Pandemic simulation game Plague Inc. pulled from iOS App Store in China, Ars Technica

The popular game — which asks players to shepherd a virus’ deadly spread around the world — has been available on the Chinese App Store for years without issue. Ndemic says it’s “not clear to us if this removal is linked to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak that China is facing,” but it certainly seems like the most likely proximate cause.

“This situation is completely out of our control,” Ndemic writes. “We are working very hard to try and find a way to get the game back in the hands of Chinese players — we don’t want to give up on you — however, 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. ”

China has a long history of placing restrictions on mobile apps sold in the country, pulling everything from (communication and (news apps to gambling games and protest mapping tools .

Plague Inc.