China has removed disease simulator Plague Inc. from the China App Store. The Cyberspace Administration of China said that the game includes content that is illegal in China.
Ndemic Creations, the developers of Plague Inc., released a statement praising the game in its ability to educate the general public on the spread of disease and a wish to have the game reinstated.
Plague Inc. Removed as Coronavirus Outbreak Continues
It is not clear whether the removal of the game is due to the coronavirus outbreak or some other reason entirely. However, the game has gained popularity because of it.
While Plague Inc. has been out for over eight years, it has received a significant boost following the current outbreak of coronavirus around the world. It has been praised by the CDC and other medical organizations for its use to help educate on viral outbreaks.
In the statement, Ndemic Creations thanked Chinese fans for their support and saddened that they will no longer be able to access and play Plague Inc. for the near future. They also said they will try to talk and work with the Cyberspace Administration of China to find a solution.
The outbreak of coronavirus has shifted from cases largely being in Japan and South Korea to worldwide. The World Health Organization has raised the global risk to very high as over 60 cases have been found in the U.S.
This is not the only case of coronavirus affecting the gaming industry. Sony and others have pulled out of significant gaming convention PAX East, and there are rumors that Game Developers Conference might be canceled this year because of the number of developers skipping the event.
Even though Plague Inc. is unavailable to play in China, it is still available in other regions. It has had multiple ports on different platforms and also has its own board game.
To learn more about Plague Inc., go to ndemiccreations.com.
