We have a theory why pandemic has been removed from steam and it’s not what you think.
Pandemics are a concept that the whole world knows more about now then 10 years ago with epidemiologists no longer needing to explain there jobs to casual acquaintances at parties. Or with that in mind people going to parties.
A huge bi-product of this the digital board game scene has grown like never before.
However something strange has gamers speculating as the digital board game version of pandemic the game with the very namesake of the thing that as grown there popularity has now gone missing from steam.
This has players speculating that something has happened due to the sensitive nature of theme? maybe cancel culture? or even something pandemic fatigue has caused?
However as somebody who owns the pandemic game on multiple platforms including mobile steam and switch I have a completely different theory and I hope for our sake I am right.
The current versions multiplayer sucks…
Let me explain, pandemic is a cooperative board game in the day and age of zoom board game nights.
It is the perfect game to hop on a call and play with your friends while you all sip something strong and remember why you are on a zoom call on the first place.
This is all in theory however as the current digital version has One problem. The current version is single player or local cooperative Only!
That’s right no online multiplayer available now you can do a sort of play and pass mode but nobody’s got time for that, in a world where every player is isolated you want to be doing something.
Players don’t want to be watching Barry move everybody’s game characters across the board.
This current steam version needs a serious rethink a redesign a online multiplayer mode that makes sense and that is my hope behind why the game has been quietly discontinued.
I am hoping that it is due to some sort of legal need that they may need to pivot to another developer or while they renegotiate a contract.
This is my hope otherwise Barry better be happy to host online pandemic game night because he might be doing it until the end of time.