Civilization 7 Tops Most Anticipated PC Games

Civilization VII: The Most Anticipated PC Game of 2025

Civilization VII has been crowned the most anticipated PC game of 2025 by PC Gamer's "Most Wanted" event! This accolade follows the reveal of new mechanics designed to enhance campaign engagement. Learn more about this exciting development and the innovative features coming to Civ VII.

PC Gamer's "Most Wanted" Event Highlights Civ VII

On December 6th, the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, hosted by PC Gamer, declared Civilization VII the most sought-after game of 2025. The event showcased the top 25 upcoming games, ranked by a 70+ member panel, "The Council," comprised of developers, content creators, and PC Gamer editors. The show also featured trailers and updates for other anticipated titles, such as Let’s Build a Dungeon and Drivers of the Apocalypse.

Doom: The Dark Ages and Monster Hunter Wilds secured the second and third spots respectively, with Slay the Spire 2 rounding out the top four. Other notable titles 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's release is scheduled for February 11, 2025, on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.

A New Mechanic to Enhance Campaign Completion

In a PC Gamer interview on December 6th, Civ VII's Creative Director, Ed Beach, discussed a groundbreaking new campaign mechanic: Ages. This feature directly addresses Firaxis Games' findings that many players failed to complete Civ VI campaigns.

Beach explained, "Our data showed many players never finished Civilization games. We aimed to tackle this directly, whether by reducing micromanagement or restructuring the game."

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

This transition isn't random; connections are historically relevant. For instance, the Roman Empire might progress to the French Empire, potentially with the Norman Empire acting as a bridge. Your leader remains consistent across Ages, maintaining player connection to their empire and rivals. An "overbuild" feature allows constructing new buildings atop existing ones, while Wonders and certain structures persist.

This innovative approach allows players to experience multiple civilizations within a single playthrough, offering fresh perspectives on cultural, military, diplomatic, and economic strategies while retaining a strong sense of continuity.