Update 1/19/2022: Asmodee Digital have issued an official statement as to the removal of the digital version of Pandemic. In a series of tweets, Asmodee Digital stated the following, "The Pandemic app was released 9 years ago, and we no longer feel the current quality and reliability of the game is on par with what Pandemic deserves on digital platforms. The time has come to make way for the digital future of Pandemic." The tweet thread further explained that while the game and app versions of Pandemic would be leaving digital storefronts, Pandemic can still be played in both single-player and multiplayer modes on their own virtual tabletop platform, Board Game Arena.
The world of tabletop gaming has its share of digital adaptations. One of the more popular of these is the digital version of the Pandemic board game, published by Asmodee Digital. It has released on multiple video game platforms, PC, smart devices, and consoles. However, it appears that this particular adaptation of the board game is being delisted from these store fronts.
According to a post on the board games subreddit, a user mentioned they wanted to re-download the smart phone version of the Pandemic board game but could not find it on the store. After reaching out to Asmodee Digital's customer service, they received the following automated response:
Hello,
First of all, we want to thank you and all the Pandemic players for your loyalty and support over time. Unfortunately, we are taking the Pandemic app off the stores. We have worked hard over 4 years on Pandemic and withdrawing it from the stores has not been an easy choice. This decision was made with a heavy heart for a multitude of reasons that we cannot disclose.
For now, only PC, App Store & Google Play has been removed. Microsoft version will follow Jan 31th 2022 and then Nintendo Switch by the end of July 2022.
Regarding the game, as long as it has been purchased and downloaded prior to removal from the store, then you will continue to have access to the game. If you do uninstall the game, you will need to access your library to locate and install the game again.
We appreciate your continued support all this time. Thank you for your understanding,
Best regards, Asmodee Digital Support
This exact same Reddit post checked the digital version of the Pandemic board game on Steam. According to a notice, the game has been pulled from the digital distribution service by request of publisher Asmodee Digital.
While it is unclear why Asmodee Publishing is removing Pandemic from digital store shelves, it is disarming that certain players on mobile devices weren't warned beforehand. However, if you have purchased the game before, you can still download it. Furthermore if you play through either the Microsoft Store or the Nintendo Switch eShop, you have a bit of time before the game leaves those store pages..
