The background history for Traveller: 2300 was developed over the course of 1985-86 using a grand social-political-economic-military-diplomatic simulation known fondly here as The Game.
http://www.waynesbooks.com/TheGame.html
The Game was the center of attention for the GDW design staff for nearly six months (late 1985 to early 1986).
http://stalexone.tripod.com/gg2/2300game.htm
Again T2k came out in the summer of 1985 so predates The Game which was based on the Twilight 2000 world.