Plague Inc. maker: Don’t use our game for coronavirus modeling

Enlarge / A scene from Plague Inc. that should not serve as a model for the spread of coronavirus. (credit: Ndemic Creations)

Interest in the continued spread of the coronavirus has had an unintended side effect for UK-based Ndemic Creations, makers of Plague Inc. The 8-year-old game—which asks players to shepherd a worldwide pandemic the destroys all of humanity—has seen a spike in popularity in recent weeks, becoming the most-downloaded iPhone app in China on January 21 and in the United State on January 23, according to tracking firm App Annie.

The surge in interest has led Ndemic to issue a statement urging players not to rely on the app for information on staying safe from the coronavirus' current spread. "Please remember that Plague Inc. is a game, not a scientific model and that the current coronavirus outbreak is a very real situation which is impacting a huge number of people," the statement reads, in part. "We would always recommend that players get their information directly from local and global health authorities."

At the same time, Ndemic notes that Plague Inc. was "specifically designed... to be realistic and informative, while not sensationalising serious real-world issues." The company points to a 2013 CDC interview which highlights the online research that went into the game, as well as its use as "an educational tool—teachers and professors often get in touch to let me know how they used Plague Inc. to illustrate biological and economical concepts to their students."

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