<s>
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
is	O
a	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
simulation	O
video	O
game	O
,	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
UK-based	O
independent	O
video	O
game	O
studio	O
Ndemic	B-Application
Creations	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
2011	O
film	O
Contagion	O
and	O
the	O
2008	O
Adobe	B-Operating_System
Flash	I-Operating_System
game	O
Pandemic	O
2	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
2015	O
for	O
Windows	B-Protocol
Phone	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Steam	B-Application
(	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Linux	B-Application
)	O
and	O
console	O
version	O
is	O
entitled	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
:	I-Application
Evolved	I-Application
and	O
includes	O
adjustments	O
and	O
additions	O
to	O
the	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Ndemic	B-Application
Creations	I-Application
,	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
has	O
been	O
downloaded	O
over	O
160	O
million	O
times	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
continues	O
to	O
have	O
an	O
active	O
community	O
and	O
is	O
regularly	O
updated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2017	O
,	O
the	O
developer	O
released	O
a	O
physical	O
board	O
game	O
based	O
on	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
titled	O
Plague	O
Inc.	O
:	O
The	O
Board	O
Game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
is	O
a	O
strategy-simulation	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
indirectly	O
controls	O
a	O
plague	O
,	O
which	O
has	O
infected	O
patient	O
zero	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
goals	O
include	O
,	O
but	O
are	O
not	O
limited	O
to	O
,	O
infecting	O
and	O
killing	O
the	O
world	O
's	O
population	O
with	O
a	O
pathogen	O
,	O
enslaving	O
the	O
world	O
's	O
population	O
with	O
the	O
'	O
Neurax	O
Worm	O
 '	O
or	O
converting	O
the	O
world	O
's	O
population	O
into	O
zombies	B-Application
with	O
the	O
'	O
Necroa	O
Virus	O
 '	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developer	O
has	O
said	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
partially	O
inspired	O
by	O
Pandemic	O
2	O
,	O
a	O
browser-based	O
Flash	B-Operating_System
game	O
released	O
in	O
2008	O
by	O
Dark	O
Realm	O
Studios	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
remake	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
:	I-Application
Evolved	I-Application
for	O
Steam	B-Application
and	O
consoles	O
has	O
similar	O
gameplay	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
but	O
includes	O
several	O
features	O
not	O
present	O
in	O
the	O
mobile	O
version	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
multiplayer	O
and	O
a	O
scenario	O
creator	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
include	O
virus	O
,	O
fungus	O
,	O
parasite	O
,	O
prion	O
,	O
nano-virus	B-Application
,	O
and	O
bio-weapon	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2014	O
,	O
Ndemic	B-Application
Creations	I-Application
partnered	O
with	O
20th	O
Century	O
Fox	O
on	O
an	O
update	O
themed	O
as	O
a	O
tie-in	O
to	O
the	O
film	O
Dawn	O
of	O
the	O
Planet	O
of	O
the	O
Apes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2017	O
,	O
the	O
developer	O
released	O
a	O
physical	O
board	O
game	O
based	O
on	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
titled	O
Plague	O
Inc.	O
:	O
The	O
Board	O
Game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
6	O
December	O
2018	O
,	O
Ndemic	B-Application
Creations	I-Application
released	O
Rebel	O
Inc.	O
,	O
a	O
follow-up	O
game	O
with	O
a	O
political	O
theme	O
based	O
around	O
the	O
"	O
complexities	O
and	O
consequences	O
of	O
foreign	O
intervention	O
and	O
counter	O
insurgency.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
originally	O
only	O
available	O
on	O
iOS	B-Application
,	O
a	O
port	O
for	O
Android	B-Application
devices	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
11	O
February	O
the	O
following	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
28	O
February	O
2019	O
,	O
the	O
studio	O
announced	O
that	O
they	O
would	O
add	O
an	O
in-game	O
scenario	O
about	O
vaccine	O
hesitancy	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
after	O
a	O
Change.org	B-Application
petition	O
to	O
do	O
so	O
gained	O
over	O
10,000	O
signatures	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
,	O
with	O
an	O
aggregated	O
score	O
of	O
80/100	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wired.com	O
cited	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
as	O
a	O
notable	O
independent	O
developer	O
success	O
story	O
as	O
it	O
"	O
bucked	O
the	O
system	O
by	O
staying	O
near	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
charts	O
in	O
numerous	O
countries	O
for	O
the	O
entirety	O
of	O
its	O
existence	O
,	O
pulling	O
in	O
millions	O
in	O
revenue	O
while	O
competing	O
with	O
the	O
big	O
players	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
#1	O
paid	O
app	O
for	O
both	O
iPhone	B-Device
and	O
iPad	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
for	O
two	O
weeks	O
after	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
TouchArcade	O
said	O
that	O
"	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
will	O
snag	O
your	O
attention	O
in	O
all	O
the	O
right	O
ways	O
and	O
keep	O
it	O
there	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
December	O
2012	O
,	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
was	O
one	O
of	O
five	O
games	O
nominated	O
for	O
Best	O
Strategy	O
Game	O
in	O
IGN	O
's	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
2012	O
,	O
both	O
for	O
mobile	O
and	O
for	O
all	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Overall	O
,	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
was	O
the	O
15th	O
most	O
downloaded	O
paid	O
iPhone	B-Device
game	O
of	O
2012	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
(	O
and	O
18th	O
on	O
iPad	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
the	O
5th	O
most	O
downloaded	O
paid	O
iPhone	B-Device
game	O
in	O
the	O
US	O
in	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Ndemic	B-Application
Creations	I-Application
,	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
has	O
been	O
downloaded	O
over	O
160	O
million	O
times	O
,	O
as	O
of	O
May	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Overall	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
15th	O
most	O
downloaded	O
paid	O
iPhone	B-Device
game	O
of	O
2012	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
and	O
the	O
5th	O
most	O
downloaded	O
paid	O
iPhone	B-Device
game	O
of	O
2013	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2014	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
#3	O
best	O
selling	O
iPhone	B-Device
game	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
and	O
the	O
#1	O
best	O
selling	O
iPhone	B-Device
app	O
in	O
China	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2015	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
7th	O
best	O
selling	O
iPhone	B-Device
game	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2016	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
4th	O
best	O
selling	O
iPhone	B-Device
game	O
there	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
April	O
2019	O
,	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
wake	O
of	O
the	O
COVID-19	O
pandemic	O
in	O
January	O
2020	O
,	O
Plague	B-Application
,	I-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
became	O
the	O
top-selling	O
app	O
in	O
the	O
Chinese	O
market	O
,	O
and	O
saw	O
increased	O
sales	O
and	O
number	O
of	O
concurrent	O
players	O
on	O
other	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ndemic	O
reminded	O
players	O
that	O
while	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
based	O
on	O
scientific	O
understanding	O
of	O
the	O
spread	O
of	O
infectious	O
diseases	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
not	O
on	O
par	O
with	O
any	O
scientific	O
model	O
,	O
and	O
added	O
links	O
to	O
the	O
World	O
Health	O
Organization	O
's	O
website	O
on	O
their	O
own	O
website	O
in	O
response	O
to	O
people	O
inquiring	O
about	O
the	O
coronavirus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
February	O
2020	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
pandemic	O
spread	O
globally	O
,	O
Plague	B-Application
,	I-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
had	O
resurged	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
top	O
paid	O
app	O
on	O
the	O
iOS	B-Application
app	I-Application
store	I-Application
,	O
beating	O
out	O
Minecraft	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
27	O
February	O
2020	O
,	O
the	O
Chinese	O
government	O
forced	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
be	O
removed	O
from	O
the	O
App	B-Application
Store	I-Application
in	O
China	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
Cyberspace	O
Administration	O
of	O
China	O
citing	O
"	O
illegal	O
content	O
"	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
though	O
they	O
have	O
not	O
provided	O
any	O
further	O
explanation	O
to	O
Ndemic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Plague	B-Application
,	I-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
had	O
been	O
updated	O
with	O
a	O
"	O
Fake	O
News	O
"	O
content	O
update	O
,	O
which	O
they	O
had	O
yet	O
to	O
authorize	O
to	O
release	O
to	O
China	O
,	O
which	O
has	O
been	O
believed	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
reason	O
behind	O
the	O
ban	O
given	O
China	O
's	O
stance	O
on	O
media	O
that	O
is	O
derogatory	O
of	O
their	O
state	O
media	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dark	O
Realm	O
Studios	O
initially	O
complained	O
on	O
Twitter	B-Application
to	O
IGN	O
reviewer	O
Justin	O
Davis	O
about	O
the	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
release	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
"	O
just	O
an	O
attempt	O
to	O
cash	O
in	O
on	O
Pandemic	O
2.5	O
"	O
due	O
to	O
similarities	O
in	O
gameplay	O
between	O
the	O
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
responded	O
with	O
an	O
article	O
defending	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
and	O
saying	O
"	O
there	O
's	O
no	O
denying	O
that	O
it	O
bears	O
a	O
close	O
resemblance	O
to	O
Pandemic	O
,	O
but	O
there	O
is	O
also	O
no	O
denying	O
that	O
it	O
improves	O
on	O
that	O
basic	O
disease-spreading	O
premise	O
"	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
developer	O
James	O
Vaughan	O
rejected	O
the	O
cash-in	O
accusation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2013	O
,	O
Dark	O
Realm	O
Studios	O
said	O
they	O
did	O
not	O
consider	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
to	O
be	O
a	O
clone	O
and	O
they	O
"	O
regard	O
the	O
situation	O
as	O
a	O
learning	O
opportunity	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2013	O
,	O
James	O
Vaughan	O
,	O
the	O
developer	O
of	O
Plague	O
Inc.	O
,	O
was	O
invited	O
to	O
talk	O
at	O
the	O
Centers	O
for	O
Disease	O
Control	O
and	O
Prevention	O
(	O
CDC	O
)	O
about	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
He	O
spoke	O
about	O
how	O
he	O
had	O
modeled	O
the	O
spread	O
of	O
infectious	O
disease	O
inside	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
how	O
games	O
like	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
inform	O
and	O
educate	O
the	O
public	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
talk	O
,	O
the	O
CDC	O
said	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
interested	O
in	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
as	O
"	O
it	O
uses	O
a	O
non-traditional	O
route	O
to	O
raise	O
public	O
awareness	O
on	O
epidemiology	O
,	O
disease	O
transmission	O
,	O
and	O
diseases/pandemic	O
information	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
became	O
the	O
number	O
one	O
selling	O
app	O
in	O
China	O
early	O
during	O
the	O
epidemic	O
phase	O
of	O
the	O
COVID-19	O
pandemic	O
in	O
Wuhan	O
,	O
China	O
;	O
the	O
company	O
received	O
so	O
many	O
inquiries	O
that	O
via	O
its	O
Twitter	B-Application
account	I-Application
it	O
referred	O
its	O
users	O
to	O
the	O
CDC	O
website	O
for	O
information	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
11	O
November	O
2020	O
,	O
Ndemic	B-Application
Creations	I-Application
added	O
a	O
new	O
game	O
mode	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
named	O
"	O
Plague	B-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
mobile	O
version	O
only	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
mode	O
was	O
later	O
brought	O
to	O
Evolved	O
on	O
PC	O
via	O
a	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
update	O
on	O
28	O
January	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
