Video games that simulate ecosystems and environmental interactions often incorporate elements analogous to non-living environmental components. These games allow players to manipulate variables such as temperature, water availability, and sunlight, observing the impact on simulated plant and animal life. For example, a strategy game might task players with managing a virtual environment, where failing to provide adequate water resources leads to crop failure and population decline.
The incorporation of these environmental elements enhances the realism and strategic depth of gameplay. Players gain an understanding of how changes in non-biological factors can profoundly affect the biological components of an environment. Historically, these types of interactive simulations have been used in educational contexts to illustrate ecological principles, but they also add complexity and emergent gameplay to entertainment-focused titles.
