Hi, I've been a reader of OpenDemocracy since I was a student in 2001 but I'm registered with my real name so I've created a new account to post with.

I'm always interested in games that have an educational element as I personally played a lot of such games when I was a teenager and I think I did actually learn something from them.

I wanted to know what people's thoughts are on the idea of using online communities and especially simulation-based games as a way to get young people interested in politics and international affairs.

Back in November I came across a new concept which I've been involved in over the last couple of months calledErepublik.

There's an interview with the game's creator in the Guardian which you can read here: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/digitalcontent/2008/02/elevator_pitch_erepublik_offer.html

Sure, it's a game, and the main purpose is to be fun, and like any large communities you get a mixed bag of people, but despite that I think there is potential to use the game as a way of getting young people interested in world political and economic issues that otherwise would not be interested in such things.

What do others think about the merits of using games in such a way? Do people here know of any similar such experiments or concepts?