Civilization World

Did You Know?

• The game servers crashed about six minutes after the announced shutdown time.
• The last day of play was announced on February 28, 2013.

Gameplay

Civilization World included many elements from earlier Civilization games, such as building houses, farming lands, researching science, collecting gold, and expanding communities across eras. The goal was to end with the most fame points, earned through achievements, discovering technologies, completing era victory conditions, or building a wonder of the world. Unlike previous installments, the game used real-time strategy instead of turn-based strategy. In combat, a player could choose ranged, melee, mobile, and naval units, with limited slots on the battlefield requiring strategic placement. Mini-games added variety. The game emphasized multiplayer, allowing players to form independent nations and battle other nations, a feature new to the series. Nations had a hierarchy with a king at the top, followed by princes, dukes, and other nobles. To become king, a player had to complete objectives and earn medals, competing against all other players in the nation.

Development

Sid Meier announced in October 2009 that Civilization World would offer everything enjoyed in Civ in a persistent, free-to-play environment. From May to September 2010, 2K Games provided no updates, leading many to believe the project was scrapped or never existed. In August, community manager "2K Greg" stated the game was still alive. In November 2010, Strauss Zelnick confirmed production continued, with a planned 2011 release.