In the 4X strategy genre, theSid Meier Civilizationfranchise stands out as one of the most well-known and popular examples. Now, withCivilization 7scheduled to come out early in 2025, developers have announced a few tweaks that could shake things up in how 4X titles are handled moving forward. While the game will certainly still include many of the staple mechanics that people love in theCivseries, it will also include numerous changes to set this seventh entry apart from all its predecessors.
Though there have been concerns thatCivilization 7is making too many changesand will become too far adrift of what has made the series great, some of the changes are in direct response to things that have overwhelmed or burdened players in past titles.Among these is a change to how players will manage their empires, while still qualifying as being a part of the 4X strategy genre. Things will be more streamlined in many ways, large and small, such as removing the Builder Units in favor of having population growth naturally cause improvements in towns, as one example.
4X Strategy Games Need To Meet Certain Qualities
Civ 7 Devs Are Still Meeting Those Needs While Changing The Design
Civilizationgames are high on any list of thebest 4X strategy games, and are often used as an example when trying to explain what a 4X game is. These games must meet certain characteristics, with its name “4X” coming from the requirements themselves:
These games are the ones where players must explore the game world, expand their area of control, exploit by using their resources to strengthen their base or country, and exterminate by attacking other civilizations or powers. Naturally,each of these aspects are what form the core gameplay ofCivtitles, and it is hard to imagine an entry in the franchise that would not feature each of these qualities.
Civilization 7 Might Finally Deliver On Civ 6’s Best Failed Idea
One of the new features coming to Civilization 7’s early game will involve a game mechanic that Civ 6 didn’t quite manage to nail down correctly.
InCiv 7, these will still be core facets of the gameplay, butthere will also be a new look at how the city management will be handled to eXpand and eXploit in the game. Listening to player feedback fromCivilization 6, the developers are looking at ways to reduce the amount that players can become overwhelmed in the game, particularly in late-game developments.
Civilization 7 Devs Want To Prevent Late-Game Fatigue
Less Unnecessary Micromanagement Just For The Sake Of Micromanagement
According to a recent Dev Diary on theCivilizationwebsite, the design ofCiv 7will feature less unnecessary micromanagement and help make every town, city, and settlement feel unique.Choices that the player makes will carry more weight and directly impact their civilization, with less tedious choices that feel repetitive and meaningless. As said before, there will no longer be Builder Units to bog players down to improve tiles. Settlements will gradually have growth events that can improve a tile based on population.
Therewill also be a new balancebetween eXpansion and eXploitation by having a new Settlement Cap that encourages players to think about the strategy behind empire growth rather than just quickly working on building cities and towns to claim areas.
What it boils down to is that everyCivplayer should feel like the ruler of an empire making important choices, not a servant tied down to micromanagement duties. - Edward Zhang fromCivilization VII Dev Diary.
These are just a couple of changes that are being put into the game, which should serve to not only make the game less overwhelming but alsomore balanced towards benefiting those who think strategicallyabout each move. Being a ruler over an entire civilization should mean making impactful decisions, and these changes in how the 4X dynamics ofCivilization 7work sound like it will simultaneously be more intuitive and require deeper contemplation.
