Plague Inc. removed from Chinese App Store over "illegal" content Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Plague Inc. removed from Chinese App Store over "illegal" content After huge spike in sales following coronavirus outbreak. News by Emma Kent Contributor Updated on 27 Feb 2020 15 comments Plague Inc., the real-time strategy sim about pandemics, has been abruptly removed from the Chinese App Store - and it's still unclear as to why. In a blog post, developer Ndemic Creations said it had been informed that Plague Inc. "includes content that is illegal in China as determined by the Cyberspace Administration of China", although no further explanation was given to say exactly what was considered illegal. "This situation is completely out of our control," Ndemic Creations wrote. "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." In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, Plague Inc. recently experienced a huge spike in popularity in China, topping paid iOS game charts and prompting online discussion on social media site Weibo. On 22nd January, Plague Inc. became the best-selling game on China's iOS store. At first, the situation might seem quite cut-and-dry: an attempt by the Chinese government to stamp out discussion about anything related to the coronavirus that could be damaging for the Communist Party image. There are certainly signs this is happening more broadly in China as part of a propaganda push (via the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal [paywall]). But as noted by analyst Daniel Ahmad, the game was never properly licensed to launch in China: as an eight-year-old game, it was released before the licensing requirements ever came into place. According to Ahmad, it also appears to be the only virus-related game to have been removed so far. Although, as a chart-topping game, it may simply have become an easy target. Another reason for removal, perhaps, could be government fears about misleading players or causing panic. Ahmad notes the game recently received an update called "fake news" which allowed people to create misinformation. The wording of Ndemic Creations' own blog post leans heavily on it being educational, and creator James Vaughan was recently forced to reiterate it was a "game, not a scientific model". While the statements seem somewhat contradictory, they at least suggest this has been a concern for the developer ever since the outbreak started. Given cities like Wuhan are currently in lockdown and the death toll has reached 2,744 people in China, probably the last thing the government wants is for further panic to spread (via Reuters). Number 3 could be the most likely reason as the game recently released a 'fake news' update in the iOS version that allows people to create misinformation. But again, that's just speculation and the CAC hasn't released an official reason just yet. pic.twitter.com/uJnpdLIGjr- Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) February 27, 2020 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings In the meantime, Ndemic Creations is "working very hard to try and find a way to get the game back in the hands of Chinese players", although it acknowledges the process will be difficult. "As a tiny independent games studio in the UK, the odds are stacked against us. Our immediate priority is to try and make contact with the Cyberspace Administration of China to understand their concerns and work with them to find a resolution." Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store