Informatist is a free online business simulation game which does not require subscription. This multiplayer game (MMOG) serves as a hypothetical simulation in which a player can attempt to be successful in the stock market and business world. Based on business simulations, Informatist combines capitalistic interests with information about the world, called "info". By learning information about city residents and conditions, this business simulation game is conducted not simply on capitalistic terms to succeed, but as "a business owner must care about people", too.

This simulation game sometimes referred to as a boutique MMOG because it works on a smaller scale than huge MMOGs like World of Warcraft, works on Linux, Windows or Mac platforms and does not require any download. It is primarily a text-based in browser game.

The currency of Informatist business simulation game is euro (€) and is currently available in English, Chinese and Lithuanian, with players of all three languages playing the game together. As Informatist grows, it is expected to be translated into more languages than the three it currently supports.

Informatist has been recommended for students as an educational business simulation and is used in several schools as a part of Business Studies and Economics.

Gameplay
In the persistent world of Informatist, action is set in Kaunas City, Lithuania and the districts for rent and land for sale are actual properties and districts in Kaunas City, Lithuania.

The player begins by creating a simple business (an enterprise), transferring money from a personal, virtual account to the new enterprise. The goal of this business simulation game is to reach top Informatist status while building an empire and competing against players who have this common goal. Rules emulate the real world, with the laws of supply and demand in effect. There are 16 areas of business to choose from in Informatist. Unregistered guests can play but cannot participate in the stock market, make investments, establish a joint stock company, or play in the land lottery.

Players can work with fellow players who own businesses that are not in the same field, and compete against the players who are in the same line of business. Potential Informatists can band together to create a Joint Stock Company, or JSC, which can help them grow faster than starting a stand-alone business.

Players can either start their own JSC or invest in another player's, trying out the stock market for themselves.

For those who think that business in this business simulation game is not being conducted fairly, there is a court system for grievances. Eleven players are chosen randomly to serve on the jury (in return of a small reward in return) and come back with a verdict. The majority opinion of the jury wins.

Structure of Businesses
The players of Informatist can locate their business in any of the 35 real-life districts of Kaunas City, each of which conducts certain types of business. A residence does not count as land. Land can be auctioned, with a beginning price of no more than 50 times the original purchase price.

Six types of employees can work in this business simulation game: assistants, laborers, clerks, managers, engineers or scientists. Each new business gets an allotment of each type of worker, based on the needs of that particular industry. The new business owner sets salaries and number of workers wanted, and the game resets employees for all businesses in that industry, according to average salary. Clerks, laborers and assistants are called the "Workforce" while managers, engineers and scientists are called the "Brainforce." The Brainforce can make the company twice as strong. The strength of the Brainforce makes each company different based on each situation and is also one of the key strategic points of this business game.

Each of the 16 fields has 16 special skills. When a company learns a new skill, a better pool of employees becomes available to it in the game. Skills can be paid for by companies at the Learning Center. Along with having money to learn a skill, players must have new information about an area or customers, contributing to the "Informatist" (information) aspect of this simulation game.

Money in the Game
Money in Informatist business simulation game is taxed at Lithuanian rates of 33% of employee’s salaries. Players can choose to "veil" the tax, by paying a smaller percentage than what they actually owe -- but what they save is the percentage chance that they will be caught. If they veil 50% of the tax and only pay half, there is a 50% chance that they'll get caught doing so. The fine for being caught is 10 times the (?) If an enterprise's debt falls below -20,000€, the company goes bankrupt, and if a joint company's debt falls below -40,000€ it bankrupts. A player bankrupts if his personal account reaches -15,000€.

Opportunities to Invest
Joint stock companies issue shares that start at the value of 5€. The total worth of the business, or authorized capital, is divided by five and determines the number of shares issued. Stock shares are limited to selling for five times the base stock price of that company. Anyone can buy shares in another JSC in this business simulation game; players can make bids when there are no stock offers on the table, which all stockholders have the chance to accept or reject. The person at the head of a JSC makes the everyday decisions such as employees, salaries, taxes, dividends, and the business field. As a JSC becomes more profitable, the shares become more expensive to buy and more profitable to sell.

Joint stock companies are created when two or more players pool their assets and create a company together. Stocks can be issued, the JSC can be sold, and new owners can be brought in just as in the real corporate world in Informatist business game. JSCs can be created in the fields of agriculture; pharmacy; mechanics, equipment; retail; dining; transport, logistics; advertising, publishing; leisure, recreation; medicine; Information Technology; food industry; light industry; construction; real-estate; heavy industry; or finance/insurance.



Updates
The developers of Informatist passed on the game to new admin Fred Xue at the start of 2007 and Fred Xue and the games rewrite in asp.net is currently in beta stage testing. A prodcution server for the new Informatist engine can be found at http://new.informatist.net. New features include - new districts (located around the world, new currencies, new import.export market, new lottery, new 'product' concept for businesses as well as many other more subtle improvements.