This story appears in the
December 2000 issue of
Startups.
Subscribe »
What can a video game possibly teach you about running a
business? For one thing, it can teach you to read up on the rules
of the game. The first time I played Monte Cristo Multimedia's
Start Up 2000 ($29.99, www.montecristogames.com), I didn't bother
reading the in-struction manual. About 15 minutes into the game
(after making what I thought were some pretty smart decisions), I
saw my virtual business go up in smoke. So I tried again-same
outcome. This is what happens in real business if you don't do
your research, only in real life you lose real money.
Start Up 2000 allows you to control every aspect of business you
would have to deal with in a real company, from deciding on the
quality and price of the parts in your product to hiring and firing
employees based on their performance. The start center is your
virtual office and allows you to read updated reports on the
company as well as receive up-to-the-minute news reports of the
events that affect your business and your industry. You can
customize the logo and company name and choose between three
high-tech industries.
And just because it's a game doesn't mean it won't
make you deal with real variables, like being the victim of a
hostile takeover or being cheated by the "Vulture
Capitalists" that funded you. You're also competing with
other high-tech start-ups in the same field, so you have to
maintain your cutting edge. I never did make it past the first 15
minutes . . . guess that's why I just write about
technology.