Maxis had gone down the multiplayer road to make the simulation more realistic by letting cities in the same virtual landscapes share elements such as pollution, crime and resources such as coal, she said.

BBC: SimCity players offered free EA game

The scientists said that according to a simulation, the road would cause the wildebeest population to fall from 1.3 million to fewer than 300, 000.

BBC: Scientists urge rethink of Serengeti road plans