Highlights

  • Firaxis announced Civilization 7 last year but hasn't provided many details. Fans may see something before 2024 ends.
  • Two upcoming strategy games, Millennia and Ara: History Untold, could challenge Civilization's supremacy with their unique features.
  • Both Millennia and Ara: History Untold introduce new approaches to economy, victory conditions, and gameplay, putting pressure on Civilization 7 to innovate.

Firaxis announced Civilization 7 last year, though it hasn't revealed much about the upcoming game. Many expect it to come out this year, and while that may be a long shot, it would be surprising if fans don't see something of Civilization 7 before the end of 2024. However, while the next Civ is a mystery, at least two big games are coming out this year that could give Firaxis a run for its money.

Millennia and Ara: History Untold are both expected to be released this year, with the former having a playable demo during this Month’s Steam Next Fest. They will not be the first turn-based 4X games to challenge Civilization's supremacy, and neither is a one-to-one copy of the Civilization formula. However, the similarities are not a secret, and Firaxis may need to step up if it doesn't want to be beaten at its own game.

Civilization 6 and Stellaris box art
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Millennia

Developer C Prompt Games and Publisher Paradox Interactive announced Millennia last September. Like Civilization, the game sees players lead their society through multiple eras covering thousands of years of development. Millennia's main unique selling point is that its ten Ages will not necessarily be the same ones every time.

In addition to typical Ages like the Bronze Age and Renaissance, civilizations that fulfill specific requirements can enter different Variant Ages instead. These have names like the Age of Heroes, Age of Conquest, and Age of Alchemy, which unlock alternate units, buildings, and technology. Meanwhile, Crisis Ages like the Age of Plagues and Age of Blood offer both new threats and opportunities. These themed ages, especially their alternate technology trees, offer something that other Civ-like 4X games don't and could be a game changer for the genre.

Meanwhile, Millennia's approach to Civilizations differs, offering a greater degree of customization. Nations are mainly cosmetic choices in Millennia, determining place names and aesthetics, but few unique gameplay bonuses. Instead, these primarily come from things called National Spirits and their related Ideas, which players can unlock throughout the game.

Ara: History Untold

Developed by Oxide Games and published by Xbox Game Studios, Ara: History Untold is more historical than Millennia. However, it also makes several changes and additions to the basic Civilization formula. This includes Ara: History Untold's simultaneous turns, which have the potential to create a faster-paced game. It will likely also result in less predictable battles and encourage players to think ahead and be proactive instead of reactive.

Another thing that makes Oxide's game unique is its philosophy regarding Leaders. Most of Ara: History Untold's 28 confirmed leaders would not be out of place in a Civilization game. However, in addition to kings and generals, it includes poets, scientists, and philosophers who left a significant mark on their associated cultures.

Meanwhile, Ara: History Untold's Prestige system offers players greater freedom while introducing a new kind of challenge. Essentially the nation's score, players earn Prestige for a wide range of in-game actions. However, they must be careful not to fall too far behind in Prestige, lest they be eliminated from the game. Oxide describes this as a "historical battle royale," comparing it to the shrinking gameplay area in shooters of that genre.

Expanded Resources and Economy

Interestingly, C Prompt Games and Oxide Games seem to have landed on a few similar ideas for revolutionizing the 4X genre. Part of this is how their upcoming games handle the economy and resources. Ara: History Untold features a crafting system where players combine raw materials into more complex resources. These goods will boost a city's stats, though some come with penalties that players will have to account for. Players will also need these manufactured goods when constructing Triumphs, Ara: History Untold's equivalent of Wonders in Civilization.

Meanwhile, Millennia divides its economy between general Resources and more specific Goods. There are about 130 Goods, covering everything from basic resources like Iron and Wheat to advanced manufactured products like Power Tools and Missiles. Both game's systems are more nuanced and complex than is typical for something like Civilization and could help add additional strategic depth.

Winning in Ara and Millennia

Both studios are also moving away from the Civilization approach to victory conditions. Instead of a set of fixed victory conditions, Oxide wanted to give players more freedom in winning the game. This ties into Ara: History Untold's Prestige system, which is the deciding factor in winning the game. While Oxide hasn't gone into specifics, the idea is that players develop a strategy over the first two-thirds of the game while the final Act puts it to the test.

Meanwhile, victory in Millennia ties into that game's Age system. The most successful empire will eventually enter a Victory Age, where it can choose between multiple victory conditions. The other civilizations can then either compete to complete it first or try and block the leader's attempt.

Civilization 7 Will Be Under Pressure to Innovate

Ideally, there will be room for Millennia, Ara: History Untold, and Civilization 7 to coexist in the gaming ecosystem. Still, with all three potentially releasing in quick succession, competition is inevitable. Civilization has faced potential rivals before, such as Amplitude Studios' Humankind, which failed to meet many player's expectations. However, that is no reason to get complacent.

Ara and Millennia are attempting to innovate on the formula in various ways, so the pressure is on for Civilization 7 to do the same. What that means is up to Firaxis, and it's hard to say what the studio might be discussing internally. The game could feature new modes and mechanics or a new victory condition. Some have even suggested that Civilization 7 might need to overhaul the formula completely. Either way, Firaxis must be ready to face some potentially stiff competition in the near future.