Another example of the closing gap between the worlds of gaming and grown-up simulation is the decision in May by Digital Sandbox, a supplier of simulation software to America's defence department, to set up a consumer division to make computer games.

ECONOMIST: Serious games

The engine exists now as a digital simulation, a million lines of code.

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With its military contacts, expertise in anti-terrorism and combat simulation, and all its detailed models of the effects of various weapons, Digital Sandbox realised that it was in a good position to diversify into extremely realistic computer games.

ECONOMIST: Serious games