Epidemic diseases have broken out all over the world, for which you can only find a cure through special missions and research.
The game board has the most densely populated cities, which you can visit every turn to heal people, develop an antidote, or build a research station. You take up the fight with cards, but these decks also contain Epidemic cards, which influence and accelerate the spread of the virus.

The 2013 edition of Pandemic also includes two new role cards.