Civilization 35 Anniversary: Sid Meier's Firaxis, XCOM Future Games

July 31, 2026 - 19:30

Sid Meier and Firaxis president Heather Hazen recently sat down to discuss the 35th anniversary of the Civilization series, reflecting on its unlikely origins and the studio's path forward. What started as a simple map-based strategy experiment in 1991 has grown into one of the most enduring franchises in PC gaming, with millions of players building empires across seven mainline entries.

Meier, who has long stepped back from day-to-day development, admitted he never expected the series to still be going strong three and a half decades later. "The core loop of exploring, expanding, exploiting, and exterminating just works," he said. "But the real secret is that each generation of developers finds a new way to make players feel like they are writing their own history."

Hazen, who took over leadership of the studio in 2021, spoke about the balancing act between honoring tradition and pushing the series into new territory. She confirmed that Firaxis is actively working on multiple unannounced projects, and while she stopped short of confirming a new Civilization title, she made it clear the team is not resting on past success.

The conversation also touched on XCOM, the other pillar of Firaxis' catalog. Hazen said the studio has not forgotten the tactical franchise, and that fans should not assume the last entry was the end. "We have a lot of love for that universe," she said. "There are ideas floating around that could surprise people."

Meier offered a broader philosophy for the studio's future: "We want to make games that give players stories to tell, not just levels to finish." With the anniversary edition of Civilization VII still fresh, and the modding community as active as ever, Firaxis seems positioned to carry that mission forward for another decade or more.