Game: HSX

For those who prefer the online variety of entertainment, here is my main source of computer-based procrastination. It is a site called the Hollywood Stock Exchange (www.hsx.com). It is a free game that allows you to trade upcoming film projects and movie stars as if they were securities in the stock market.

Basically, the prices are meant to reflect box office returns. When a film opens, its stock price is adjusted to match its weekend gross earnings. After some time, the security will delist at its gross earnings total, and the "bonds" for all the film's stars will update in price as well. However, the majority of price movement (like any good stock market simulator) is dictated by transaction volume. So don't base your investment strategy solely on earnings; figuring out which projects are bound to attract the most interest among investors is a key to success.

Each account starts with $2 million in "Hollywood bucks". I've grown my account to over $30 mil in less than a year. If you have as much interest in the Hollywood development cycle as I do, and need a good source of online entertainment, give this underappreciated gem a try.

Categories: Games