Firaxis Games has unveiled a «modern Russian civilization» in its game Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, which is due out next month. The Russians will have factions such as Dusha, Prosveshchenie, Samoderzhaviye, and General Moroz, led by Catherine II, who destroyed the Hetmanate and the Sich.
Firaxis Games has unveiled a «modern Russian civilization» in its game Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, which is due out next month. The Russians will have factions such as Dusha, Prosveshchenie, Samoderzhaviye, and General Moroz, led by Catherine II, who destroyed the Hetmanate and the Sich.
«Empress. Bow down to Catherine the Great!», — the developers announced their first look at the Russians in Civilization VII. According to them, Imperial Russia is known for many things: «vast territories in Europe and Asia, luxury and inequality, art and culture.»
Catherine II, who will be the leader of Russia in Civilization VII, will have a mysterious Russian Dushu, which will make her like leaders who have few «Great Works» (unique cultural artifacts) and dislike leaders who have many Works.
Another unique ability for Russia is Prosveshchenie, which increases the culture of urban areas in cities and gives an increase in science in urban areas of cities on tundra tiles. And among the leveling trees is Samoderzhaviye, which gives the General Moroz Tradition — it helps units fight better in the tundra.
A unique infrastructure improvement for Russia is the Obshchina, which increases food from neighboring farms, as well as culture if built on a tundra tile. Units unique to the faction include the Cossacks and the Katyusha rocket launcher.
«Civilization is sliding into absurdity. After decades of moronicism in the form of perestroika and maskirovka, a couple of weeks ago we got peredishka. And now we have a concentrated form of this nonsense — prosveshchenie, general moroz, dusha, obshchina. What’s wrong with you people?», — wrote Ukrainian indie developer Dmytro Yarynych.
He added that this was his first and last look at the Russian faction in Civilization VII. «I’ve been a fan since Civ II and a big fan of Mr. Meyer’s work, but nothing lasts forever,» Yarynich emphasized.
Many Ukrainian players have urged the developers to consider the context of the time in which they are releasing the game — the approaching 3rd anniversary of the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Some have wondered whether Civilization VII will feature such a mysterious Russian tradition as Snokhachestvo.
«Yes, yes, the great Russian mysterious „Soul“. This is when millions are killed, and dozens of free peoples are enslaved and suffer from genocide for centuries. From Peter to Catherine to Putin, Russia never changes. Stop promoting and spreading Russia’s cruel, barbaric and genocidal culture in your games as something great and useful! It’s time to tell people the real historical truth about the Russian Empire», — the editor of the GamewayUA publication commented on the Firaxis Games announcement.
Catherine II was a Russian empress, known in particular for finally absorbing Ukraine. She destroyed the Hetmanate in 1764 and the Sich in 1775, and also introduced serfdom. «This is the First One who crucified Our Ukraine, And the Second One finished off the Widow-orphan,» Taras Shevchenko wrote about Peter I and Catherine II.
In the Ukrainian region of Steam, the standard edition costs 3,000 UAH, the game does not have Ukrainian localization, but instead has Russian (including voice acting), although Civilization VII is not available in the Russian Federation. Previously, Ukrainian players have repeatedly called on the developers of the Civilization series to add Ukraine to the game, but have not yet achieved their goal.
