2K Games has officially announced the release date for Civilization: Beyond Earth. It will available on Windows PC, Mac and Linux from 24th October, priced at £27 (US$50).
The latest game in Sid Meier's classic turn-based strategy series, described as the spiritual successor to 1999's Alpha Centauri, was first announced at PAX in April. Civilization: Beyond Earth explores the future of mankind on an alien world. Players lead factions with contrasting cultures and the gameplay possibilities encompass nonlinear technology progression and a quest system to unlock resources and upgrades.
Those who pre-order the game will gain a bonus Exoplanets Map Pack, according to PC Gamer. This bonus pack features six maps "inspired by real exoplanets" that are potentially inhabitable, we are told.
The six exoplanets include:
- Kepler 186f: This lush forest planet is one of the oldest known Earth-like planets
- Rigil Khantoris Bb: Orbiting the closest star to our solar system, the historical records of this arid continental planet's settlement are well-preserved
- Tau Ceti d: This planet of seas and archipelagos features a booming biodiversity and a wealth of resources
- Mu Arae f: Tidally locked in orbit around a weak star, the southern hemisphere of this planet is a blistering desert where the sun never sets, while the northern hemisphere is perpetually in frozen darkness
- 82 Eridani e: An alien world of scarce water and wracked by tectonic forces
- Eta Vulpeculae b: A mysterious new discovery with unknown terrain.
An E3 walkthrough, showing gaming footage, has also just been released by 2K games. In the video Will Miller, lead game designer at Firaxis Games, shows players eight minutes worth of gameplay within the environments they might encounter.