Civilization VI Release Date and Price Announced

Firaxis Games, known for its PC strategy titles has announced the latest entry in its long-running Civilization series. Titled Civilization VI, it promises to build upon the familiar gameplay of past entries while bringing something new to the table.

"Sid Meier's Civilization VI builds on the firm foundation of the Civilization franchise, and we've added many exciting new elements," said Ed Beach, lead designer at Firaxis Games. "The visual presentation of the game is inspired by the maps and tools of the Age of Exploration, and we've made several key gameplay changes such as expansive cities and active research that makes Sid Meier's Civilization VI an entirely unique experience while remaining true to what makes the Civilization series so special."

The game will be available on October 21 this year. It's already up for pre-order on Steam. Rs. 2,499 nets you the game while Rs. 3,299 gets you the Civilization VI Digital Deluxe Edition. This comes with the game, a soundtrack celebrating the series' 25th anniversary, and access to four post-launch downloadable content (DLC) packs that will add new maps, scenarios, civilisations and leaders for a bundled discount. Compared to Civilization V which launched at Rs. 999, Civilization VI appears rather expensive. Although one could argue it seems fair given the number of hours you're likely to spend playing the game, as each title in the series has been known to be massive time sinks.

Right now, there's no minimum or recommended specifications for Civilization VI, something that should crop up closer to release. Hopefully it will be a better game than Firaxis' last effort, XCOM 2.