The infection returns with Pandemic: Hot Zone – Europe this July

While we may have had our fill of virus-related media in the past year, we can always appreciate another installment of the popular Pandemic franchise (the board game, not the… actual thing). Asmodee and Z-Man Games announced that Pandemic: Hot Zone – Europe will head to store shelves on July 9, which will feature the same streamlined co-op gameplay of last year’s North America iteration featuring European territories.

Asmodee and Z-Man Games today officially announced Pandemic: Hot Zone – Europe, the next installment of the Pandemic: Hot Zone series, will hit store shelves on July 9 for a suggested retail price of $19.99 USD. Z-Man also revealed Pandemic: Hot Zone – Europe is now available on Z-Man’s website as a free PDF download, available to anyone who wants to play.

Pandemic: Hot Zone is a spinoff series designed to be a shorter, more portable, version of the best-selling Pandemic board game. In Pandemic: Hot Zone – Europe, players team-up against diseases threatening the continent, traveling from city-to-city treating local populations, preventing outbreaks, and sharing research across their team. Each character possesses a unique ability that must be strategically deployed to save the world. For an extra challenge, players can add Mutation cards, or mix and match components with other Pandemic: Hot Zone games to create a fresh experience each time they play.

Pandemic: Hot Zone – Europe also introduces “Hemisphere” rules that combine Hot Zone – Europe and Pandemic: Hot Zone – North America for a more challenging experience. Those who are up for the challenge can download the Hemisphere rules, along with instructions on how to combine their physical board games, for free on Z-Man’s website here.

Pandemic: Hot Zone – Europe Key Features:
• Shorter, more portable version of the best-selling cooperative game Pandemic.
• Second title in the Pandemic: Hot Zone series with unique Europe board.
• Players work together to discover cures to 3 diseases, winning or losing as a team.
• Mutation cards can be added to increase difficulty.
• Components can be mixed and matched with other Pandemic: Hot Zone games.
• Supports 2-4 players with games lasting approximately 30 minutes.

With everything going on in the world, and an eye towards understanding the sensitivities of launching a Pandemic board game in 2021, Matt Leacock and Steve Kimball, series creator and Z-Man’s Head of Studio respectively, share their thoughts on developing and releasing Pandemic: Hot Zone – Europe in a blog here.

Check out our review of Pandemic: Hot Zone – North America, and stay tuned for more news here on Gaming Trend.