Strategists looking for an early taste of the latest Civilization are in for a treat, as 2K has confirmed a demo for the fifth major game in the franchise's history is on the way.

The demo for Civilization V is slated to launch prior to the game's September release, according to the game's official website. Read more »

[Update: 1:00pm] 2K Games has released the non-final box art for the Civilization V special edition. Additionally, 2K Games confirmed to Shacknews that the "Babylon Civilization with leader Nebuchadnezzar II" bonus in the "online only" Deluxe Edition is a Steam exclusive item and will not be included in the retail special edition.

[Update: 11:45am] 2K Games has confirmed to Shacknews that the Civilization V special edition will make its way to North American shores. The bundle is priced at $99.99 and will be available on September 21. (The "Special Edition" package image has been removed by the request of 2K Games as a new, much prettier image is incoming very soon.) Read more »

Take-Two Interactive has slashed 20 jobs at its Firaxis Games studio, responsible for past and future games in Sid Meier's Civilization franchise, according to a report at Variety.

The cuts are a "realignment of development resources at the studio" made by Take-Two. The company feels that "these reductions will not impact Firaxis' ability to create and deliver AAA titles, including its forthcoming Sid Meier's Civilization V and Sid Meier's Civilization Network for Facebook." Read more »

[Update - 6/25/10] Added clarification about multiplayer modes available at and after launch.

At E3 2010, I had a chance to have a quick chat with Civilization V producer Dennis Shirk following a demo of the impending strategy sequel. You can read my preview of the demo or just jump right into the interview below.

Read more »

With Sid Meier's Civilization V looming on the horizon, the support group Civilization Anonymous has returned with a new informative video letting you all know that help is on hand for those who find themselves unable to escape the turn-based bliss.

If you have found yourself obsessively re-reading Brian's E3 preview, perhaps it's time to contact Civ Anon. If fine novelist Iain Banks was struck down by Civ, you certainly can be too. Though watch out for Civ Anon's sneaky and vaguely familiar janitor. Read more »

I first saw Civilization V at GDC 2010 back in March and it was already looking incredibly polished. After seeing a demo at E3 2010 last week, Firaxis and 2K have another solid Civ on the way. The latest entry will make some major changes to the franchise: hexes will replace square tiles and units can no longer stack.

While I still haven't had the chance to go hands-on with the game--I would have spent ALL of E3 playing it--the new demo revealed a good amount of new information, systems, and features for the game. These changes may seem minor to casual fans, but dedicated Civ players will likely find the tweaks promising. Read more »

Fancy seeing Civilization V gameplay footage? A silly question, I know--of course you do. And if it has creator Sid Meier talking about the turn-based strategy sequel too? Bonus!

Developed by Firaxis and published by 2K Games, Civilization V will be released for PC in North America on September 21 before arriving elsewhere on September 24. Read more »

New Civilization V screenshots fresh out of E3 show two new features in Firaxis' turn-based strategy sequel--ranged bombardment in combat and a hex-based grid.

Civilization V is slated for a PC release on September 21 in North America, publisher 2K Games revealed last week, coming out elsewhere on September 24. Pre-ordering through Steam--which is providing DRM and other features for Civ V--will net you the 'Cradle of Civilization Map Pack: Mesopotamia' downloadable content for free.

Sid Meier's Civilization V will be released in North America on September 21, publisher 2K Games announced today, then will invade the rest of the world on September 24.

Made by Civilization IV and Civilization Revolution developer Firaxis Games, Civ V refreshes the celebrated turn-based strategy series with a hex-based grid, "a heightened tactical combat system; vast, realistic landscapes to explore; deeper diplomatic interactions; and an array of expanded features." Read more »

Firaxis' Civilization V will utilise Valve Software's Steamworks

suite, publisher 2K Games revealed today alongside the announcement of

a "Digital Deluxe Edition," pre-order bonuses, and 75% off sales on Civ IV and Civ III via Steam. Read more »

Looking for a bit more action in your strategic conquests? Then boy oh boy, do 2K Games and Firaxis have an April Fools' gag for you.

The companies behind Sid Meier's Civilization 5--due on PC this fall--today (jokingly) announced the inclusion of an "extreme diplomacy" mode in the turn-based straegy game, which "would allow two world leaders to enter a death match and fight to the finish" in the event that "normal diplomacy or military might fail to resolve conflicts." Read more »

The recently announced Civilization V will use hexes in place of square tiles along with some major combat changes. The game was shown off at GDC 2010 and I got a look at the new UI, diplomacy, and combat running beautifully in Windows 7 and DirectX 11.

The new UI is streamlined, minimalistic, and functional. While every option isn't presented by default, all of the options are a click-away. Fans worried about a simplification based on Civilization Revolution should not fear. Notifications are also handled by an icon system. You won't have to follow laggy, scrolling text only to miss the blurb about your scout being killed by barbarians. Mouseover the icon for a quick overview of the event; click it to jump right to the point of interest. Read more »

2K Czech's old-timey gangster game sequel Mafia 2 won't be hitting its projected release window either, as publisher Take-Two today revealed that the game--once expected by July-- is now slated to arrive between August 1 and October 31, 2010.

That period correlates to the fourth quarter of Take Two's current fiscal year--the same time that L.A. Noire, Max Payne 3 and Civilization V are due--with Mafia 2 in development for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. As for why Mafia 2 was delayed, Take-Two CEO Ben Feder cited a focus on quality and the need for more development time. Read more »

Though we have yet to see any video of gameplay, this cinematic trailer for Sid Meier's Civilization V (PC) is thoroughly epic. The game, which will move the series to hexagonal tiles for the first time, will be released this fall by publisher 2K Games.

Sid Meier's legendary turn-based historical strategy series Civilization will receive a brand new instalment on PC this fall, publisher 2K Games announced today.

Civilization V will charge players with once again leading and shaping a civilisation all the way from the dawn of society through to the space age, now backed by an all-new graphics engine and boasting "unprecedented modding capabilities." Read more »