Firaxis shared a new game update video highlighting upcoming changes, adjustments, and additions coming to Civilization VI in the December game update, which is scheduled to go live at 1 a.m. GMT+8 on Friday, December 18. Ahead of the release, Firaxis will be doing a community livestream at 3 a.m. GMT+8 on Thursday, December 17.
In addition to balance and update changes, each game update includes a new feature, such as a scenario, game mode, or customization. This month’s update includes the City-state Picker, as well as several balance adjustments and additional changes based on player feedback.
Similar to the Natural Wonder Picker introduced in August, the City-state Picker enables players to select which and how many city-states will appear in their games. Choose to play with a random selection of city-states or a custom list; the City-state Picker is a great way for players to encounter city-states they may not have played with before and provides another way to control some of the game difficulty. Want to run a game with only Science-boosting city-states to help achieve a Science victory? Or make production harder by disabling all Industrial city-states? There are plenty of ways to experiment with the new City-state Picker!
Following player feedback, some new adjustments are making their way to Civilization VI. These include a significant balance pass on Social Policies and the Tech and Civic boosts, as well as improvements to the AI. For example, AI leaders are now less likely to make demands if your military is stronger or if it is doing badly in a war; players may also be excited to find a “Stop Asking Me” button that can be used if a civ is sending a few too many demands or requests. Full details will be available in patch notes that release alongside the update on December 18.
The December game update is one of many free updates that are a part of the overall content roadmap for Civilization VI, available to anyone who owns the game.