Yesterday, James Vaughan spoke with Polygon about the sudden rise of download rates for Plague Inc.; the pathogen game has been out for about two years, but the mobile and PC game has suddenly experienced a surge of downloads, which is most-likely due to the world’s interest in the deadly disease, Ebola. Though online news and articles are available, Plague Inc. offers a digital simulation about how deadly diseases can spread, be controlled, and even cured. Because the highly infectious Ebola has already claimed many victims in Africa, global audiences are preparing themselves for the worse by educating themselves.
“This is the first time something in the real world has has an effect on the sales charts, especially since Ebola came over to America. People are curious about it and want to know more about infectious diseases. Plague Inc. can play a role because it’s an intelligent look at how infectious diseases can spread.”
-James Vaughan, Creator of Plague Inc. and Ndemic Creations
The games experienced a 50 percent increase in downloads in the last two weeks. Due to the exceeding amount, Vaughn plans to use the heightened interest in Plague Inc. to help charities supporting those affected by Ebola.
“Plague Inc. has an audience of 35 million people who have downloaded it since the game launched. I want to help in any way I can, whether that is raising funds or raising awareness. I’m currently talking to major charities to see if Plague Inc. can be used as a tool to help in some way.”
He believes that the video game can be used as a teaching tool, helping people understand how infectious diseases work and how they are spread. In addition to the free versions of Plague Inc. that are available for iOS and Android, Plague Inc.: Evolved is available through Steam Early Access for $15. For more information, please visit the official website. To access the original source, please read this article.
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