In a major announcement at the Summer Game Fest on June 8, 2024, publisher 2K Games revealed that Sid Meier's Civilization VII is set to release in 2025. The news came as a surprise to many fans of the long-running strategy series who have been eagerly awaiting a new installment since the release of Civilization VI in 2016.
The announcement was made during the Summer Game Fest presentation by Sid Meier himself, who stood before a table filled with Bafta awards and expressed his excitement for fans to see what's in store for the next iteration of Civilization. The reveal followed an earlier leak of the news on the 2K website, which had accidentally published a banner for Civilization VII along with buttons to watch a trailer or add the game to wishlists.
Civilization is a strategy simulation series that has been in development since 1991 and has sold over 33 million copies with over 1 billion hours played as of 2016. Sales are expected to be well over 50 million by now.
The Civilization series allows players to build and manage their own civilization from ancient times through the modern era, engaging in diplomacy, warfare, and scientific discovery. The games have been praised for their depth and complexity, as well as their historical accuracy and attention to detail.
In addition to the announcement of Civilization VII, Summer Game Fest also featured reveals for other highly anticipated titles such as Lego Horizon Adventures, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, Monster Hunter Wilds, Slitterhead, and Star Wars Outlaws. The event was streamed live on YouTube Theater in Los Angeles and attracted a large audience of gaming enthusiasts from around the world.