The creator of the pandemic simulation game Plague Inc. is branching out with a fresh concept for his latest title. After Inc., which surprisingly launched on Friday, is now available for iOS and Android. This new game focuses on the process of rebuilding civilization following an apocalyptic event, rather than initiating one.
Described as a fusion of 4X strategy and city-building genres, After Inc. tasks players with constructing settlements amid a zombie apocalypse while striving to restore humanity. Players must gather resources and navigate through various challenges to unlock new tools for survival.
This shift in focus marks a significant departure from Plague Inc., affecting both gameplay mechanics and overarching themes. While Plague Inc. centered around the spread of a pandemic with the goal of infecting the entire world, a concept that resonates strongly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, After Inc. embraces a more optimistic angle.
“I’ve aimed to create a more cheerful and hopeful game this time,” designer James Vaughan shared with Gamefile regarding After Inc.. “The world is vibrant and thriving. The survivors have been through tough times, but they are alive and ready to rebuild. The only challenge is the zombies, but that can be handled with some nails and a cricket bat!”
After Inc. is also slated to debut on Steam as After Inc.: Revival in early access next year, allowing Ndemic Creations to ensure the campaign is feature-complete and test additional content. You can add it to your wishlist for now.
Ndemic’s flagship title, Plague Inc., is a strategic simulation game where players enhance the transmission of a deadly pathogen. While the game offers engaging gameplay and intriguing depth, it has also been used as an educational tool to understand how diseases can become endemic, earning recognition from the CDC.
By the time the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, Plague Inc. had been around for nearly a decade, leading to a surge in its popularity, particularly in China, where it garnered approximately 2.2 million downloads within a couple of months in early 2020. The game was subsequently removed from the Apple App Store. As of now, Vaughan reports that it has reached a staggering 190 million players.
“Plague Inc. has been available for eight years, and whenever there’s a disease outbreak, we observe an increase in players as they try to learn more about the dynamics of disease transmission and the intricacies of viral outbreaks,” Vaughan noted on Ndemic’s blog in 2020. In 2021, the company collaborated with the World Health Organization to raise public awareness about staying healthy and preventing infection during a pandemic.
Following the COVID-19 crisis, Ndemic even introduced a free new mode in Plague Inc. called Save the World, where players take on the challenge of combating a spreading pathogen.
