Sid Meier's Civilization VII

Sid Meier's Civilization VII is a turn-based strategy game (4X: explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) by Firaxis Games, released on February 11, 2025. You build a civilization from scratch: from the first settlements of Antiquity through the seafaring Exploration Age to the industrial Modern Age. At each border between ages there is a crisis, a choice of a new path of development, and new horizons on the map.

The main novelty of Civ VII is the Ages system: each of the three ages is a separate chapter with its own distinctive mechanics, victory conditions and, in the base version, a mandatory change of civilization between ages. This is what divided the series' fans: some see a fundamental freshness in it, others see a loss of the identity of "their" nation. The Test of Time update (1.4.0, May 2026) added the "Time-Tested Civs" mode, so you can now lead one civilization through all three ages, as in the classic games of the series.

What the game offers: diplomacy with independent city-states, naval expeditions in the Exploration Age, technological and cultural development, and four paths to victory (military, economic, cultural, scientific), each reworked in 1.4.0. Leaders and civilizations are not tied together rigidly: one leader can head different peoples. Multiplayer supports up to 8 players.

Who it is for: strategists with 500+ hours in Civ V/VI will come to figure it out; for newcomers to the series it is a good entry point. Full official Russian voice-over covers narrator texts, leader lines and historical events.

Build an empire across three eras of history. Civilization VII is a large-scale strategy game with full Russian voice-over and the biggest update of 2026.