How a video game has revolutionised the way farmers are buying tractors

Farming Simulator lets customers test out new trailers, balers and other machinery before buying the real thing

Tractors are commonly sold to farmers at agricultural fairs and announced in the trade press. But machinery makers are falling over themselves to get a slice of a much more unlikely advertising vehicle: the Farming Simulator video game.

The developers, Giants Software, now receive hundreds of queries a year from manufacturers of equipment - from tractors and combine harvesters to trailers, balers and seed drills - about how they can feature in the game, where players create their own virtual farm.