The disease didn't look like a killer. The symptoms were coughs and sneezes, and its spread attracted little notice. Then someone with the virus got on a plane, launching its journey around the globe. Sneezes gave way to fatal hemorrhages; thousands of infected turned into millions. The virus mutated and developed drug resistance. Soon it wiped out the human race. For players of the mobile game Plague Inc., that counts as a win. The object of the game, available for 99$ on iPhone, iPad, and Android, is to create an infectious disease that kills as many people as possible. Players exploit countries' vulnerabilities-climate, population density, poverty-to help the disease spread before a cure is discovered. James Vaughan, the game's creator, designed it around actual risks such as antibiotic resistance.
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