What Ndemic Creations does

Ndemic Creations is an independent UK-based game development studio founded in 2012 by James Vaughan. The studio specializes in strategy and simulation games, with its flagship franchise Plague Inc. having accumulated over 65 million cumulative players across mobile, PC, and console platforms. Its product portfolio spans Plague Inc. (pandemic simulation), Plague Inc: The Cure (reverse-perspective cure gameplay), Rebel Inc. (post-conflict government stabilization), and After Inc. (post-apocalyptic settlement survival), plus a physical tabletop board game, branded merchandise, and an original soundtrack. The studio remains privately held, founder-led, and bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding or secondary transactions across more than a decade of operation.

The studio's technology centers on strategy simulation game engines modeling complex real-world systems, including disease transmission, governmental stabilization, and survival resource dynamics. Plague Inc: Evolved, the PC version launched in February 2016, integrates Steam Workshop for user-generated content, with over 10,000 custom scenarios published; the same Scenario Creator toolset, including Lua scripting and decision-tree editors, was extended to Rebel Inc: Escalation and After Inc. in 2026. Games integrate platform-native services including Steamworks, Google Play Games, and Apple Game Center for achievements, leaderboards, and cloud saves. The studio holds COPPA-compliant privacy practices and explicitly disclaims profiling or automated decision-making on user data.

Ndemic Creations operates a product-led, multi-channel revenue model spanning premium PC/console game sales via Steam and console stores, freemium mobile distribution on iOS and Google Play with optional in-app purchases, physical board game sales via Kickstarter and retail, and merchandise (apparel, plush toys via GIANTmicrobes licensing, soundtrack). Distribution is global across the iOS App Store, Google Play, Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Kickstarter/BackerKit, Amazon, and the company's own store. Headcount has remained at 1–10 employees throughout its operating history, indicating a capital-efficient operation, and the studio continues to release regular content updates and franchise expansions into 2026.

Name

Ndemic Creations

Legal name

Ndemic Creations

Website

https://ndemiccreations.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ndemic Creations is an independent UK-based game studio founded in 2012, developing strategy simulation franchises including Plague Inc., Rebel Inc., and After Inc. across mobile, PC, console, board game, and merchandise formats for over 65 million cumulative players worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Strategy Simulation Video Games

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210), Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Social/UGC & Sandbox Game Studios (Roblox-like) (MPAFAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

UGC Game Creation Platforms (Roblox-like, Fortnite Creative, Core) (MPAFAIAA)

Keywords

• Strategy simulation games
• Mobile game development
• Pandemic simulation
• Indie game studio
• Post-apocalyptic games

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Digital Game Sales (Mobile): Games distributed via iOS App Store and Google Play Store, with some titles following a freemium model with optional in-app purchases and others as premium paid titles.
2. PC/Console Game Sales (Steam): Full premium game purchases via Steam for PC, Mac, and Linux, as well as console versions for Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.
3. Plague Inc: The Board Game: Physical tabletop strategy board game for 2-5 players, sold through Kickstarter, BackerKit, and retail distribution.
4. Merchandise: Official branded merchandise including Plague Inc. t-shirts, plush toys (Neurax, Bioweapon, Nano-Virus characters), sold via Amazon and the company's own store.
5. Soundtrack Sales: Plague Inc. original soundtrack available for purchase via iTunes and Bandcamp.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ndemic Creations is an independent game studio that develops and publishes strategy simulation video games across mobile (iOS/Android), PC (Steam), and console (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch) platforms. Its flagship franchise, Plague Inc., tasks players with evolving a pathogen to infect and eradicate humanity, and is complemented by government and post-apocalyptic simulation titles (Rebel Inc., After Inc.) plus a physical board game, soundtrack, and licensed merchandise.

Product overview

Ndemic Creations is an independent game studio specializing in strategy and simulation games, primarily known for the Plague Inc. franchise. The portfolio consists of multiple distinct products across platforms: the flagship Plague Inc. mobile game and its PC evolved version with multiplayer; Plague Inc: The Cure offering an alternate perspective; the Plague Inc: The Board Game physical tabletop adaptation; and the Rebel Inc. series focused on post-conflict stabilization strategy. After Inc. represents the company's expansion into zombie survival and settlement management gameplay. Products are distributed across mobile (iOS/Android), PC (Steam), and console platforms, with merchandise and soundtracks as supplementary offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Plague Inc. Flagship pandemic simulation game franchise where players evolve pathogens to infect and eradicate humanity.
• Rebel Inc.
• After Inc.

Products and services

• Plague Inc. Flagship mobile strategy game where players evolve a pathogen to infect and eradicate humanity, featuring multiple disease types, country-specific transmission routes, and evolving symptoms. Targeted at individual strategy and simulation gamers on iOS and Android.
• Plague Inc: Evolved (PC) Enhanced PC version of Plague Inc. with competitive and co-op multiplayer modes, user-generated content support via Steam Workshop, improved 3D graphics, and over 65 million cumulative players. Targeted at PC strategy/simulation gamers.
• Plague Inc: Evolved (Console)
• Plague Inc: The Cure
• Plague Inc: The Board Game
• Rebel Inc.
• Rebel Inc: Escalation (PC)
• After Inc.
• Plague Inc. Original Soundtrack
• Plague Inc. Merchandise

Quantifiable outcome

• 65 million+ cumulative players across all Plague Inc. titles
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Kairosoft: Japanese indie studio specializing in bite-sized strategy and management simulation games (Game Dev Story, Mega Mall Story). Highly comparable to Ndemic in that both are independent studios focused on premium-priced simulation titles across mobile and PC.
• 11 bit studios: Polish developer of strategy games exploring societal and crisis themes (Frostpunk, This War of Mine). Comparable to Ndemic for blending strategic depth with real-world governance and survival themes, though operating at a larger scale.
• Introversion Software: UK-based independent studio behind Prison Architect and other simulation/strategy titles (Uplink, Darwinia). Closely comparable as a similarly sized British indie with a portfolio of simulation strategy franchises sold across multiple platforms.
• Positech Games: UK-based independent developer of strategy and simulation titles, most notably the Democracy series of governance/political simulation games. Highly comparable to Ndemic's Rebel Inc. in the governance simulation niche, and similarly small and founder-led.
• Zachtronics: Independent developer of engineering and strategy puzzle/simulation games (Opus Magnum, SpaceChem, Infinifactory). Comparable as an indie studio producing deep, single-player simulation experiences with strong replayability.
• Greenheart Games: Australian indie studio behind Game Dev Tycoon, a management simulation title about running a game studio. Comparable to Ndemic as a small independent studio operating in the simulation genre with a single breakout title.

Broad incumbents

• Paradox Interactive: Swedish publisher and developer of grand strategy and management games (Cities: Skylines, Stellaris, Crusader Kings). Comparable in strategy simulation category but operates at substantially larger scale with a broad portfolio across multiple subgenres.
• Firaxis Games: Developer of the Civilization and XCOM strategy franchises. Comparable to Ndemic in the strategy genre but operates as a large incumbent under 2K with significantly greater resources and a PC-first focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NdemicCreations
• Facebookfacebook.com/PlagueInc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ndemic Creations