Grand Theft Banking

The next instalment of the popular computer game Grand Theft Auto is out today (or, for you really hardcore gamers, midnight yesterday). Its launch prompts me to consider how gaming could help finance, beyond the extra carry from all of those copies of the game bought on credit cards. So how about this: design a game that's the financial system. It has deposit takers, hedge funds, investment banks, pension funds, the lot. It has a diversity of different asset classes too with real time prices. It also has shareholders, depositors, deposit protection, regulation, the interbank market, whatever you want. Your mission, player, is to set the regulations to prevent bubbles, protect depositors, allow moderate growth, and prevent moral hazard. Covertly of course the BIS will be monitoring your progress and any really good ideas get put into Basel 3.