PREVIEW – Welcome to a new era of strategy games: Civilization 7 shakes things up and brings the biggest reboot the series has ever seen. Sid Meier’s crown jewel declared a revolution at Gamescom 2024 while preserving everything that makes Civ so unique and special.

Civilization 7 has arrived—or “Civ 7” to the fans—and with it, the king of strategy games returns, a title that shook the genre to its core back in 1991. During a nearly 30-minute presentation at Gamescom 2024, it became clear that this crown jewel is in better shape than ever. Two things stood out: the many changes make it impossible for even veteran players to skip the tutorials, and Sid Meier and the Firaxis team have managed to completely overhaul the game while retaining everything that makes Civ so unique.

Neighborhoods, Districts, and the Art of City Building

“Just one more turn, and I’m done.” This is perhaps the greatest self-deception players tell themselves, even though they know they’ll continue for hours. Civilization has perfected that unique magic that transforms a complex game filled with menus, mechanics, and options into an experience that’s easy to grasp.

Let’s take stock of the changes: Civilization 6 brought a plethora of new features. The district system and city specialization were among the most notable innovations, adding depth and customization to city building. Then came the “Unique Agendas,” which made diplomatic interactions with leaders more distinct. We also encountered new mechanics like religious victory—a fan favorite—and dynamic terrain changes that had to be considered in both military and economic strategies.

But this time, the changes go even further: only 35% of what was seen in Civilization 6 remains. For example, rivers are now navigable, which affects not only trade and diplomacy but also warfare. Overall, there’s now more freedom in managing cities. You could say that districts are now an integral part of the city center.

Instead of a straightforward division, there is now a much more complex system involving urban and rural districts, each with its unique characteristics. Urban districts can host up to two buildings, while rural ones provide the workforce and resources needed for growth. Everything revolves around a central core of the city, which can be specialized and optimized to make each settlement distinct. A science-focused district, for example, would be an area where knowledge-boosting structures are located, but this decision will impact the entire city.

These innovations are further enriched by the introduction of Towns. Unlike traditional cities, these can be specialized—such as gold-mining towns or agricultural villages—and they influence the surrounding settlements and the entire empire. Moreover, they can evolve into cities, much like a second-division team that eventually makes it to the Champions League.

Civilizations Become Independent

Each game is divided into three major eras: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Age. Every era comes with its unique gameplay mechanics and missions—be it conquest, exploration, expansion, or forming alliances—and each offers four different paths that intertwine and influence each other.

These paths are the usual suspects: science, culture, economy, and war. At the end of each era, a crisis period is triggered, signaling the end of that age. This could mean a social or cultural collapse where the world around us transforms completely. In many cases, this is literal—like natural disasters, uncontrollable fires from an erupting volcano, overflowing rivers, or extreme droughts.

Every civilization leaves its mark, creating a unique footprint, as any history enthusiast would attest. This time around, however, Firaxis has captured this essence particularly well through transformative events. Take Egypt, for instance, as showcased by Firaxis at Gamescom: instead of a traditional Pharaoh, you lead the country with Augustus Caesar, choosing to either follow the path of history or incorporate influences from other civilizations to create your own version of Egypt.

The ability to choose civilizations and leaders separately, each with their own skill tree, grants immense freedom in what can ultimately be achieved. This change can work to your advantage: outpacing your rivals and experiencing golden ages while conquering neighboring territories. However, it can also cause significant global destabilization, skyrocketing costs, and the harsh realization that instead of amassing gold, you’re accumulating the discontent of your citizens.

New Civilizations and Leaders

While the full roster of civilizations in Civilization 7 hasn’t been confirmed, several are easy to predict from the released videos and materials. Regions like America or Arabia, cultures such as the Aztecs or Egyptians, and empires like France, Germany, England, Greece, India, Mongolia, Rome, or Japan are all but certain.

In an interview with the team at the Baltimore Firaxis studio, Vida Extra magazine suggested that this time we can expect much more variety, including a “rich geographical diversity” that encompasses “cultures that have never appeared in the game before,” from ancient times to “modern leaders.” The goal for the developers is to have every significant culture and civilization represented.

Leader representation also reaches a new level: characters are depicted with the highest possible graphical and color accuracy. Additionally, as is customary, each leader speaks in their own language and style, further enhancing the game’s authenticity and depth.

A Comprehensive Reimagining of the Game

Overall, Civilization 7 is a much deeper reboot than you might initially think. The improvements span numerous areas, and we’ve barely scratched the surface. The diplomatic system has also been reworked: instead of negotiations, handshakes now reflect the influence and geopolitical strategy of each player. This also affects the art of war. Simply put, maintaining alliances is easier than in Civilization 6. However, if one side invests significantly more influence in the alliance than the other, the side with less military support will face continuous and escalating penalties.

As Bob Dylan sang, “The times, they are a-changin’,” and this holds true for generational divides as well. In Civilization 7, achieving victory now requires more lateral thinking and a deeper understanding of the systems at play. Visually, it delivers the next-gen experience you’d expect: a massive leap forward in texture quality and camera dynamics.

Release Date and Editions

The award-winning series from Firaxis Games and 2K Games is coming to consoles and PCs sooner than many anticipated, with multiple special editions available. Civilization 7 will launch on February 11, 2025, for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC at a price of €69.99, and for Nintendo Switch at €59.99.

But the revolution doesn’t stop there. A Deluxe Edition will also be available for €99.99 (ten euros less on the Nintendo console), offering early access: players can start playing from February 6 and gain access to the Tecumseh and Shawnee packs, along with the Crossroads of the World Collection pack, which includes additional downloadable content, upgrades, and other extras.

For the most dedicated fans and those looking for the most complete experience, the Founders Edition will be available for €129.99 (€119.99 on Nintendo Switch). This version also grants early access and includes the Right to Rule Collection DLC, along with other exclusive downloadable content. The Founders Edition will be available from the digital stores of PSN, Xbox, and Nintendo and will remain available until February 28, 2025.

–Gergely Herpai “BadSector”–