Civilization (series)

Civilization is a renowned series of turn-based strategy video games.

The series is a formative example of the 4X genre. This term describes games where players must eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate to succeed. Players act as leaders of a society on a macro-scale. They guide their people from prehistory through the near future. Many installments are cited as some of the greatest video games of all time.

The gameplay mechanism relies on a system of individual turns. During each turn, a player moves units across a map. They can build new cities or improve existing ones. Players also initiate negotiations with human or computer-controlled opponents. A central part of the process is researching new technologies. These technologies represent the intellectual and technical sophistication of the civilization. Researching allows players to build advanced units or new city structures.

Victory can be achieved through several distinct routes. Military conquest is a common method involving strong armies. Players can also win by reaching a specific level of culture. Another path involves building an interstellar spaceship to travel through space. Later games introduced new victory types based on religion, economics, and diplomacy. Some players aim to win simply by achieving the highest total score. These various paths allow for very different styles of play.

The series began in 1991 with the first game developed by Sid Meier. Meier worked at MicroProse, a studio he co-founded with Bill Stealey. He was inspired by "god games" like SimCity and Populous. He wanted to create games that were not always about destruction. Meier worked with designer Bruce Shelley to refine the game's prototype. They combined elements of global conquest, city management, and technology trees. This collaboration led to the successful release of the first title in September 1991.

The history of the series involves many changes in ownership. In 1996, Meier and others left MicroProse to found Firaxis Games. Firaxis has been the principal developer of the series since then. The series faced legal challenges regarding its name in the late 1990s. This dispute involved Avalon Hill and Activision over trademark rights. Eventually, a settlement allowed MicroProse to keep the brand rights. Later, the rights moved through companies like Hasbro Interactive and Infogrames. Today, the parent company Take-Two owns the full intellectual property.

Sid Meier uses a specific design philosophy for new installments. He ensures each title contains one-third existing features. Another third consists of improvements from the previous game. The final third introduces entirely new features. This balance helps satisfy longtime fans while attracting new players. The series has seen massive commercial success over the decades. According to 2K Games, the series had shipped more than 70 million copies by June 2024. This high number reflects the lasting popularity of the franchise.

The Civilization series has influenced many people in the gaming industry. Several crew members went on to create their own famous strategy games. Bruce Shelley helped create the Age of Empires series. Brian Reynolds, a lead designer for Civilization II, created Rise of Nations. Soren Johnson, who worked on Civilization III and IV, worked on Spore. These developers helped spread the complex mechanics found in the 4X genre. The series remains a cornerstone of the strategy gaming field.