‘Plague Inc.’ Game Sales Skyrocket in China, But Developer Has a Warning

“Plague Inc.,” developed by U.K.-based gaming studio Ndemic Creations, saw a massive increase in sales amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in China, but its creator advised the public not to rely on the game as a learning tool.

James Vaughn, the creator of the game, said he and the studio have been receiving messages from people asking them about the outbreak that began in Wuhan, China and is already spreading to other countries, according to GameSpot.

“The Coronavirus outbreak in China is deeply concerning and we’ve received a lot of questions from players and the media,” Vaughn said. “Plague Inc. has been out for eight years now and whenever there is an outbreak of disease we see an increase in players, as people seek to find out more about how diseases spread and to understand the complexities of viral outbreaks.”

“Plague Inc.” was a game designed to be realistic and informative, Vaughn said in the statement. It was even recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health organizations.

“However, please remember that Plague Inc. is a game, not a scientific model and that the Coronavirus is a very real situation which is impacting a huge number of people,” he continued. “We would always recommend that players get their information directly from local and global health authorities.”

“Plague Inc.,” which was released in 2012, has become a best-selling application in China on Wednesday, BBC reported.

The virus has killed 213 people and infected over 9,700 others as of Jan. 30, 9:30 p.m. EST, based on data from the interactive map created by researchers at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). Meanwhile, the number of people who have recovered from the virus is now at 187.

Feature Image (right) via Getty

Share this Article