Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is one of the most anticipated games of the year. We are in the final weeks of waiting as the game releases on February 11. This game will be very different than previous versions. In previous versions, players would pick one leader and one civilization. They would be that for the whole game. In the next installment of the franchise, a player’s civilization will evolve over time. Players can pair their leaders with other leaders as they move through different ages. This will give users more opportunities to interact with the historical figures in the game. One historian hopes this will get more people to learn about history.
Civilization VII: A Portal To Learning
Firaxis prides itself on being historically accurate in the Civilization franchise. They have employed language, cultural, and historical experts to make the franchise not just fun to play but informative. The studio has a historian on staff, Dr. Andrew Johnson. He teaches at Stockholm University’s Department of Social Anthropology and is hopeful this game will catapult players to research more about who the leaders were.
“I teach undergraduates in my other life, and my God, man, they don’t read. If that can provoke somebody into an interest in history, that is what’s important here. This is not the textbook. This is the gateway drug into the textbook. If textbooks were drugs.”
This is a hilarious quote from the resident historian. However, it points out a depressing part of our world today. Even though we have access to unlimited information, we seem to know less and less about those who came before us. This is what makes Civilization VII a potentially powerful tool. Many people will spend hours on this game interacting with some of the most famous people from history. If someone piques their interest, they are likely to do more research.
A Growing List Of Historical Figures
The great news about the new mechanics of Civilization VII is players are able to interact with more people from history than ever before. Up to this point, the following leaders have been announced.
- Amina
- Ashoka (World Renouncer) / Ashoka (World Conqueror)
- Augustus Caesar
- Benjamin Franklin
- Charlemagne
- Confucius
- Harriet Tubman
- Hatshepsut
- Himiko
- Ibn Battuta
- Isabella
- Napoleon Bonaparte (Emperor) / Napoleon Bonaparte (Revolutionary)
- Niccoló Machiavelli
- Pachacuti
- Tecumseh
- Trưng Trắc
- Xerxes (King of Kings) / Xerxes (The Achaemenid)
I’ll be honest. I maybe recognize half the people on this list. The other half I could tell you one or two facts about, but very few could I dive into in deep detail. If Civilization VII is what gets people to research these people more, then it is a win.
Importance Of Learning About History
Dr. Johnson believes strongly in what Civilization VII is trying to do. This game has become more than the next release in a long-standing franchise. It’s a way for Firaxis to influence the world in a positive way.
“That’s why I’m here, really. I just want people to appreciate the world and the strangeness of the world. Because if you appreciate how the past was different, or how other places are different, you can change your everyday day as well.
What is cool about this is fans of the game love this aspect of it. It isn’t just a catchy schtick that the company can hang its hat on. Players engage with history as they are playing one of their favorite games.
Final Thoughts
We learn more about Civilization VII every day leading up to its release. It’s been nearly a decade since the release of Civilization VI, so fans have been hungry for the next installment. Dr. Johnson hopes after February 11, fans will not just be talking about the new gameplay mechanics but also about a new historical figure they have learned about.
