LOS ANGELES (AP) — The grim future predicted in a video game that’s been played for 10 years has surprised even the game’s original creator.

“Civilization” mastermind Sid Meier says that he never fathomed someone would play the 1996 society simulator “Civilization II” for 10 years, or that it could result in melted polar ice caps and 90 percent of the virtual world’s population dead by the year 3991.