Wall Street Raider: The Unlikely Revival of a Complex Economic Simulation Game

Wall Street Raider, a complex economic simulation game, was first conceived by Michael Jenkins in 1967. The game was initially envisioned as a detailed simulation of American capitalism, allowing players to buy and sell corporations, issue stocks, and engage in mergers and acquisitions.

Michael Jenkins worked on the game for 16 years before he got a personal computer Kaypro in 1983. He wrote the game's code in Microsoft Basic, a language he learned from a book by Bill Gates. The game's development was a labor of love for Jenkins, who often worked on it late at night, a period he called 'fits of rationality'.

Despite the game's complexity and the challenges it posed, Jenkins continued to work on it, even leaving his legal and accounting practice in 1986 to focus on Wall Street Raider. The game's revival in 2024 by Ben Ward marks a new chapter in its history, showcasing the enduring appeal of this unique economic simulation game.