Business simulation games^[1][2], or economic simulation games,^[3][4] are games that simulate a real-world, historical, or hypothetical economy or business. The interest in these games lies in accurate simulation of real-world events using algorithms^[5], as well as the close tying of players' actions to expected or plausible consequences and outcomes.^[5][6] An important facet of economic simulations is the emergence of artificial systems, gameplay and structures.^[7] "Pure" business simulations have been described as construction and management simulations without a construction element,^[2] and can thus be called management simulations.^[2] Indeed, micromanagement is often emphasized in these kinds of games. They are essentially numeric, but try to hold the player's attention by using creative graphics.^[2]

There are many games in this genre which have been designed around numerous different enterprises. Theme Park World can be called a business simulation because the goal of the game is to attract customers and make profits, but the game also involves a building aspect that makes it a construction and management simulation.^[2] This genre also includes many of the "Tycoon" games such as Railroad Tycoon^[1] and Big Biz Tycoon.^[4] Other notable business simulation games include Air Bucks^[3] and The Movies.^[8]

Trevor Chan is a notable developer of business simulation games,^[9] having developed Capitalism which has been called the best business simulation game.^[1] Besides Capitalism, another notable pure business simulation is Hollywood Mogul.^[2]

Real-world applications

Due to the fact that economic simulations simulate real-world systems, they can often be very educational.^[10] Some benefits of simulations are that they permit students to experience and test themselves in situations before encountering them in real life^[11], that they permit students to experiment and test hypotheses^[11][12], and that subjects seem more "real" to them than when taught passively from the blackboard.^[11] They are also used extensively in the professional world to train workers in the financial industries^[13][14] and management^[14], and to study economic models^[15] (an association of professionals, ABSEL, exists for the sole purpose of promoting their use^[13]), with some simulations having in excess of 10,000 variables.^[15] Economic simulations have even been used in experiments, such as those done by Donald Broadbent on learning and cognition that revealed how people often have an aptitude for mastering systems without necessarily comprehending the underlying principles.^[16] Other games are used to study the behavior of consumers.^[17]

One interesting aspect of economic simulations in education is the problem of ethics or morality. Should students be instructed to behave ethically within the game, or should they focus their efforts on streamlining tasks related to running the business? The quandary, here, lies in that such efforts can be, at times, at cross-purposes with each other.^[18]

History

An early economic sim by Dan (Danielle) Bunten, M.U.L.E., foreshadowed events that would transpire later in video gaming history, especially in the MMOG market, with regard to player cooperation and simulated economies.^[19] The game was Electronic Arts' most highly awarded game, despite selling only 30,000 copies.^[20]

See also

• List of simulation video games

References

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