Plague Inc. is a strategy game that simulates the infection of mankind with a pathogen. The goal of the single-player game is to destroy humanity with a pandemic. An extensive epidemic model is used to enable a simulation that is as close to reality as possible. The game offers different scenarios that differ only slightly in the form of the given pathogen. In addition, scenarios are also offered that have the goal of spreading fake news or specific ideologies among the world population. At the beginning of the game, a bacterium is available as a pathogen. As the game progresses, further bacteria and viruses are unlocked by successfully playing a pathogen in increased difficulty levels. The aim of the game is to infect and wipe out the entire world population. The playing field is modelled on the world map and depicts real states, with small states being contracted or missing altogether. States have characteristics that are also based on real conditions, such as climate or prosperity. The total world population at the beginning of the game is 7.124 billion people.

At the beginning, a state is chosen where the pathogen begins. Here, a single person is infected first. People can either be healthy, infected or dead. The disease then spreads through land-to-land infections, via ships, aeroplanes or animals. Further development of the disease is possible with the help of DNA points, which the player acquires in the course of the game. It is also possible to mutate the pathogen without external involvement. Through the training of new abilities, the effectiveness of the pathogen can be increased in the areas of infectiousness, severity and lethality. If the pathogen is discovered, the development of a cure begins. If this is completed before the last person dies, the game is lost. If the world population is destroyed before then, the player wins. During the entire course of the game, world events are commented on in the form of news. This can also be game tactical information as well as parodies of current topics. The game can be interrupted and saved at any time.

The research on Plague Inc. will primarily focus on the potential of the game in terms of strategic thinking and knowledge transfer. It is assumed that with the help of the process of pathogen construction, players can learn something about the spread and protection against pandemics as well as acquire basic knowledge about bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, the scenario of fake news is interesting from a political and media pedagogical perspective. The complexity of the possible scenarios is reduced in the research design. The research is therefore limited to two modes that differ most from each other in terms of subject matter and approach. On the one hand, this is the standard scenario of the pandemic, as well as the topic of Fake News.

The experimental set-up is based on standardised methods. The players deal with both scenarios in a game phase. Then, with the help of a guided interview, they are asked about their experiences. The focus here is on the one hand on the knowledge that the person has acquired during their time in the game. Furthermore, strategies and forms of action with which the player has developed the game will be asked. Among other things, this is intended to find out which criteria players used to create the pathogen or fake news.