Okay, we get it, the universe is punishing us for implying that we've seen the oddest possible simulator game concepts. We say this after seeing the announcement from Ultimate Games for Pope Simulator, which will be released for PC on Steam, offering the chance to become a virtual pontiff. They don't know exactly when to expect to see the white smoke for this, but it does say it's "coming soon." Here's a trailer and here are some blessed details:

Ultimate Games S.A. has unveiled the trailer and the first details about Pope Simulator, a game that will allow players to step into the shoes of a pope. It will distinguish itself by its realism and great focus on political and strategic elements. As the Polish company explains, the works on the new simulator are currently at a very early stage.

Pope Simulator will allow players to head the largest religious institution in the world – the Catholic Church. The new release in the publishing portfolio of Ultimate Games S.A. is to be a realistic game focused on politics and strategy.

“The works on the game are at a very preliminary stage, and the first trailer has been released for illustrative purposes. However, Pope Simulator is certainly a unique project demonstrating a serious approach to the subject and intended to offer players a lot of freedom and great opportunities to implement their own vision of papal activity in the virtual world” – says Mateusz Zawadzki, CEO of Ultimate Games S.A.

As the preliminary information provided by Ultimate Games S.A. indicates, the game will allow the players to face the broadly understood issues troubling the modern world. It will offer, among others, vast possibilities of influencing the fate of the world, conducting evangelistic activities and pilgrimages.

“The Pope has no military or economic power behind him, but he has other means of influencing the world, which was evident in the 1980s, for example, when the communist system in Poland collapsed. Our idea assumes the possibility to use, among others, the so-called soft power, and – consequently – influence the fate of the world and interfere in international politics. All this, of course, in accordance with the vision adopted by the player” – explains Mateusz Zawadzki.

So far, Ultimate Games S.A. has not revealed the expected release date and whether the game will only hit PC or other platforms as well.

Pope Simulator – main features:

• influence the fate of the world;
• use soft power;
• organise pilgrimages around the world;
• help and support humanity;
• strategically manage the Vatican’s influence;
• fight for world peace;
• carry out evangelistic activities.