Civilization 7 VR Will Be a Meta Quest 3 Exclusive, Hopefully with Better UI Than On Steam

Sid Meier's Civilization VII: A VR Revolution on Meta Quest 3

Civilization VII (Civ VII) is making a splash in the virtual reality (VR) world with its upcoming release on Meta Quest 3 and 3S headsets this Spring 2025. This marks the franchise's first foray into VR and mixed reality (MR) gaming.

Meta Quest 3 Exclusivity

2K Games and Firaxis Games announced the exciting news at the Civ World Summit Event on February 8, 2025. The VR experience will be exclusive to Meta's latest headsets, a decision praised by both 2K and Meta. Dennis Shirk, Executive Franchise Producer at Civ VII, expressed enthusiasm for launching "a new era of strategy excellence." Chris Pruett, Meta's Director of Games, highlighted the momentum in mixed reality gaming, emphasizing Civ VII VR as a "genuine Civ experience" tailored for dedicated strategy players. Note that, despite the game's release on PlayStation consoles, a PSVR2 version is not currently planned.

Immersive Gameplay and Multiplayer Options

Civ VII VR transports players to a virtual command table, offering a unique perspective on the game world. Players can zoom in for intricate details or zoom out for a strategic overview, mirroring the experience of a physical board game. The game seamlessly transitions between immersive VR and MR modes, adapting to the player's environment. In VR, players are situated in a museum overlooking a personalized vista; in MR, the command table integrates into the player's physical space.

The game offers single-player, co-op, and competitive multiplayer modes for up to four players using Meta Quest 3 or 3S headsets. Players can team up with friends against AI opponents or compete head-to-head. Online multiplayer requires both a 2K and Meta account.

Addressing Player Feedback

Firaxis Games is actively addressing player feedback gathered during Civ VII's early access period (February 6, 2025, for Deluxe and Founder's Editions). The team is prioritizing UI improvements to enhance intuitiveness and map readability. Future updates will also incorporate community-requested features like multiplayer teams and diverse map types. A quality-of-life update in March will focus on UI adjustments, AI balancing, diplomacy refinements, and bug fixes.

Release Information

Civilization VII VR is slated for release this Spring 2025 on Meta Quest 3 and 3S, with a precise date yet to be announced. The standard version of Civilization VII launched in early access and will have its full release on February 11, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. For more details, visit our Civilization VII information page.