Controversial Civilization 7 Change Sparks Petition & Points To A Disturbing Gaming Trend

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There's a lot to be excited about with the return of an iconic strategy series in , but one change that the game is making has already upset plenty of longtime fans. As a franchise that's helped to define the 4X genre (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate), has attracted huge audiences and significant critical acclaim with every mainline entry. Guiding an empire across the ages can be an incredibly engaging task, especially when conducting diplomacy and war with friends in the long-standing multiplayer component of the games.

Some of the changes that is promising seem like interesting ways to shake up the series, even if they might not appeal to every fan. The biggest departure from prior games is the ability to switch civilizations as the game progresses between ages, a concept similar to the recent 4X competitor Major shake-ups to the formula come with certain drawbacks, but they do provide an incentive to play rather than just sticking to previous entries, a challenge that the series has to become increasingly creative to overcome without the major technological leaps of the past.

One alteration to doesn't come with any clear upsides, however, and it's the removal of hot seat multiplayer gameplay. Although playing over the internet is the modern standard for the multiplayer experience, especially considering how easy platforms like Discord make it to connect with friends, it's never been the only option for multiplayer. Hot seat, a staple since, allowed players sitting at one computer to take turns in sequence, with a name that references the idea of physically swapping out places in a seat in front of the screen.

Civilization 7 is available to preorder in four different bundles that include different DLC, early access, physical collectibles, and more.

While hot seat wouldn't work for many games, it functioned well enough for the experience despite slowing down the pace a bit. The concept behind -style strategy is arguably more connected to strategic board