Civilization will celebrate its 35th anniversary this September, and Sid Meier and Firaxis president Heather Hazen have reflected on the series’ past, the challenge of supporting multiple generations of players, and what could eventually lead to another mainline entry.
In a new Variety interview, Meier described Civilization’s increasingly intergenerational audience: parents introduce the series to their children, and the game becomes something they play together. Firaxis itself is also marking its 30th anniversary this year.
Hazen said Firaxis thinks of Civilization as an ecosystem rather than a single current release. Civ VI remains a major draw alongside Civ VII, while older favourites still have devoted audiences. The studio wants to make moving between those preferred Civilization experiences easier, though Hazen said it has not yet “nailed” that ecosystem effect.
The conversation also revisits Civ VII’s Test of Time update. Hazen said the team used three rounds of public playtesting while responding to feedback on the controversial Ages system, aiming to restore more continuity and player agency without abandoning the new structure altogether.
As for Civilization VIII, there is no announcement. Meier instead restated Firaxis’ familiar “one-third, one-third, one-third” sequel philosophy: retain classic mechanics, improve existing ideas, and add enough genuinely new material to justify a new generation. He said the point for a next entry comes when the team has ideas that no longer fit naturally into the current game.
The interview also touches on the original Civilization’s path to becoming turn-based, its initially limited roster of civilizations, and the series’ evolution toward broader representation and more paths to success. Firaxis’ two core franchises remain Civilization and XCOM, with Hazen describing both as foundations for the studio’s next chapter.
You can read the full interview at Variety. Join the discussion in our forum thread.
