The Chinese government has slowed down P disease Inc., the pandemic simulator / real-time strategy game for mobile devices, hardware stores in the country, probably showed differences and sensitivity when more coronavirus outbreaks entered its fourth month.
Officially, you're an engineer Ndemic Creations said in a statement on Thursday that he was told by the Cyberpace Administration of China that the game "includes illegal content in China." A takedown notice does not specify what the content is.
Reached by Polygon for further comment, James Vaughan, P disease Inc.The composer, said that "everything is unclear at this time," and that he would provide further details if he had.
Daniel Ahmad, a Niko Partner analyst covering the video game industry in China and Asia, he thought P disease Inc. deleted thanks to its recent review of Fake News, where disinformation is now more susceptible to the spread of disease that has occurred in the game. But Clement Renaudin, the latest news editor of PocketGamer & # 39; s U.K. pointed that the Fake News update launched December 4, more than a month before the first outbreak of recognition by the World Health Organization. We have announced a global public health emergency.
Fake News update introduces a scenario in which players can create transmission stories and then "deceive the world using modern tools and tactics." In its study, the disease always starts in China. (In a big game, it could start anywhere.) The December announcement said Ndululus had improved the situation. Full truth, an independent fact-checking organization in the U.K., and the American group PolitiFact.
"Fake News Update on P disease Inc. we will reach millions of people, helping them understand how dangerous this information is, ”said Will McCoy, CEO of Fact, at the time. Vaughan added that "it's shocking how many of our infection algorithms have completely translated into a world of fake facts, fake news and bad information."
P disease Inc., according to Ahmad, reached No. 1 in China's list of iOS paid games in January. In a statement Thursday about the removal of the app in China, Ndemic Creations noted that the 8-year-old game had more than 130 million players and said it had been China's most popular paid game for years.
“We have a lot of respect for our Chinese players and are disappointed that they can no longer reach and play P disease Inc., ”Wrote Ndemic. "It is unclear to us whether this removal is related to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in China. P disease Inc. The importance of education has been widely acknowledged by organizations such as (Centers for Disease Control) and we are currently working with large health organizations to find out how we can best support their efforts to contain and control COVID-19, ”which is part of the coronavirus in this outbreak.
In statement in mid-January, NdULULI cited an increase in liver function through a coronavirus. "Whenever an outbreak begins, we see an increase in players, because people want to know more about how the disease spreads and understand the severity of the outbreak," the studio said at the time. P disease Inc. was launched in 2012.
"We have planned the game to be realistic and to teach others, but not to confuse the real world issues," said Nature. “Anyway, please remember that P disease Inc. it is a game, not a scientific model and that the current outbreak of coronavirus is a real condition affecting a large number of people. "
The coronavirus outbreak has been around for two months targeting international news, floating financial markets around the world, and has threatened, or postponed, sporting events ranging from Formula One & # 39; s Chinese Prix in order 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
In the United States, Sony canceled plans to travel to Boston for PAX East 2020 this weekend due to the spread of the virus. Sony, Oculus, Kojima Productions, and Square Enix & # 39; s The last thought 14 The development team also set out to leave for the 2020 Developer Conference in San Francisco next month due to similar issues. Also on Thursday, Epic games have been suspended it wouldn't go to GDC 2020, either.
In addition to China, where more than 75,000 have died and some 3000 have died, COVID-19 has spread to almost 40 other countries, notably South Korea, Italy and Iran. The Washington Post reported Wednesday that a Northern California woman was still infected with the virus, the first U.S. case has yet to be linked to visiting the affected region or contacting a person who is known to be infected.
The United States has 59 other cases among people who have traveled to Asia or are in contact with someone close to them. Most of them, 42 of the 59, come from a solitary ship off the Japanese port.
