiling the Truth and Facilitating Change: Towards Agent-based Large-scale Social Movement Simulationcited by 69
  22. 2023Suspicion-Agent: Playing Imperfect Information Games with Theory of Mind Aware GPT-4cited by 67
  23. 2024How Far Are We on the Decision-Making of LLMs? Evaluating LLMs' Gaming Ability in Multi-Agent Environmentscited by 66
  24. 2023LLM-Coordination: Evaluating and Analyzing Multi-agent Coordination Abilities in Large Language Modelscited by 65
  25. 2023LLM-Based Agent Society Investigation: Collaboration and Confrontation in Avalon Gameplaycited by 62
  26. 2024Can Large Language Model Agents Simulate Human Trust Behavior?cited by 62
  27. 2024Generative Students: Using LLM-Simulated Student Profiles to Support Question Item Evaluationcited by 56
  28. 2024A Survey on LLM-based Multi-Agent System: Recent Advances and New Frontiers in Applicationcited by 54
  29. 2023Multi-Agent Consensus Seeking via Large Language Modelscited by 50
  30. 2024(Perhaps) Beyond Human Translation: Harnessing Multi-Agent Collaboration for Translating Ultra-Long Literary Textscited by 49
  31. 2024Shall We Team Up: Exploring Spontaneous Cooperation of Competing LLM Agentscited by 48
  32. 2024SocialBench: Sociality Evaluation of Role-Playing Conversational Agentscited by 48
  33. 2025Do as We Do, Not as You Think: the Conformity of Large Language Modelscited by 48
  34. 2024Self-Alignment of Large Language Models via Monopolylogue-based Social Scene Simulationcited by 46
  35. 2024Project Sid: Many-agent simulations toward AI civilizationcited by 46
  36. 2024Enhance Reasoning for Large Language Models in the Game Werewolfcited by 44
  37. 2024Puzzle Solving using Reasoning of Large Language Models: A Surveycited by 44
  38. 2023Digital Life Project: Autonomous 3D Characters with Social Intelligencecited by 43

50 most cited of 238 All 238 (JSON)

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  3. 2025Playing games with Large language models: Randomness and strategy
  4. 2026Game of Thought: Robust Information Seeking with Large Language Models Using Game Theory
  5. 2024Large Model Strategic Thinking, Small Model Efficiency: Transferring Theory of Mind in Large Language Models
  6. 2026Multi-Agent Strategic Games with LLMs
  7. 2024When LLMs Play the Telephone Game: Cultural Attractors as Conceptual Tools to Evaluate LLMs in Multi-turn Settings
  8. 2026Cheap Talk Stabilizes Strategic Interaction in LLM Agents