So what we’re really trying to do here is take a lot of the lessons we’ve learned from all the other Firaxis games and the knowledge that we have and apply it to a new setting, a setting free from historical context, where we can invent our own alien planet, and where there can be a lot of new interesting things that happen. How do the two relate?Īnton Strenger: Beyond Earth is a new entry in the Civilization franchise, and we’re definitely inspired by Alpha Centauri, but this is a different game and it’s meant to stand on its own. Let’s get the elephant out of the room: Beyond Earth sounds a lot like an Alpha Centauri sequel on paper, but it’s not called that. Or at least that’s my hope, having posed some of those questions (and concerns) to Beyond Earth gameplay designer Anton Strenger, Sid Meier’s Civilization series senior producer Dennis Shirk and associate producer Pete Murray. Given Alpha Centauri‘s pedigree and harder-core player demographic, you might argue Firaxis’ challenge lies in turning a radically reimagined riff on Civilization V - a game praised by mainstream critics, but sharply criticized by core players - into something that can somehow appeal to both demographics. Something that could, in theory and given roughly 15 years of design advances and lessons learned, be the superior sci-fi game. Something with overt links back to the core Civilization franchise (thus the inclusion of “Civilization” in the title this time). Alpha Centauri belongs to Electronic Arts, not Firaxis.Īnd so the design team at Firaxis had to come up with something fresh. But it’s not Alpha Centauri 2 - just wipe any such notion from your brain.

Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth, which Firaxis is announcing at PAX East today, may finally bring an end to Firaxis’ hard-sci-fi, turn-based, planet-bound 4X (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) drought.

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