Game Inspired by Swine Flu

According to the World Health Organization, there have been nearly 178,000 reported cases of the swine flu, including 1,462 deaths worldwide, since it surfaced in April. With that said, it seems highly inappropriate to develop a game inspired by the current pandemic. However, unlike Super Columbine Massacre RPG, this particular flash-based game--called The Great Flu--seems intent on raising awareness.

"It is actually what is happening now, what is happening in the real world," said Albert Osterhaus, head of virology at the Erasmus Medical Center.

The basis of the game challenges players to control a new pandemic, to understand just how difficult the task is in the real world. Taking the reigns of the fictional World Pandemic Control, players first pick a flu strain and then establish surveillance systems, and stockpile vaccines and antivirals with a limited budget; players must also keep an eye on schools and airports. A simulator at heart, The Great Flu forces players into making decisions that affect the entire world.

To keep a tab on the pandemic, the game keeps a running tally of infected individuals displayed over the player's budget. According to Yahoo, various messages from worldwide governments pop up to inform the player of local problems and effects related to the WPC's actions (or lack thereof). Newspapers also keep the player informed, reporting on the global responses to the pandemic, flu-related deaths, and possible riots.

The WHO said that it was not familiar with the game.

  • ubernoobie
    Lol I failed on the broadway lvl
    Reply
  • megamanx00
    A little morbid, and scary. Still, it helps people realize just how serious the problem can be and how lucky we are it hasn't been, yet.
    Reply
  • dzeric
    oldish news, look up "pandemic 2"
    Reply
  • cough-fee
    The game industry must be running out of ideas, just like the movie industry.
    Reply
  • anonymousdude
    dzericoldish news, look up "pandemic 2"
    Except the goal in Pandemic 2 is to kill everyone.
    Reply
  • afrobacon
    Set up some research, walk away for a few minutes, game won. Where's the challenge?
    Reply
  • rpmrush
    Except the goal in Pandemic 2 is to kill everyone.
    afrobacon

    Hilarious. Anyone played phage wars? It's more on the micro scale than macro like Pandemic.
    Reply
  • mdillenbeck
    Guess I'm a sick puppy - cause I prefer to play the role of the virus (and rip my hair out when Madagascar closes its port) than try to save the human race...
    Reply
  • Grims
    So.. what is the deal with this flu anyway? It has only infected a 170 thousand people with a 1% kill rate...who cares.. (besides that 1% I guess.)
    Reply
  • randomizer
    Grims(besides that 1% I guess.)They don't care either. They're dead.
    Reply