Playing Against the Virus

In recent years, epidemics have become a hot topic in gaming. In the online video game Pandemic 2, you play the virus, aiming to wipe out humanity. In The Great Flu, you control a world health organization and make decisions about face masks and airport closures. In this story for PRI’s Studio 360, I explore why these games are so popular, and investigate an unintentional epidemic that wiped out thousands of players on World of Warcraft.

Tagged as: NPR, PRI, Science and Art, Studio 360, Virus