Last year, Epic Games announced their plans to offer free games weekly into 2020. After last week’s release of Grand Theft Auto 5, the company is releasing Sid Meier’s Civilization VI for free this week. Players have until 11 am EDT on May 28 to download the 4X turn-based strategy game.
The Civilization franchise contains a group of turn-based strategy video games where players build a civilization from early exploration stages to cultivating land and creating empires. The goal is to become a world power and achieve one of several victory conditions, such as reaching military domination, technological superiority, or cultural influence over computer-controlled opponents.
Players are tasked with exploring the world, establishing and improving cities, deploying militia to attack and defend from opponents, researching technology and culture, and engaging with other world leaders.
It differs from previous installments by offering certain civilizations for the first time and introducing new capitals and leaders to existing civilizations. There’s also the added challenge of improved artificial intelligence mechanics for the game’s computer-controlled opponents, which include secret goals and randomized disruptions to stable gameplay.
Civilization VI was originally released back in October 2016 on Mac and Windows PC and eventually came to iOS the following year. It’s now available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Two expansions have been released since then — Civilization VI: Rise and Fall and Civilization VI: Gathering Storm — and can be purchased in the “Platinum Edition Upgrade” pack, which is also on sale for $39.99 until 6/11.
Civilization VI usually retails for $59.99, but you can snag it for free through the Epic Games store until 5/28.
Watch the launch trailer for Civilization VI below:
Civilization VI Free — Sources
Epic Games
Polygon: Civilization 6 available free now on Epic Games Store