Civilization is the most iconic turn-based series of all time, but Sid Meier considered making it an RTS: ‘It could have easily gone in different directions’
Civilization, which debuted in 1991, stands as one of gaming’s most iconic franchises and helped define the 4X strategy genre. However, the series’ turn-based foundation was not a foregone conclusion. Creator Sid Meier considered developing the original Civilization as a real-time strategy game, potentially reshaping the franchise into something resembling Age of Empires.
The design decision to implement turn-based gameplay proved crucial to Civilization’s identity and success. Rather than the frantic decision-making of real-time strategy, Civilization’s deliberate pace allowed players to carefully consider their civilization’s development across multiple eras of gameplay.
According to a comprehensive 2017 interview series examining the complete history of Civilization, Sid Meier and subsequent lead designers for each title discussed the creative choices that shaped the franchise. Meier’s early design considerations illustrate how different development paths could have fundamentally altered what became one of gaming’s most enduring and influential series.