Polygon has released a full-length documentary, The complete history of Civilization, as told by Sid Meier and more, marking the 35th anniversary of the series. The 43-minute video went up on Polygon’s YouTube channel on October 22, 2026.
The story starts 44 years ago, when Sid Meier and Bruce Stealey met in Las Vegas to discuss starting a video game business together. Their studio, MicroProse, specialized in military simulators, but after the positive reception to Railroad Tycoon, Meier had an instinct that history could capture players’ imaginations, and Civilization was born.
Polygon spoke with people who created and stewarded the series over the decades. The documentary walks through every mainline game: inventing the original Civilization, the man who made Civilization II, how the series was almost lost, the birth of Civilization III, Civilization IV starting out as a multiplayer game, how Civilization V changed combat, how Civilization VI revolutionized cities, the ambitious vision of Civilization VII, and a closing chapter on Earthrise and Civilization in space. As Polygon puts it, Civilization has endured, “shaped as much by the people who play it as the ones who create it.”
Video by Polygon on YouTube. More of their gaming coverage is at polygon.com.
Which chapter of Civ history is your favorite, and did the documentary teach you anything new? Come tell us on the forums!