The impact of Corona in video games like The Witcher 3 or Minecraft – several “Long Covid” mods allow experiencing this. It sounds strange, but the idea behind it is important and aims to raise awareness.
Even though the Corona pandemic has been declared over in many countries, the effects of Covid are still felt by many. Whether through a reinfection or the so-called “Long Covid” – that is, long-term effects of the disease, which in many cases are chronic and result in significant reductions in quality of life.
However, Long Covid is often ridiculed because its effects are not known to everyone. Many think it is just “a bit of exhaustion” and that the consequences are not so drastic.
Yet Long Covid has drastic and permanent effects for millions of people worldwide. Less endurance, loss of the perception of time passing, the inability to concentrate, or simply a general reduction in performance, to name just a few possible consequences.
To help everyone better imagine how diverse and often severe the consequences of Long Covid can be, there are now 3 mods for some of the most popular games. Essentially, a new difficulty level that transfers the effects of “Long Covid” into the game world and makes it more tangible for anyone who does not suffer from it.
New Difficulty Level: Long Covid
In total, three modifications have been created for some of the most popular games ever. The mods let your character in Minecraft, Witcher III, or Elden Ring experience the effects of a Long Covid illness – this is essentially a completely new difficulty level with serious consequences.
Elden Ring
The already merciless Elden Ring becomes even harder with the “Long Covid Mode”. Some of the effects that occasionally occur (and of course always at the most annoying moment) include:
- Blackout: The character’s perception fades for a few moments.
- Poor memory: The character loses a random number of their runes.
- Intolerance to effort: When stamina is low, you must pause for 3-5 seconds.
In addition, several effects are permanently active:
- Fatigue: All movement is 25% slower.
- Exhaustion: Stamina regeneration in combat is significantly reduced.
- Cognitive dysfunction: Hitting enemies with spells and arrows is significantly more difficult.
- Joint pain: Charged attacks deal damage to your own character.
You can experience these and other effects in the “Long Covid Mode” (nexusmods.com) by Garden of Eyes.
Minecraft
For Minecraft, there is also a mod that simply makes the game harder and aims to illustrate the effects of Long Covid.
- Poor memory: Sometimes you simply forget items and leave them behind without noticing.
- Loss of time perception: Time sometimes passes without you noticing it.
- Reduced focus: Hitting an enemy with the bow becomes significantly harder.
- Digestive problems: Sometimes it hurts when you eat food.
- Insomnia: You lie awake in bed longer before the stroke sets in.
- Restricted lung capacity: Underwater explorations become harder, breath doesn’t last as long.
Link to the Minecraft mod “Long Covid Mode” (curseforge.com) by Saint Elmo’s.
The Witcher 3
In Witcher 3, there is a new system with different phases of exertion. The effects start off quite mild and tolerable but increase with further phases, and previous symptoms become more intense. Some of the negative influences are:
- Level 1
- Stamina regenerates slower and depletes faster.
- Diving becomes harder as breath doesn’t last as long.
- If Geralt’s stamina reaches zero, he is briefly stunned and must recover.
- Level 2
- Food can drain health points instead of restoring them.
- Level 3
- Geralt’s witcher senses are sometimes disabled, causing certain clues to be missed.
- Level 4
- The witcher senses are permanently disabled.
- Every time the inventory is opened, one item is left behind.
Here’s the link to the “Long Covid Mode” (nexusmods.com) for The Witcher 3 by Stellar7Project.
What is the purpose behind these mods? Awareness. The patient network “Long COVID Europe” and the advertising agency Saint Elmo’s aim to increase awareness of Long Covid and the diversity of the effects of the disease. A broader understanding of this condition should arise in society, and more people should get an idea of what the impacts of the long-term consequences of a Covid infection can be.
What do you think of this initiative? A good and interesting way to draw playful attention to a serious topic? Or does something like this not belong in games?
