Ndemic Creations brought Plague Inc: Evolved out of Early Access on 18 February 2016, rebuilding the 2012 mobile game with a larger world map, custom scenarios and Steam Workshop support. You seed one of seven standard plague types in a single country and spend DNA points across Transmission, Symptoms and Abilities until every country on Earth is infected. The cure runs on its own clock funded by wealthy nations, so the entire game is a race between an infection curve you control and a research bar you can only slow.
Plague Inc: Evolved features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | All difficulties, recommended default | Fast air spread, land borders and a slow detection curve | Virus |
| 2 | India | All difficulties, high population start | Very fast raw infection numbers and cheap DNA income | Virus |
| 3 | China | All difficulties, balanced start | Population volume plus international connections | Bacteria |
| 4 | South Africa | All difficulties, island focused start | Early sea routes toward Madagascar and the southern islands | Bacteria |
| 5 | Greenland | Challenge start, expert only | The hardest legitimate opening in the standard game | Bacteria |
Saudi Arabia: Starting Area
The standard opener because it carries heavy air and sea traffic while being hot and arid enough to slow early detection. It also borders several land routes, which means a single well placed plague touches three continents quickly.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | All difficulties, recommended default |
| Key Rewards | Fast air spread, land borders and a slow detection curve |
| Recommended Build | Virus |
| Key Equipment | Water 2 |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of DNA points and bubble popping. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to India.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
India: Early Game
Hot, humid, poor and enormous, which makes it a fast infection base with weak healthcare working in your favour. The trade is that wealthy nations stay clean longer, so the cure clock starts later but the islands are further away.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | All difficulties, high population start |
| Key Rewards | Very fast raw infection numbers and cheap DNA income |
| Recommended Build | Virus |
| Key Equipment | Water 2 |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Transmission, Symptoms and Abilities trees. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Water 2 if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in China.
China: Mid Game
A huge population with strong air and sea links, useful when you want both infection volume and reach from a single country. Its climate range means resistances matter earlier than in a purely hot start.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | All difficulties, balanced start |
| Key Rewards | Population volume plus international connections |
| Recommended Build | Bacteria |
| Key Equipment | Water 2 |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Air 2 becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Mutation and devolving for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
South Africa: Late Game
A start with both airports and seaports plus a southern position that reaches the countries most runs leave until last. It is the pragmatic answer when a previous attempt died with Madagascar still grey.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | All difficulties, island focused start |
| Key Rewards | Early sea routes toward Madagascar and the southern islands |
| Recommended Build | Bacteria |
| Key Equipment | Air 2 |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Air 2 should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Genes chosen before the run mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Greenland.
Greenland: Endgame
A deliberate challenge start rather than an efficient one. Cold, tiny, isolated and quick to close its single port, it demands Cold Resistance and Water transmission before the plague has produced meaningful DNA.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Challenge start, expert only |
| Key Rewards | The hardest legitimate opening in the standard game |
| Recommended Build | Bacteria |
| Key Equipment | Air 2 |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Bio-Weapon for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Saudi Arabia → India → China → South Africa → Greenland. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Plague Inc: Evolved Guides
- Plague Inc: Evolved Plague Inc: Evolved Overview
- Plague Inc: Evolved Best Builds
- Plague Inc: Evolved Tier List
- Plague Inc: Evolved Walkthrough
- Plague Inc: Evolved Beginner's Guide
- Plague Inc: Evolved Tips & Tricks
- Plague Inc: Evolved Weapons Guide
- Plague Inc: Evolved Combat Guide
- Plague Inc: Evolved Boss Guide
- Plague Inc: Evolved Crafting Guide
- Plague Inc: Evolved Classes & Characters
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