Civilization VII: The Most Anticipated PC Game of 2025
Civilization VII has been crowned the most anticipated PC game of 2025 by PC Gamer's "Most Wanted" event. This accolade, revealed during a December 6th livestream, highlights Civ 7's prominent position amongst the top 25 upcoming games of the year, as voted on by a panel of industry experts. The announcement also showcased new gameplay mechanics designed to enhance campaign engagement.
The "Most Wanted" event, a nearly three-hour livestream, ranked games based on votes from The Council, a panel comprising over 70 developers, content creators, and PC Gamer editors. The event also featured updates on other highly anticipated titles. Doom: The Dark Ages and Monster Hunter Wilds secured the second and third spots, respectively.
Other notable games featured in the top 25 included Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, The Thing: Remastered, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.
Civilization VII launches simultaneously on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch on February 11, 2025.
A Revolutionary Campaign Mechanic: The Ages System
Addressing player feedback regarding campaign completion rates in Civilization VI, Civ 7's Creative Director, Ed Beach, unveiled the "Ages" system during a PC Gamer interview. This innovative mechanic divides a single campaign into three distinct eras: Antiquity Age, Exploration Age, and Modern Age.
The key innovation lies in the ability to transition to a new civilization at the end of each Age, mirroring historical shifts in power. This transition, however, isn't random; it's based on historical and geographical connections. For instance, the Roman Empire might naturally progress to the French Empire, possibly with the Norman Empire serving as a transitional phase.
Leaders remain consistent across Ages, maintaining player connection to their empire and rivals. The "overbuild" feature allows for constructing new buildings atop existing ones, while Wonders and certain structures persist throughout the campaign.
This Ages system offers players a dynamic and engaging experience, allowing them to navigate diverse civilizations within a single playthrough while maintaining a sense of continuity through their chosen leader. This promises fresh approaches to cultural, military, diplomatic, and economic strategies.
