Most PC gaming enthusiasts that play strategy games on the platform will tell you that Civilization is one of those timeless franchises that continues to build on its previous iterations, bringing new mechanics and depth each generation. The turn-based strategy game is one of the most highly-anticipated titles of 2025 and is expected to offer a significant upgrade over Civilization 6 when it launches on February 11th, approximately 2 weeks from now.
Civilization runs well on almost all current-gen PC hardware, at least when starting a new game. As the number of variables in play (including AI player decisions) increase through a session, it can result in the game slowing down to a crawl over time between turns. This has prompted the team at The Best War Games to provide guides on how to approach PC builds that cater to CPU-intensive strategy games like Civilization VII.
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A Free Copy Of Civilization VII With Your Next CPU Upgrade
There is a silver lining for gamers still looking to upgrade in 2025: 2K has partnered with Intel to offer a free copy of Civilization VII to gamers buying an unlocked Intel CPU ranging from its Core Ultra Series 2 to its 14th generation Intel Core series CPUs.
The full list of CPUs that qualify for this promotion is listed below:
- Intel® Core™ i5-14600K
- Intel® Core™ i5-14600KF
- Intel® Core™ i7-14700K
- Intel® Core™ i7-14700KF
- Intel® Core™ i9-14900K
- Intel® Core™ i9-14900KF
- Intel® Core™ i9-14900KS
- Intel® Core™ Ultra 5 processor 245K
- Intel® Core™ Ultra 5 processor 245KF
- Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processor 265K
- Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processor 265KF
- Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processor 285K
The Intel Builder's Bundle also includes a complimentary copy of Assassin's Creed Shadows as part of its offering.
To quote Roger Chandler, VP and GM, Enthusiast and Workstation PC, Intel:
“It’s hard to come up with franchises in the PC gaming industry more iconic than Sid Meier’s Civilization, and Intel is thrilled to continue its years-long partnership with 2K Games and Firaxis on the series’ latest installment. Whether it’s a marathon session with friends or just ‘one more turn’ before logging off, gamers around the world can depend on Intel Core and Core Ultra processors to deliver the best Civilization experience on a PC.”
The deal is available for any purchases made from January 22, 2025 to March 31, 2025, but the gift can be redeemed at any time up to May 15, 2025.
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Plenty Of PC Upgrades In 2025
The offer comes at a time when the PC gaming market is increasingly competitive on the CPU front, even as Nvidia's RTX 5000 series GPUs are expected to rule the roost when it comes to upgrades, with the RTX 5090 and 5080 launching at the tail end of January. Given the MSRPs in play for these, gamers looking to save on their other upgrades or game purchases should definitely consider Intel's offering, which is effectively a $140 discount on games when purchasing gaming-centric unlocked Intel CPUs that trade for as low as $220 a pop.
Civilization VII also comes with built-in support for Intel's XeSS Super Resolution (XeSS-SR) tech even as Intel continues to directly engage with Civilization VII's developer, Firaxis Games, to allow for better performance thanks to game-specific CPU optimization tweaks much like previous iterations of the game.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 77%
- Released
- February 11, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ // Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Mild Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Firaxis Games
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
WHERE TO PLAY
- Franchise
- Sid Meier's Civilization
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Genre(s)
- Grand Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy, 4X
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