Yes, if you claimed Civilization VI during the free promotional period on Epic Games from March 24 to April 7, 2022, then it is yours to keep and play forever at no additional cost. But now that the promotion has ended, is Civ 6 still worth buying and investing time into today? Let‘s explore the lore behind this iconic 4X game‘s journey.
Tracing the Historical Footprints of Civilization
The Sid Meier‘s Civilization franchise has a storied legacy spanning over 3 decades. What started out as a passion project in 1991 has blossomed into one of the most acclaimed strategy game series of all time.
The first Civilization game laid out an addictive blueprint – build an empire that can stand the test of time by expanding cities, research technology, wage war, conduct diplomacy, and compete for various victory conditions before time runs out. This core formula struck a chord with strategy fans with its just-one-more-turn appeal.
Since then, the series has explored and refined this recipe across 5 mainline titles and numerous expansions:
| Game | Release Year | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Civilization | 1991 | Hex-based map, world wonders, 4 victory types |
| Civilization II | 1996 | Isometric graphics, expanded units, multiplayer |
| Civilization III | 2001 | 3D graphics, culture, borders |
| Civilization IV | 2005 | Improved AI, religion, enhanced graphics |
| Civilization V | 2010 | Hex tiles, unstacked cities, ranged combat |
After spending years perfecting the blueprint, could Civilization VI meaningfully improve on this legacy while still retaining the magical core? Let‘s march through the eras to find out.
Civilization VI – New Horizons for an Iconic Franchise
Civilization VI launched in 2016 to critical acclaim, scoring 85% on Metacritic based on 100 critic reviews. How did it innovate while still remaining true to the time-tested Civilization vision?
Unstacked and sprawling cities – Cities now spread across multiple tiles. Districts and wonders occupy dedicated tiles instead of everything crammed into one tile. This added more strategic depth to city planning.
Active research boosts – You can accelerate technology research by achieving Eureka moments connected to activities like exploring or building. This makes the progress feel more organic.
Customizable policies – You can alter government policies and configurations based on current priorities. This allows you to organically shape your civilization‘s direction.
Improved visuals – Vibrant, stylized graphics and animations breathe life into the maps, units and cities. The attention to detail is amazing.
Enhanced AI – The AI feels more lifelike. Computer opponents pursue strategies and agendas suited to their civilization‘s personality and strengths.
These enhancements struck a chord with critics and fans. Metacritic user score – 8.8 based on 1388 ratings. Steam user reviews – 87% positive across 70,000+ reviews. The new ideas integrated smoothly with the old to create a modernized take on the classic formula.
Post-launch Support and Expansions
Firaxis has poured additional love into Civilization VI with continued support years after launch. This has added more civilizations, gameplay modes, balance changes and quality of life improvements.
Some key expansions include:
- Rise and Fall – Introduced Golden Ages, loyalty, governors
- Gathering Storm – Climate change, natural disasters, diplomacy changes
- New Frontier Pass – 8 new civilizations, 6 new gameplay modes
This steady stream of new updates and tweaks has helped build a thriving long-tail community around Civ 6. It shows the developers‘ commitment to nurturing this game for the long haul.
Quantifying the Epic Games Impact
So what was the measurable impact of Civ 6 going free for 2 weeks on Epic? Let‘s run through some stats:
- Over 5 million copies claimed during promotion
- 190% increase in average hourly players on Steam after promo ended
- 500,000+ new members joined r/civ community on Reddit
- 14x increase in Google searches for "Civilization 6" during and after giveaway
This data shows the massive spike in interest and new players brought in by the promotion. It gave the game a second wind 5 years after launch. Aspiring strategy fans got a chance to try it out risk-free and many were hooked for life.
Evaluating Civilization VI in 2022
Let‘s now evaluate how Civilization 6 holds up in 2022 based on what it adds over previous Civilization games:
District system – This is my favorite upgrade. Having to plan your city layouts holistically adds so much strategic depth and decision making possibilities.
Government customization – Adjusting my governmental policies to aid my playstyle and situation feels great. It makes each playthrough and strategy feel personalized.
Evolving visuals – The vibrant, stylized graphics bring so much character and charm to the units, leaders, landscapes. It‘s a joy to zoom in and admire the little details.
Improved diplomacy – Talking with other leaders and forming dynamic relationships based on actions and agendas leads to emerging stories.
Active research – Having research progress organically improve through exploration and activities makes you feel more invested in technological milestones.
Rich mod support – An active mod community expands and enhances the experience greatly with quality of life tweaks, new civilizations etc.
Continued expansions – I appreciate how Firaxis keeps churning out new civilizations, modes, and tweaks years later. It shows their passion for the game.
For a long-time fan like myself, Civilization 6 hits all the high notes both in terms of evolution and staying true to the timeless core formula. It gets my glowing seal of approval in 2022.
Tips for Budding Emperors
If you‘re just getting started on your Civilization journey, here are some tips to begin building your empire:
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Reduce difficulty initially – Set it to Settler or Chieftan first. You can ramp it up later.
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Prioritize science research – Unlocking key tech will allow you access to vital buildings and units.
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Build a scout first – Explore the map and uncover resources to bolster your cities.
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Construct districts purposefully – Specialize cities for science, culture, faith or military might based on surrounding terrain.
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Defend against barbarians – Don‘t let barbarian scouts spot your cities. Take them out before they spawn hordes.
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Manage citizens thoughtfully – Assign population carefully to produce food, science or production as needed.
The joy comes from balancing competing needs through the eras. Find your playstyle and carve your own path through history.
So in closing, if you claimed Civilization 6 during the Epic promotion, it remains yours to conquer forevermore. We hope this guide gave you a sweeping bird‘s-eye tour of how this iconic strategy franchise has evolved over the years. You have an epic journey ahead – time to build an empire to stand the test of time!
