It’s that time of the year, folks. Show after show hyping us up for what’s next in the world of video games. But with so many releases and reveals, slip-ups are bound to happen. One such occurred today when 2K accidentally leaked its upcoming game, Civilization 7.
The leak slipped through the cracks of the 2K Games website which features panels of all the video games the publisher has produced in their decades-long history. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the panel and banner of Civilization 7 appeared alongside everything else, including links to a wishlist and a trailer that isn’t yet available to the broader public. It’s highly likely that 2K planned to publish the now-deleted panel following today’s Summer Games Fest.
The leak was initially spotted by the watchful eye of a Reddit user. There is scarcely any information regarding the title other than its logo and very existence, though we’re likely to find out more later today. Rumors circulated several months ago related to the potential development of a new entry in the Civilization franchise, but no one could have guessed that a full-blown trailer and announcement were just around the corner. The last game in the series, Civilization 6, was published all the way back in 2016. Depending on when the release date is set, we may see a decade-long gap between the two entries, much longer than the one between 5 and 6.
Civilization is one of the longest-running franchises in video game history. It pioneered the 4X genre and revolutionized it with subsequent entries. It is the source of so many beloved and well-known strategy game mechanics. Its strive for innovation didn’t always meet a positive response, with Civilization 6 introducing some of the more controversial changes to the formula. We’ll have to wait and see what 2K plans with Civilization 7, though hope remains for a return to pre-Civ 5 gameplay mechanics.
