Gamescom 2024: Civilization VII Arrives February 2025

Creative Director Ed Beach took to the stage at Gamescom 2024’s Opening Night Live to pull back the curtain on Civilization VII today, promising an ambitious new installment in the beloved strategy franchise. We also got some details on the launch, including a release date and platforms.

Previously announced (earlier than planned) at Summer Game Fest , Beach called Civilization VII the “biggest, most ambitious game Firaxis has ever made”—which is certainly a huge claim. This new installment offers a gorgeous new art style and new gameplay features “designed to immerse you in your own journey through history.”

Beach announced that Civilization VII will launch February 11, 2025 on all major platforms. This is huge news for fans of the series’ console iterations, as traditionally Civilization has been a PC-first franchise.

A first-look trailer celebrated the series’ roots with quick callbacks to previous games, including the 1991 original and (personal fave) Civilization IV . Narration from series creator Sid Meier recalls the premise that originally inspired them: “let’s put the entire history of the world into a game, and make it fun.”

From this first glance, Civilization VII promises all of the elements that fans will expect, showing glances at the various eras through early history to the nuclear age. The art style looks very classic, whether it’s the tiny buildings sprouting up and evolving, to tiny workers darting across a map, to the interpretations of Caesar and Cleopatra bickering.

After the tremendous success of Civilization VI , Firaxis certainly has big shoes to fill. The storied studio is hosting an additional gameplay showcase after Opening Night Live, where they will also announce the game’s new narrator—a prestigious role previously performed by Leonard Nemoy and Sean Bean.

Civilization VII will arrive February 11, 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.