Back in 2016, Firaxis Games released the latest entry in its expansive turn-based strategy franchiseSid Meier’s Civilization. This came off the heels of the best-sellingSid Meier’s Civilization 5and not as stellarSid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth. The game promised a return to form for the series, and it delivered on that promise. Strategy fans have been taking one more turn inSid Meier’s Civilization 6for years now, and they cannot seem to get enough. However, it has been a bit since the release of the title, so it’s time for the next entry in the franchise.
Firaxis Games has been supportingSid Meier’s Civilization 6with a decent helping of post-launch content. The game has seen two major expansion packs and a season pass of sorts with theNew Frontier Pass. It has come a long way since it released, but it feels like it has finally run its course. After almost six years of conquering the world, fans of the series are eagerly awaiting the next chapter. Now is the time for Firaxis Games to deliver on aSid Meier’s Civilization 7, and it needs to happen soon.
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Sid Meier’s Civilization 6 Has Run Its Course
Civilization 6launched in 2016 and felt like a return to form for the franchise after it experimented with the science-fiction genre throughBeyond Earth. The game drastically changed various aspects of theCivilizationformula like the way that cities work, and the majority of these changes were received well. While the entry did not receive the same level of reviews thatCivilization 5received, it still provided hours of gameplay for strategy fans to enjoy.
Just like almost every entry in the franchise,Civilization 6has received a boatload of post-launch content for players to check out. Soon after the game launched,Firaxis Games started churning outsmall DLC packs with different civilizations to play as. The first two years of the game’s lifespan saw the release of Poland, Australia, Persia, Macedon, Nubia, Khmer, and Indonesia as playable civilizations. Along with them came many scenarios that helped to liven up the game.
The game saw its first major expansion pack in 2018 withRise and Fall. The expansion added the new ages system, loyalty system, governors, brand-new diplomacy features, and eight new civilizations. A year later, the game saw its second expansion pack withGathering Storm. This pack added natural disasters, the world congress, a whole new era of technology to research, and eight new civilizations to play as. The most recent piece of DLC came in the form oftheNew FrontierPasswhich saw six different DLC packs with new civilizations and new game modes released over the span of a year. Now, the game has not received new content for a year and fans are anxiously waiting for the announcement of the next title.
It is Time for the Next Chapter in the Civilization Franchise
It took about six years for Firaxis Games to releaseCivilization 6after the release ofCivilization 5. The six-year timeframe is almost approaching, and if Firaxis kept to the same schedule then that would mean thatCivilization 7should be releasing by next year. However, in-between the release ofCivilization 5and6,fans gotBeyond EarthandRevolution 2. Both games released four years afterCivilization 5, andCivilization 6came out two years after that. There has been no spin-offCivilizationgame in the last six years, and that makes it feel likeCivilization 7should have come out even sooner.
Sid Meier’s Civilizationis a huge franchise, so a seventh one is most likely on the way, but it feels like it should have been here by now.Civilizationfans have been playing the sixth entry for close to six years without another game to bridge the gap. Recently, there have been moreCivilization-likegames releasingwhich have given fans something to turn to, but they do not compare to the classic franchise. Firaxis Games needs to confirm the creation ofCivilization 7at least, because it is long overdue.
Civilization 6is a pretty fun game, but it has run its course and is slowly showing its age. The lack of new DLC should mean that the next entry is on the horizon, but there has been no official word yet. All fans of the franchise can do is sit and wait, and the wait has already been a long one.
Sid Meier’s Civilization 6is available now on Mobile, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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