Plague Inc. is a game where players develop their very own pathogens and then release them to the world in hopes of ending humanity. Early this year, developer Ndemic Creations released an expansion called The Cure. This expansion literally expands the other side of the game wherein experts around the globe join forces to beat these pathogens.
As it turns out, Ndemic Creation wasn’t the only one involved in developing this expansion. That’s because the studio collaborated with several experts. Who are these experts you ask? It’s none other than those from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Outbreak Alert Response Network (GOARN), and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
You can watch the video of these experts playing the game below:
In the expansion, the skills of the players are put to the ultimate test as they try to save the world from a pandemic. Instead of creating, unleashing, and evolving pathogens to wreak havoc, you need to balance multiple things like research and development, public health measures, and economic and social factors. The goal is to keep the disease under control while maintaining a high public trust.
In a post, Dr. Paul Effler at GOARN shared that they were happy to collaborate in developing this expansion to make sure that the gaming experience was truly reflective of what’s happening in real life. He added that they hope to reach new players and help them learn more about how to respond to a pandemic successfully.
WHO Manager of Digital Channels Andy Pattison revealed that when it comes to managing public health threats, the current pandemic has shown that everyone has a role to play. He continued that using interactive games and simulations is a good way to educate people, especially with all the misinformation happening online.
Meanwhile, Ndemic Creation founder James Vaughan said that The Cure is more than timely as players get to explore different issues that occur when trying to end a pandemic. Vaughan added that he never imagined that the real world would be like the game.
Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO at CEPI, also chimed that The Cure is indeed an excellent medium when it comes to education as well as public awareness. He said that they are pleased for developers taking the initiative.
So what about you? Have you tried the game? It’s available on PC, mobile, and consoles. Get the game here.
We end this coverage with reminders from the WHO on how to keep safe in this ongoing pandemic:
- Keep at least a one-meter distance from others.
- Wear masks.
- Cough and sneeze into a bent elbow or a tissue.
- Avoid crowds.
- Ventilate indoor spaces.
- Clean hands frequently.
- Stay home if you feel unwell.
