From video game to day job: How 'SimCity' inspired a generation of city planners

Los Angeles Times 

Jason Baker was studying political science at UC Davis when he got his hands on "SimCity." He took a careful approach to the computer game. "I was not one of the players who enjoyed Godzilla running through your city and destroying it. I enjoyed making my city run well." This conscientious approach gave him a boost in a class on local government.