Pandemic Simulator

Players of Minecraft Bedrock enjoy significant advantages during these challenging times. Being indoors while having vast virtual worlds at their fingertips feels almost like possessing superpowers. However, despite all the opportunities available, adhering to social distancing can be difficult for some players. Many do not fully grasp the importance of this measure, which is why Minecraft builders have created a map illustrating how staying home can help curb the epidemic and why it stands as one of the most effective strategies.

Blockdown simulator was developed by the team at AKQA to illustrate the impact of a virus on various sectors by personifying the spread of disease through infectious zombie inhabitants. As its name suggests, this simulator is designed to educate players about the effects of a pandemic, its implications for the healthcare system, and how social measures can alleviate its consequences. It is not an accurate model of Covid-19 but rather a simulation aimed at explaining the situation in a playful manner. The best part is that access to the map is completely free. You can download the Java version here.

“We decided to leverage our capabilities to make a model of social distancing accessible to everyone,” explains Joseph, one of the map’s co-authors, “especially for young people who may find it challenging to adapt to the measures in place.”

“Minecraft has proven to be an excellent platform to illustrate social distancing in a more tangible way,” adds Hugo, another co-author of the map. By releasing the simulator Blockdown, we hope to engage players in discussions about pressing issues, while highlighting their positive aspects.” In Blockdown, you can either take on the role of an observer or actively participate as a nurse. The map is not tied to any specific game mode, but using creative mode is recommended to ensure that all simulated scenarios are accurate. You can choose different event outcomes: quarantine, complete lockdown, or freedom.

The map is divided into two levels. The primary area is a village inhabited by rural residents. At the center stands a tower with an observation deck, featuring numerous levers and buttons indicating their functions. This tower serves more than just an aesthetic purpose; it simulates an outbreak of disease through the spawning of villagers and zombie villagers, allowing you to manage houses and oversee the village’s life from there.

By toggling the levers, thereby restricting the villagers’ lives, players can influence the rate at which the virus spreads. Infected individuals are sent to hospitals—this constitutes the second level of the map. The hospital is located beneath the village, accessible only via an elevator. Here, players must treat and monitor infected villagers. Several advanced technologies are available for this purpose: zombie intensive care units (ZICUs) and smart machines that transport the infected through hatches on the surface. Upon arrival, zombie villagers are sprayed with a weakening potion, which is part of the initial treatment phase. To ensure maximum realism, only one zombie can be in the intensive care unit at a time. The rest depends on the player, who must provide golden apples to all patients for their full recovery. Once a zombie villager transforms back into a human, they are discharged from the hospital and sent home.

«Blockdown will always remain in beta, — states Hugo. If you are a developer in Minecraft, an explorer, or simply a mechanic, feel free to build, hack, or even redesign it. We would love to see how it evolves into a more refined and realistic simulator.»