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Civilization (series)

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Civilization is a famous series of strategy video games.

Sid Meier - Game Developers Conference 2010 - Day 4 (3)
Sid Meier - Game Developers Conference 2010 - Day 4 (3)

Players act as leaders for a group of people. You guide your people from prehistory into the near future. The games focus on a very large scale of history. This series is a key part of the 4X genre. This means players must explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate to succeed. Many people call these some of the greatest games ever made.

CivII 01
CivII 01

Playing the game works through a system of turns. Each turn allows you to move units on a map. You can build new cities or improve the ones you have. You can also start talks with other players. Players choose new technologies to research during their turns. These technologies show how smart or skilled your people are. Researching helps you build better units and new city structures.

CivIII 01
CivIII 01

Sid Meier created the first game in 1991. He worked at a studio called MicroProse at that time. He wanted to make games that were not just about fighting. He was inspired by other games like SimCity and Populous. He worked with a designer named Bruce Shelley to build the idea. They even made a game called Railroad Tycoon before Civilization. Sid Meier often puts his name in the title of the games.

There is a long history of different companies making these games. After MicroProse changed, Sid Meier and others formed Firaxis Games in 1996. Firaxis has been the main developer for the series since then. There was even a legal disagreement over the name in the late 1990s. This involved companies like Avalon Hill and Activision. Eventually, the rights were settled and moved to Take-Two. Now, a group called 2K Games helps manage the series.

Civ01
Civ01

Winning a game can happen in many different ways. You might win through military conquest with a strong army. You can also win by reaching a high level of culture. Some players win by building a ship to travel to space. Later games added ways to win using religion or diplomacy. Each new game follows a special rule for Sid Meier. He makes sure each title has one-third old features. He also adds one-third improvements and one-third brand new features. As of June 2024, over 70 million games have been sold.

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File:Sid_Meier_-_Game_Developers_Conference_2010_-_Day_4_(3).jpg
Sid_Meier_-_Game_Developers_Conference_201...
File:CivII 01.png
CivII 01.png
File:CivIII 01.png
CivIII 01.png
File:Civ01.png
Civ01.png
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