Now available for all players to access as a free update, 2K Games and Firaxis Games have released their newest ‘Australian Summer 2017 Update’ for the strategy game Sid Meier’s Civilization VI. While this would usually be called a Winter 2017 update, the title is indicative of what this latest update has to offer players – at least at a cost.
This update for Civilization VI offers new features for players such as Steam Workshop support, modding tools and multiplayer team functionality. Those willing to spend a little bit of money ($4.99 USD at the moment to be exact) can also pick up the Australia Civilization and Scenario Pack.
The Australia Civilization and Scenario Pack is similar to the recently released Poland Civilization and Scenario Pack, which provides the opportunity to explore new lands. This pack makes Australia playable in a new scenario titled ‘Outback Tycoon’, which features the 14th Prime Minister of Australia – John Curtin.
Below is an official Q&A (provided by 2K Games), featuring commentary by Pete Murray from Firaxis Games:
- Why did you choose to add Australia to Civilization VI?
We often look to the Civilization community to help us identify cultures that might be interesting to include, and ones that fulfil a gameplay role as well. For this DLC, we were looking to create a civ that had the ability to make optimal use of coastal territory and attractive land, and Australia felt like it was an interesting choice. Australia has also been a civ that players have requested frequently in the past. With our True Start Location Earth Map, Australia fills a noticeable geographic gap and their civ bonuses work well with the beautiful (but arid!) continent.
- Why did you pick John Curtin as Australia’s leader?
When we choose leaders for a civ, we want to find a leader who represents something positive about the culture. John Curtin not only provided Australia with strong leadership during World War II, but he laid the groundwork for Australia to participate in the post-war world as a full partner nation. He made the first push to single out Australia as a diplomatic force that was independent from Britain and willing to be a staunch American ally. He has a solid legacy in Australia today, and we felt he represented the civ well.
For those interested in the free update content, both multiplayer teams and modding tools have been what 2K Games have described as “two of the community’s most-requested features”. Now you can team up with your friends to conquer the world together against AI or human opponents. You can also subscribe to mods via the Steam Workshop, and have access to additional tools should you desire to alter the game yourself.
