The series was announced by Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ in November 2022 and was described as "an addictive, whodunnit reality series where contestants work with and against each other using lies, deception and betrayal to win".
The concept of the show is based on Mafia, a social deduction game created by Dimitry Davidoff in 1986.
The show has become a global phenomenon, with the UK version of the Netherlands original being streamed more than 34 million times on the BBC iPlayer.
The New Zealand version of the format will see 19 participants compete for a cash prize.
Based on Dutch series De Verraders which premiered in 2021 and has since been adapted for the international market.