Pathogenesis

About this board game

Pathogenesis is a deck-building game for 1–4 players, with games lasting about 60 minutes, in which players take the roles of bacterial pathogens attacking the human body.

Built around 100% real science, the game uses mechanics created to mimic how real biology works. It was developed in partnership with scientific illustrator somersault1824, bringing a scientifically grounded concept to the deck-building genre.

Players familiar with popular deck builders will find a recognizable foundation, while Pathogenesis develops those ideas into something distinctly its own. During development, its mechanics evolved and mutated into a game centered on the biology of infection and the immune system.

• Solo play for a single player
• Cooperative play for working together
• Competitive play for direct opposition
• Team play for shared sides and objectives

No knowledge of science is required to play, making the game approachable even if you do not have a background in biology. At the same time, it was developed to enhance learning about the immune system at the college level.

Whether approached as a deck-building game or as a science-based exploration of bacterial pathogens, Pathogenesis offers several ways to play across its solo, cooperative, competitive, and team modes.