Civ 7 Tops List as Most Anticipated PC Game for 2025

Civ 7 Gaining Momentum Ahead of its 2025 Release

Bagged the Most Wanted Game for 2025

At the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted event, hosted by PC Gamer on December 6, Civilization VII (Civ 7) was crowned the Most Wanted game of 2025. This prestigious event highlighted the top 25 most anticipated games set for release in the coming year, with Civ 7 securing the top spot in an engaging three-hour livestream.

The rankings were determined through a vote by The Council, comprising over 70 industry experts, including developers, content creators, and PC Gamer's own editors. The event was not just about rankings; it also featured exciting new trailers and content for other notable games like Let’s Build a Dungeon and Drivers of the Apocalypse.

Following closely behind Civ 7, Doom: The Dark Ages took second place, with Monster Hunter Wilds securing the third spot. The indie game Slay the Spire 2 impressed enough to claim the fourth position. Other notable mentions included Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, The Thing: Remastered, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Surprisingly, Hollow Knight: Silksong was absent from the list and did not feature in the event's trailers.

Civilization VII is set to launch simultaneously across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch on February 11, 2025.

Civ 7 Game Mechanic Helps Players Finish Campaign

In an insightful interview with PC Gamer on December 6, Civ 7's Creative Director, Ed Beach, unveiled a novel campaign mechanic called Ages, designed to enhance player engagement and completion rates. According to data from Firaxis Games on Civilization VI, many players did not complete the game's campaign, prompting a significant redesign for Civ 7.

"We had a lot of data that people would play Civilization games and they would never get all the way to the end. They just wouldn’t finish them. And so we wanted to do whatever we could—whether it was reducing micromanagement, restructuring the game—to really address that problem directly," Beach stated.

Civ 7 introduces the Ages system, dividing a single playthrough into three chapters: Antiquity Age, Exploration Age, and Modern Age. This feature allows players to switch to another civilization at the end of each Age, reflecting historical transitions of power.

However, civilization transitions are not arbitrary; they must follow a historical or geographical connection. For instance, transitioning from the Roman Empire to the French Empire might involve the Norman Empire as a historical bridge.

Leaders remain consistent across these Ages, ensuring continuity and a personal connection to the empire's narrative. According to Civ 7's official website, "Leaders persist across all Ages, ensuring you always have a sense of who is part of your empire, and who are your rivals."

The "overbuild" feature allows players to construct new buildings on top of existing ones after transitioning to a new Age, though some Wonders and buildings remain untouched throughout the playthrough.

These innovative features in Civ 7 allow players to explore diverse civilizations within a single campaign, offering fresh approaches to cultural, military, diplomatic, and economic strategies, all while maintaining a connection to their chosen leader.