With the year coming to a close, Sid Meier’s Civilization fans are counting the days until they can play the series' newest edition, Civilization 7. With Friaxis Games and 2K promising a lot of new features that would further enhance the experience, there's excitement to see how the game truly changes its eight-year-old predecessor, especially considering early looks at Civ 7 have been keeping a relatively tight lid on things. Those who are most eager can opt into Civ 7's early access window, albeit for a price.
Despite the series' historical trappings, a major evolution for Civ 7 is the ability to mix and match leaders and civilizations, with special bonuses provided for choosing two that have similar traits. For instance, Tecumseh and the Shawnee Tribe are making their Civilization debut in Civ 7, but they don't have to be played as a package – Napoleon could be chosen to lead the Shawnee in a Civ 7 match. This interesting wrinkle, comes alongside a worry that Civ 7's new Era system could be eroding the game, giving players too much lenience instead of committing to a single civilization.
Civilization 7 Early Access Begins February 6, 2025
Full Release On February 11
Appealing to the need to play the game as soon as possible, Civ 7 publisher 2K is offering the opportunity to opt into early access. The game officially launches on February 11, 2025, but according to the Xbox listing, Civ 7 early access begins "five days early on February 6." Early access typically entails releasing games that aren't content complete, and has been especially helpful for indie projects that benefit from the funding and player input before a full release. Early access for major releases has become commonplace more recently, though, and is also contentious because it typically entails paying extra.
How To Get Early Access To Civilization 7
Preordering Certain Civ 7 Editions Required
2K Games is only providing early access for those who purchase either the Deluxe or Founders Editions of Civilization 7. There are several differences between the Civ 7 editions, with the Founders version notably including more of the currently known post-launch DLC, and extra customization items. The Deluxe Edition is the second tier, with only one DLC collection, but with a number of cosmetics too.
All three versions of Civ 7 – the standard, Deluxe, and Founders – are available for each platform the game is releasing on. Preordering one of the special editions should cause Civ 7 to unlock automatically for early access on February 6, though it's currently unclear if the game is allowing purchasers to pre-load.
Every Edition That Includes Early Access
Deluxe & Founders Editions
From what has been provided so far, the Deluxe and Founders Editions are the only versions to include early access entitlement; those purchasing the base-level game will only be able to play it once it officially releases on February 11.
Sid Meier's Civilization 7 Standard Edition | $69.99 | No |
Sid Meier's Civilization 7 Deluxe Edition | $99.99 | Yes |
Sid Meier's Civilization 7 Founders Edition | $129.99 | Yes |
For those looking into buying the Collector's Edition, with physical memorabilia, it includes a Steam code for the Founders Edition, meaning it also has early access entitlement. Although it does not grant early access, preordering the standard edition of Civ 7 gives purchasers the Tecumseh and Shawnee Pack, which comes included with the Deluxe and Founders Editions. Sid Meier's Civilization is certainly a pillar of the strategy genre, and early access will no doubt be enticing for the series' biggest fans.
Sources: Xbox, Sid Meier's Civilization/YouTube
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