Alpha Centauri 2

Other Games => Civilization Beyond Earth General Discussions => Topic started by: Buster's Uncle on April 18, 2014, 05:03:25 PM

Title: 2K Announces Sid Meier's Civilization(R): Beyond Earth(TM)
Post by: Buster's Uncle on April 18, 2014, 05:03:25 PM

2K Announces Sid Meier's Civilization^(R): Beyond Earth^(TM)
PRESS RELEASE
April 14, 2014, 8:05 a.m. ET



New sci-fi installment in award-winning Civilization franchise explores humanity's future, as players leave Earth to explore and colonize an alien world

Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #Civ
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 14, 2014--

2K and Firaxis Games today announced that Sid Meier's Civilization^(R): Beyond Earth^(TM), a new science fiction-themed entry in the award-winning Civilization franchise, is currently in development by Firaxis Games for Windows-based PC. The game will also be coming to Mac and Linux via Aspyr Media. Scheduled for release this fall, Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth will send players on an expedition from Earth to lead their people into a new frontier to explore and colonize an alien planet, and create a new civilization.

(Photo: Business Wire)

Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth will propel the development of human civilization beyond the traditional timeline of a Civilization game, by exploring humanity's future on an alien world. For the first time, players will lead factions divided by contrasting cultures and evolve their new civilizations to reflect their chosen destiny. Players will experience an array of new gameplay possibilities, including nonlinear technological progression, deeper customization of chosen factions, and an entire alien world that will change the very identity of each faction based on their choices.

"Having celebrated its 23(rd) anniversary last year, Civilization has cemented its reputation as one of the greatest and longest running franchises in video game history," said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. "Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth builds upon that success by pushing the series in new directions with players exploring an unknown future on an alien planet."

"The Civ team was excited about the opportunity to continue the story of Civilization into the future, because it allows the team to break free of historical context," said Sid Meier, director of creative development at Firaxis Games. "We've always let our fans create the history of mankind, and Civilization: Beyond Earth will now let them create the future."

Key features of Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth include:
   -- Seed the Adventure: Players will establish a cultural identity, select a
      leader and sponsor an expedition by assembling the spacecraft, cargo and
      colonists through a series of choices that directly impact starting
      conditions when arriving on the new alien planet.
 
   -- Alien World: Exploring the benefits and dangers of a new planet filled
      with dangerous terrain, mystical resources and hostile lifeforms unlike
      those of Earth, players will build outposts, unearth ancient alien relics,
      tame new forms of life, develop flourishing cities and establish trade
      routes to create prosperity for their people.
 
   -- New Technology Web: Reflecting forward progress in an uncertain future,
      technology advancement will occur through a series of nonlinear choices
      that affect the development of mankind. The tech web is organized around
      three broad themes, each with a distinct victory condition.
 
   -- New Quest System: Quests are infused with fiction about the planet, and
      will help guide players through a series of side missions that will aid
      in the collection of resources, upgrading units, and advancing through
      the game.
 
   -- New Orbital Layer: Players will build and deploy advanced military,
      economic and scientific satellites that provide strategic offensive,
      defensive and support capabilities from orbit.

In addition to its use of DirectX 11, Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth will be among the first wave of products optimized for the latest in AMD graphics technologies, including: the new Mantle graphics API, for enhanced graphics performance; AMD CrossFire^(TM), for UltraHD resolutions and extreme image quality; and AMD Eyefinity, which allows for a panoramic gameplay experience on up to six different HD displays off of a single graphics card.

Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth is not yet rated by the ESRB, and will be available for Windows PC, Mac and Linux in North America this fall for $49.99. For more information on Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth, please visit www.civilization.com (http://www.civilization.com), become a fan on Facebook, follow Civilization on Twitter and subscribe to Civilization on YouTube.

Firaxis Games is a 2K studio. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO).

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, marketer and publisher of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. The Company develops and publishes products through its two wholly-owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K. Our products are designed for console systems, handheld gaming systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services. The Company's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at http://www.take2games.com (http://www.take2games.com).

About 2K

Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment globally for console systems, handheld gaming systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, which are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services. 2K publishes titles in today's most popular gaming genres, including shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, sports, casual, and family entertainment. The 2K label has some of the most talented development studios in the world today, including Firaxis Games, Visual Concepts, 2K Marin, 2K Czech, 2K Australia, Cat Daddy Games and 2K China. 2K's stable of high quality titles includes the critically acclaimed BioShock^(R), Borderlands^(TM) and XCOM^(R) franchises, the beloved Sid Meier's Civilization series, the popular WWE 2K franchise and NBA 2K, the #1 rated and #1 selling basketball franchise*. 2K is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO). For more information, please visit www.2K.com (http://www.2K.com).

*According to 2008 - 2014 Metacritic.com and The NPD Group estimates of U.S. retail video game sales through February 2014.

About Firaxis Games

Firaxis Games^(TM) is one of the world's premier game development studios, and home of legendary designer Sid Meier. Firaxis has developed some of the most successful and award-winning computer and video games on the market today, including: the award winning Sid Meier's Civilization^(R) V for the PC, as well as the critically acclaimed expansion pack, Sid Meier's Civilization^(R) V: Gods and Kings, Sid Meier's Civilization^(R) Revolution^(TM) for console, iPhone^(R), iPod touch^(R), iPad(R) and Nintendo DS, 2005 PC Game of the Year - Sid Meier's Civilization IV^(R), the expansions Civilization IV: Warlords^(R), Civilization IV: Beyond The Sword^(TM), and Civilization IV: Colonization^(TM), the blockbuster Sid Meier's Civilization^(R) III series, Sid Meier's Pirates!^(R) (PC, Xbox^(R) and PSP^(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) system), Sid Meier's SimGolf^(TM) and Sid Meier's Railroads!^(TM). Firaxis' legacy titles include the Sid Meier's Civil War Series!^(TM) (Gettysburg!, Antietam!, and South Mountain), and the Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri^(R) series. In 2005, Firaxis Games was acquired by Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., joining its 2K publishing label. Firaxis Games recently released XCOM^(R): Enemy Unknown for Windows PC, the Xbox 360^(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation^(R)3 computer entertainment system to critical acclaim.


http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140414-904795.html (http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140414-904795.html)

...

It's the 2K press release, unaltered, and the Wall Street Journal gets a linkback.  Leave me alone about the ethics of running in full.

Title: Re: 2K Announces Sid Meier's Civilization(R): Beyond Earth(TM)
Post by: gwillybj on April 18, 2014, 08:39:37 PM

Do the various announcements and news items seem to be very careful about not calling C:BE SMAC2 or a parallel to SMAC? I wonder of it really is going to be so different that it shouldn't be compared but, rather, contrasted?

Title: Re: 2K Announces Sid Meier's Civilization(R): Beyond Earth(TM)
Post by: Buster's Uncle on April 18, 2014, 08:41:35 PM

It's a lawyer thing, isn't it?

Title: Re: 2K Announces Sid Meier's Civilization(R): Beyond Earth(TM)
Post by: BlaneckW on April 19, 2014, 06:53:24 AM

They use the word new a lot because the game is being compared with Civ 5.  Normally the word new would be implied - it certainly would for an Alpha Centauri 2.

Title: Re: 2K Announces Sid Meier's Civilization(R): Beyond Earth(TM)
Post by: Buster's Uncle on April 19, 2014, 06:59:52 AM

Aeson at 'poly quips that "the Big Mistake" was Civ5...

Title: Re: 2K Announces Sid Meier's Civilization(R): Beyond Earth(TM)
Post by: BlaneckW on April 19, 2014, 07:08:46 AM

Quote from: BUncle on April 19, 2014, 06:59:52 AM

Aeson at 'poly quips that "the Big Mistake" was Civ5...

I am sure that he thinks so, but FIraxis does not.