I don't really *want* my video games to be serious

...but the idea is a neat one: video games that mimic the complexity of real-life situations, allowing players to begin to see how difficult it can be to sort out the "right" answer in a tangled political situation like the current Middle East.

“The beauty of the game is that players can teach themselves by trying things out,” Mr. Marovic said. The game includes a disclaimer pointing out that not all tactics will work as well in the real world. But “people will learn certain principles,” he said, “like why to start with gentler tactics first and move to more aggressive ones only after you have popular support.”

Educational? Strategic brainstorming? (Ender's Game, anyone?) Limited by their creators' understandings of the rules? Still, neat conjunction of energies.

(via Follow Me Here)