Board Game Arena

I have just gotten wind of the fact that the video game version of our beloved Pandemic was removed from Steam and multiple online stores. https://kotaku.com/pandemic-digital-boa ... 1848369684 If that is the case, I wonder if the BGA version of the game would also be removed from the site for some (presumably rights-contract-NDA-related) reason.

Does anybody know anything about the fate of the game on this site?

Thanks,
a concerned player

Notably, this also happened with Splendor and Agricola before the respective BGA implementations appeared.

I think in all 3 cases, the following trend appears in close to this order:

1) Asmodee Digital remakes/"upgrades" the existing, working version of the iOS/Android/Steam app
2) The "upgrade" is actually a downgrade and reduces functionality of the game, is buggy, no clear improvements, etc.
3) BGA creates the best-yet digital version of the game
4) App gets delisted from iOS/Android/Steam

Sadly the apps tend to have expansions not available online. But even if you pay in app for expansions it is hard to find others that have purchased. Then app is delisted and the $ you spent is gone.

Delisting of video game versions can be a bummer, especially when it comes to beloved titles like CS2. It's always a mix of nostalgia and concern for fans when they hear about a game going off the market.

However, the good news is that it can often lead to the emergence of fan communities dedicated to keeping the game alive, mods, and sometimes even remakes. So while it's a bit uncertain, there's often hope for the future.