Welcome to week two of February, during which one of the oldest game franchises is launching its seventh iteration, although this time around it steps away quite a bit from its past versions, for better or worse. This is followed by some mayhem, Hollywood drama, an action co-op RPG, some classic side scrolling action with a lot of big guns and the week is rounded off with a JRPG.

Sid Meier's Civilization VII / This week's AAA release / Tuesday 11 February
In Civilization VII, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire. Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement. Steam link

Hackers successfully cracked the Linux version of Sid Meier's Civilization VII four days before its scheduled February 11 release. The compromise stems from the Linux build's DRM-free architecture, which contrasts its Windows counterpart's Denuvo anti-tampering protection. The cracked version, identified under the signature "Linux-Razor1911," has proliferated across multiple file-sharing networks and torrents, presenting immediate challenges for publisher 2K and developer Firaxis Games. The straightforward exploitation process utilizes standard Linux mounting protocols and executable script deployment. While the crack enables immediate access to the base game, circumventing official distribution channels could compromise essential network features and post-launch stability patches.

The persistent vulnerability of DRM-free releases on alternative operating systems potentially influences future platform support strategies among major publishers. Widespread pre-release piracy could significantly impact initial sales figures and threaten future native Linux port development. Firaxis Games and 2K, game publishers, are presumably investigating the crack, though the DRM-free nature of the Linux release limits their immediate response options. As the official launch approaches, this incident shows the ongoing challenge of balancing platform-specific security measures with maintaining broad operating system support in modern game development. While the SteamOS and Linux community represent a significantly smaller market than Windows gamers, it still has a noticeable impact on publishers relying on sales from all compatible platforms.

Civilization VII global release timing—from Early Access to launch, find your Civ VII start time on our global release map! Sid Meier's Civilization VII is almost here! Check out when you can start playing. Whether you're jumping in for early access or waiting for launch, use this map to find your Civilization VII release time around the globe. Are you ready for one more turn?

The award-winning strategy game franchise returns with a revolutionary new chapter. Sid Meier's Civilization VII is a turn-based strategy game that empowers you to build the greatest empire the world has ever known! In Civilization VII, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire. Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement.

Intel has released its latest version of the Arc GPU Graphics Drivers, version 101.6557 Beta. The latest update brings Game On Driver support for a couple of new games as well as improves performance in F1 24 and Sid Meier's Civilization VII games. The new driver update also fixes a single issue where the Intel Graphics Software may incorrectly report number of Xe Cores on certain Intel Arc B-series graphics cards.

According to Intel's release notes, the new driver update adds Game On driver support on Intel Arc B-series and A-series GPUs, and Intel Core Ultra CPUs with integrated Intel Arc GPUs, for Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and Sid Meier's Civilization VII games. It also improves performance on Intel Arc B-series GPUs in F1 24 game (DX12) at High Settings by up to 15.1 percent at 1080p and by up to 12.1 percent at 1440p resolution. The performance uplift also comes to Intel Core Ultra Series 2 CPUs with integrated Intel Arc GPUs in F1 24 (DX12), by up to 12.3 percent at 1080p with Medium Settings, and in Sid Meier's Civilization VII (DX12) by up to 7.7 percent at 1080p with Medium Settings.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.6557 Beta

Intel and 2K Games are teaming up to launch the Intel Builder Bundle, featuring the highly anticipated Sid Meier's Civilization VII. Starting today, gamers who purchase qualifying Intel Core Ultra processors (series 2) or Intel Core desktop processors (14th Gen) from participating sellers will be eligible to receive a digital copy of Civilization VII to play when the game launches on February 11, 2025.

"It's hard to come up with franchises in the PC gaming industry more iconic than Sid Meier's Civilization, and Intel is thrilled to continue its years-long partnership with 2K Games and Firaxis on the series' latest installment. Whether it's a marathon session with friends or just 'one more turn' before logging off, gamers around the world can depend on Intel Core and Core Ultra processors to deliver the best Civilization experience on a PC."

• Roger Chandler, VP and GM, Enthusiast and Workstation PC, Intel

The Firaxis team is happy to announce that Sid Meier's Civilization VII is officially Steam Deck Verified! Whether you're at home or on the go, get ready to take one more turn when Civilization VII launches on February 11, 2025! The award-winning strategy game franchise returns with a revolutionary new chapter. Sid Meier's Civilization VII empowers you to build the greatest empire the world has ever known!

In Civilization VII, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire. Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement. Construct cities and architectural wonders to expand your territory, improve your civilization with technological breakthroughs, and conquer or cooperate with rival civilizations as you explore the far reaches of the unknown world. Pursue prosperity in an immersive solo experience or play with others in online multiplayer.

Firaxis Games has published full PC system requirements for the upcoming Sid Meier's Civilization VII strategy game that will be launched on February 11th next year, and it looks like it won't need a powerful hardware, at least unless you want to run it at 4K/UHD resolution and with high graphics preset. Unfortunately, Firaxis Games has not revealed any details regarding support for NVIDIA DLSS or AMD FSR, at least not yet.

According to details, you'll need at least an Intel Core i3-10100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and either an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, AMD Radeon RX 460, or an Intel Arc A380 graphics card. Of course, these are minimum requirements so expect the game to run at 1080p resolution at 30 FPS and Low graphics preset. The game will also need 20 GB of SSD storage and Windows 10/11 64-bit OS. The recommended requirements, which should run the game at Medium graphics preset, 1080p resolution, and 60 FPS, include an Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X CPU, 16 GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, AMD Radeon RX 6600, or an Intel Arc A750 graphics card.

2K and Firaxis Games today announced Sid Meier's Civilization VII will launch on February 11, 2025. Representing a revolutionary new chapter in the storied and esteemed strategy game franchise, which has sold-in more than 70 million copies worldwide, it will be available on PlayStation 5 (PS5), PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, and Mac and Linux via Steam. Sid Meier's Civilization VII will feature support for cross-play and cross-progression, and is now available for pre-order.

Full details about Sid Meier's Civilization VII were shared during Gamescom Opening Night Live and an ensuing gameplay showcase that highlighted the title's innovative new features. The announcement also revealed Gwendoline Christie ("Game of Thrones," "Star Wars" franchise) as the new narrator of the game via an enthralling live-action trailer.