The second, duller piece is Vivendi Environment, which accounts for around half of the group's turnover and 60% of its profits, but which does not have the potential of the media and telecoms arm.

ECONOMIST: Vodafone/Vivendi/Mannesmann

"Despite a challenging economic environment, all Vivendi subsidiaries reached their outlook in 2012, " said chairman Jean-Francois Dubos in a statement.

BBC: Vivendi profits fall as SFR revenues drop

Unlike the expansive microcosms of Linden Lab's "Second Life" or Vivendi's "World of Warcraft, " In-Q-Tel's digital environment will likely be a single room, designed to function as a virtual meeting place for U.S. intelligence agencies, according to a Forterra spokesman.

FORBES: Building The Feds' Virtual War Room