Civilization 7 Emerges as 2025's Most Anticipated

Civilization VII: The Most Anticipated PC Game of 2025

Civilization VII has been crowned the most anticipated PC game of 2025 at the PC Gamer's "Most Wanted" event! The game's creative director shed light on innovative mechanics designed to enhance campaign engagement. Read on for details from the PC Gaming Show and a closer look at Civ VII's exciting new features.

Claiming the Top Spot

On December 6th, the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, hosted by PC Gamer, announced Civilization VII as the year's most anticipated title. This prestigious ranking emerged from a vote by "The Council," a panel of over 70 developers, content creators, and PC Gamer editors. The nearly three-hour livestream showcased the top 25 upcoming games for 2025, also featuring new trailers and updates for other highly anticipated games like Let’s Build a Dungeon and Drivers of the Apocalypse.

Doom: The Dark Ages and Monster Hunter Wilds secured the second and third positions, respectively, with Slay the Spire 2 rounding out the top four. Other notable titles on the list included Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, The Thing: Remastered, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Interestingly, Hollow Knight: Silksong was absent from the list and its trailer was not shown.

Civilization VII is set for a simultaneous release on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch on February 11, 2025.

A New Approach to Campaign Play

"Our data showed many players never finished a Civilization game," Beach explained. "So, we aimed to tackle that – whether by reducing micromanagement or restructuring the game – to directly address the issue."

The Ages system divides a single playthrough into three distinct eras: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. Upon the conclusion of each Age, players can transition to a historically or geographically linked civilization, mirroring the rise and fall of real-world empires.

This transition isn't random; connections must exist. For instance, the Roman Empire might progress to the French Empire, potentially with the Norman Empire acting as a bridge. Leaders persist across Ages, maintaining player connection and rivalry continuity. An "overbuild" feature allows for constructing new buildings atop existing ones, while Wonders and certain structures remain throughout the campaign.

This innovative approach allows players to experience multiple civilizations within a single playthrough, offering fresh perspectives on cultural, military, diplomatic, and economic strategies while maintaining a strong connection to their chosen leader.