After a seven-year-long wait, Firaxis is preparing to redefine theSid Meier’s Civilizationseries yet again withSid Meier’s Civilization 7. While no release date or gameplay has been revealed, the community is excited to see what the studio has in store. No twoCivilizationgames are alike, and that will likely not stop with the seventh game. Firaxis tries to reinvent the turn-based strategy series with each entry, andCiv 7is its chance to do something noCivgame has done before.
Up until now, everySid Meier’s Civilizationgame has given players control over some of history’s most iconic leaders, but it has never let them create their own civilization. Modders have been making custom civs for years, but it should be part of the base game. If the customizability ofStellaris’galactic civilizationsare anything to go by, custom nations give strategy games immense replayability. While the focus should still be on historical leaders, adding custom civilizations toSid Meier’s Civilizationcould take the series to new heights.
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Civilization 7 Needs Stellaris' Custom Civs
The main draw of theSid Meier’s Civilizationfranchise is that it gives players control of leaders and nations from throughout history. Each of these leaders are recreated in that specific game’s art style and then given abilities, special units, and a personality similar to who they were in real life. They are more cartoonish versions of their real-world counterparts, andeachCivilizationadds new powerful leadersfor players to mess around with. This has been a core part of the series since its inception, and there is no reason that should change now.
Playing through history with the world’s most iconic leaders should always be the focus of theSid Meier’s Civilizationfranchise.Games likeSid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earthshowed that the series does not really do well without that core concept. It is partly why the series is as beloved as it is, and has helped pull players into this series for years.Civilization 7will likely expand the roster with even more leaders to create all sorts of new historical shenanigans, but Firaxis should take it to the next level.
Paradox Interactive’sStellarislets players fully customize their galactic civilization before they jump into a game. They can choose its name, its physical characteristics, the environment it can live in, and the overall aesthetic of its empire. On top of all that, players also have control over its origin, government structure, special perks, and practically every minute detail. They can then save these civilizations for future playthroughs, or they can throw them out and start fresh every single time. Players can spend a lot of time customizing these empires so that they can get the best build possible, and that has kept many coming back for more.
No twoSid Meier’s Civilizationgames are alikethanks to the randomly-generated worlds and large roster of historical leaders. The series is already endlessly replayable, but adding custom civilizations toSid Meier’s Civilization 7could give players reason to never leave. Letting them customize the leader’s look, the civilization’s name, special perks, unique units, and everything in-between could be so much fun. It could lead to all sorts of new turn-based shenanigans, unstoppable builds, and wild civilizations competing on the world stage.
Custom civilizations would be nothing new toSid Meier’s Civilizationas modders have been adding their own unique leaders to the games for a while now, but Firaxis could make that a core feature. If it puts that customizability into the hands of the masses, it gives them new reasons to take another turn. The focus should still be on the historical leaders, but custom civilizations could thrive right alongside them.
Sid Meier’s Civilization 7is currently in development.
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