Plague Inc., the game about spreading a deadly virus across the world, became incredibly popular in 2020 for reasons no-one is entirely sure of. Maybe it had something to do with the global COVID-19 pandemic that’s still going on in real life? It’s impossible to say. What we do know is that the game’s latest update, titled “The Cure”, is now available to all users on iOS and Android devices for free. The new mode flips the game on its head.

While Plague Inc. is all about spreading the deadly virus, The Cure reverses the whole process. Instead of infecting the world, you’re tasked with cleaning it up and fixing the disease that’s ravaging the planet. It’s just the kind of optimistic update the game needs right now, you know?

Plague Inc. cleans up its act

Developer Ndemic Games has worked with experts from organisations you’ve heard about (endlessly) this year to lend some credibility to the gameplay loop. It recruited assistance from the World Health Organisation and Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network to include some kind of real-world representation of the process. Bear in mind, Plague Inc. is first and foremost a game and not a simulation. So it should definitely not be used as some kind of accurate representation of reality — but the touch of realism is a welcome one.

While scientifically Plague Inc. probably doesn’t hold much weight, it’s certainly a powerful tool for spreading awareness of the pandemic. Just when everything was kicking off, back when we were all rather optimistic about the whole situation, people flocked to Plague Inc., causing sales of the game to skyrocket. Ndemic eventually donated $250 million to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, which was a really nice thing of them to do.

Plague Inc. is available for both iOS and Apple devices for free but you can purchase a range of expansion packs inside the game itself. “The Cure” will be free for all players until the COVID-19 pandemic has been resolved.

(Source: Engadget)