The long-awaited, web-based version of the critically and commercially successful Civilization franchise is now available in a public beta beginning today. Sid Meier's Civilization World takes the franchise to the 'free to play' realm on the growing platform of Facebook social gaming.

The social version of the Civilization strategy franchise was first announced in 2009 under the name Civilization Network, before being renamed Civilization World in early 2011. Read more »

In his keynote address at GDC 2010, Sid Meier discussed a few prototype designs for the original Civilization. If these had made it into the final game, the series--and gaming history as we know it--might be very different from what we know and love.

Originally, Meier designed Civ as a real-time game. Taking inspiration from SimCity, he wanted to have a player's civilization grow around them. In actuality, players became observers. The mantra was "it's good to be king," but this wasn't coming across in real-time. Then, the game switched to a turn-based design and the "lights flicked on". Read more »