Virtonomics

Virtonomics
Web address	virtonomics.com
Slogan	Business is a game!
Registration	Required
Available in	Chinese English French German Russian Spanish Ukrainian
Owner	Gamerflot Trading LTD
Created by	Virtonomics Team
Launched	May 30, 2009
Alexa rank	116,982 (April 2014)[1]

Virtonomics is a massively multiplayer online, turn-based, persistent, browser-based, business simulation game developed by Gamerflot Trading, published by UAB Marilana and launched in 2009. At the end of 2013, the game had over a million registered players. About 40% of users are casual gamers, and 60% of users use the game to learn the basics of business management. Business schools and universities use Virtonomics as an educational tool.

Gameplay

Virtonomics resembles Trevor Chan's business simulation game Capitalism 2.^[2][3] It simulates the basic principles and processes of businesses in a competitive environment.^[4] There are no predefined victory or failure conditions, and the game does not end. Players define their own end goals for the game, and try to achieve them by using strategy and tactics. Typically, the main goal is to build a successful business amidst competition.

In order to efficiently emulate international business environment, Virtonomics consists of 4 simulated environments - business, economic, social, and political.

Business environment is a multilayered simulation that contains main processes of business and company management:

• Supply chain management
• Purchase management
• Marketing
• Production management
• HR management
• Finance management
• R&D
• Strategic management
• Analysis and decision making
• Business planning
• Infrastructure management

The purpose of this complex simulation is not only to allow players to develop their specific managerial skills, but also to see the business as a whole.

Economic environment is a multidimensional simulation made by combining these 3 elements:

• Geography - 33 countries and 300 cities of various sizes forms an international business environment.
• Economic diversity - 25 different industries, 204 products, 141 different companies and subsidiaries enabling players to engage in agriculture, exploitation of natural resources, manufacturing, trade, foreign exchange market trade, power industry, etc.^[5]
• Virtual economy - main economy forming factors are decisions made by players. There is no linear scenario, algorithm, or final destination that effects economy of the game.

Social environment. Virtonomics is an MMO (massively multiplayer online) game, and players mainly interact with each other, rather than a computer-controlled opponent. This rewards players' communication skills and their ability to analyze and predict the behavior of the crowd.

Political environment. Players can form their political parties within the game and run for the post of mayor in a chose city or governor in chosen region. This allows a possibility to make even greater effect on economic conditions within the game.

Game mechanics

Virtonomics is a turn-based game, and each turn lasts for lasts 24 hours. An average amount of time spent by players in the game varies from 15 to 60 minutes a day. In 2014, the developers released a "fast realm", a game server, where duration of one turn is 60 minutes, was designed for players interested in short-term business training. This fast realm was specifically created for business schools, consulting companies and business training organizers. At the beginning of a game, the player is given the opportunity to start their own virtual company and to develop it, competing with the other players. The player receives a starting amount of virtual currency at the beginning of a game. Virtual money is used to pay for in-game expenses and investments. It can be gained by selling products and services to other players and the population.

History

A prototype of Virtonomics was released in 2004, and it ran as a non-commercial project for a few years. On 11 December 2006, an updated version of the game was released in the Russian language. The game was named by Game World Navigator as the best economic online game a year later.^[2][3] The game entered the global market in 2009 with a freemium model, and was translated to several other languages. Some universities and business schools have used the game business simulation Virtonomics as a training tool.^[6]

Virtonomics is developed by GamerFlot Trading Ltd.

Community

At the end of 2013, Virtonomics had over a million registered users. Of these, 40% were Russian-speaking users, 30% were English-speaking users, 15% were Spanish-speaking users. The remaining 15% were Chinese-, French- and German-speaking users.

References

External links

• Virtonomics official website
• Virtonomics FAQ
• Virtonomics Tutorial
• Virtonomics in IMAGINE (Increasing Mainstreaming of Games In Learning Policies)