Summary
Civilization 7is right around the corner, with its release window currently set for next year. This was announced earlier this year, in a teaser trailer revealed during Summer Game Fest. While many details of the game remain to be seen,Civilization 7is already set to break a massive series tradition.
To sayCivilization 7is highly anticipatedwould be a massive understatement.Civilization 6was first released nearly eight years ago, and its upcoming successor has a lot to live up to at this point.Civilization 7could make or break a number of trends in the series' history and is already showing its hand with one major detail about its launch.
Civilization 7 Will Have a Groundbreaking Release Day
Civilization Has Always Been a PC Franchise
Civilizationis primarily known as a PC game, and this can largely be attributed to its genre more than anything. Nearly every game in the series was not released for consoles, with the most recent title being the only outlier. Even thoughCivilization 6is now accessible on consoles, this was only in the form of ports that came long after its initial release.
For example,Civilization 6was first released exclusively on PC in October 2016. The game received a port for the Nintendo Switch in 2017 and for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2018. This simple fact means that most console players would have had to wait two whole years before being able to play the latestCivilizationgame.
It’s very likely that many of the most loyalCivilizationfans play on PCto begin with. However, this is because of precedent, not necessarily preference. The number of console players has likely been depressed over time thanks to the late start. Likewise, since the game wasn’t designed for consoles in the first place, it’s possible that many of those players walked away with a lesser experience than if they’d played on a PC instead.
Civilization 7 Will Break Series Tradition With its Console Release
Civilization 7aims to kill two birds with one stone. Thepublisher ofSid Meier’s Civilization 72Khas already confirmed their intentions to release the game on consoles, and it’s certainly good news that these players will still have access. However, the real difference will be made in the console version’s release date.
To the surprise of many long-term fans of the series,Civilization 7will launch simultaneouslyon both PC and consoles. This is completely unheard of for the series and a welcome surprise nonetheless. Of course, an earlier console release would have been good enough news on its own, but the simultaneous release could hint at even greater changes.
Civilization 7’s August 20 Gameplay Trailer Could Make or Break the Hype
A simultaneous release means that the console version was always a part of the plan for developers. Console ports can occasionally feel uncomfortable thanks to the mismatch of design, and strategy games run this risk more than almost any other genre. However, the fact that this port isn’t coming years down the line hopefully indicates that developers have a priority for making sure that all versions of the game play as smoothly as possible.
The discussion anddebate aroundCivilization 7are limited to speculation for the time being. However, its first official gameplay trailer will be released later this month during a showcase scheduled for August 20. The game’s groundbreaking release strategy has console fans hopeful already and could spell great news about the developers' priorities.
Civilization 7has a huge burden to carry and a very rich history behind it. Some traditions have given the series the name it has today, while others have held it back. TheCivilizationseries has never invested fully in consoles, which has limited the audience of the previous games. Thankfully,Civilization 7’s release windowis a great first step in the right direction.
