With PlayStation Plus’s latest PS Plus Extra game due September 2023, many have questioned whether the arrival of Civilization 6 foreshadows the official announcement of Civilization 7. It’s not official yet, but it wouldn’t be unprecedented for PS Plus to use it to help build hype ahead of an upcoming release.

PlayStation Plus’ recently announced September extra games include Civilization 6, which could be particularly interesting in light of the recently confirmed status of Civilization 7 development. The announcement was fairly low-key, and many believe the move is intended to build excitement ahead of the official announcement. Of course, this is only conjecture, but PS Plus has used this tactic before in the promotion of upcoming games.

Gamers may be interested to know that the full list of games included in the PS Plus Extra Pack, which will arrive on 19 September 2023, includes 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Call of the Sea, Civilization 6, Cloudpunk, Contra: Rogue Corps, NieR Replicant ver.1 .22474487139…, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir, PAW Patrol The Movie: Adventure City Calls, Planet Coaster: Sniper: Console Edition, Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2, Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness, Star Ocean: The Divine Force, Tails Noir, This War of Mine: Final Cut, Unpacking and West of Dead. While the list includes many anticipated games, Civilization 6 stands out among them.

The inclusion of Civilzation 6 in PS Plus offerings to herald Civilzation 7 would not be unprecedented. In the past, PS Plus has used similar tactics, such as before the announcement of Battlefield 2042, when Battlefield 5 was added to the lineup. Other examples include God of War Ragnarok, which was included in the 2018 God of War free selection a few months before its release, and Need for Speed Heat, which was added to the bundle shortly before the launch of Need for Speed Unbound.

Of course, not all PS Plus game bundles bring similar predictions, especially for Extra or Premium games. However, Civilization 6 bears some similarities to Battlefield and Need for Speed titles in this respect. In both cases, pre-announcement rumours were extremely active, and while there have been few rumours about the development of Civilization 7 so far, fans are aware of the game’s development.

This situation has some parallels with the early marketing for Civilization 6, which didn’t show much in the announcement trailer, and then the marketing activity quickly ramped up and the game was released later that year. Civilzation 7 is obviously not at such an advanced stage, but like the rumours, it has already generated a lot of interest and discussion.

We might see an unexpected trailer on an upcoming Tuesday, or perhaps we’ll get more information at The Game Awards 2023. If this PS Plus extra pack is indeed a prequel to Civilization 7, then fans will be excited for the coming months. Of course, it could all just be a big coincidence and we’ll have to wait until 2024 for official news on Civilzation 7. However, loyal followers of the franchise will no doubt be eagerly awaiting the unveiling of the next instalment.

Source: Gamerant