Reminded me of an excerpt of "La Révolution des fourmis" ("The Revolution of the Ants", 1996) by the french writer Bernard Werber, in which students run such a

Reminded me of an excerpt of "La Révolution des fourmis" ("The Revolution of the Ants", 1996) by the french writer Bernard Werber, in which students run such a simulation (named InfraWorld), until "simulated scientists" uncover the truth of their condition, leading to mass hysteria and eventually the collapse of their civilization...