The Coronavirus continues to grow and all of a sudden, it appears China is decided to pull Plague Inc. from the app store and Steam. As of Thursday, it’s been pulled from Apple’s Chinese app store with claims it contained content that the Cyberspace Administration of China deemed illegal. It isn’t clear what was deemed illegal in the app.
In a statement released on the matter, Ndemic Creations noted the game as a very popular title in China, touting it as the “most popular paid game” there. It also has been removed from Steam in China. While it isn’t clear, the app’s banning could be tied to the outbreak.
“It’s not clear to us if this removal is linked to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak that China is facing. However, Plague Inc.’s educational importance has been repeatedly recognised by organisations like the CDC and we are currently working with major global health organisations to determine how we can best support their efforts to contain and control COVID-19.”
So far, though, it doesn’t seem Plague Inc. has been removed from Nintendo’s eShop yet. It’s hard to say if it’s just a matter of time or the August-released version is going to go under their radar. The developer is trying to get it back to Chinese audiences. That said, if you are affected by this, you may have to consider picking up a Switch if you want to play it again.
Plague Inc. launched in 2012 and has since grown into a widely loved strategy game. Giving the player the ability to create their own virus, you’re tasked with eliminating the human race with your own disease. It’s amassed over 130 million downloads.
