Meta Quest Focuses on UI for Civ 7 VR

Sid Meier's Civilization VII: A VR Revolution on Meta Quest 3

Civilization VII (Civ VII) is making a splash in the virtual reality (VR) world with its upcoming release on the Meta Quest 3 and 3S headsets. Announced at the Civ World Summit on February 8th, 2025, this marks the franchise's first foray into VR and mixed reality (MR) gaming, launching this Spring 2025.

Meta Quest 3 Exclusivity and Developer Comments

The decision to make Civ VII VR a Meta Quest exclusive is a significant one. 2K Games and Firaxis Games are confident in the platform's capabilities. Dennis Shirk, Executive Franchise Producer, expressed excitement about launching a "new era of strategy excellence." Chris Pruett, Meta's Director of Games, highlighted the momentum in mixed reality gaming, stating Civ VII VR is a "genuine Civ experience" tailored for dedicated strategy players. While Civ VII is also releasing on PlayStation consoles, a PSVR2 version is not currently planned.

Immersive Gameplay and Multiplayer Options

Civ VII VR offers a unique gameplay experience. Players will manage their empires from a "Command Table," allowing for detailed interaction with their civilizations. The game seamlessly blends VR and MR, letting players switch between immersive VR and a MR mode where the Command Table integrates with their physical space.

The game supports single-player, co-op, and competitive multiplayer modes for up to four players with Meta Quest headsets. Players can team up against AI opponents or compete directly against each other. Online multiplayer requires both a 2K and a Meta account.

Addressing Player Feedback and Future Updates

Firaxis Games is actively addressing player feedback from the early access period (February 6th, 2025, for Deluxe and Founder's Editions). The team has committed to significant UI improvements to enhance usability and map readability. Further updates are planned, including community-requested features like team-based multiplayer and expanded map variety. A quality-of-life update in March 2025 will focus on UI adjustments, AI improvements, diplomacy refinements, and bug fixes.

Release Information

Civilization VII VR is slated for a Spring 2025 release on Meta Quest 3 and 3S, with a specific date yet to be announced. The standard Civ VII is available in early access and launches worldwide on February 11th, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. For more details, visit our Civilization 7 page.