Behind the Scenes of Civilization VII VR: Developer Interview and Early Access Preview

I recently had the extraordinary opportunity to visit Meta's New York offices for an early hands-on session with Civilization VII VR, the first-ever virtual reality adaptation of the legendary strategy franchise. Launching April 10th exclusively for Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S, this isn't just a watered-down port - it's the full Civilization VII experience reimagined for virtual reality.

During my visit, I not only got to experience the game firsthand but also had the chance to speak with two key developers behind this ambitious project: Dennis Shirk, Executive Producer at Firaxis Games, and Felix Strangio, Senior Game Designer at PlaySide Studios. They provided fascinating insights into the development process, challenges, and vision behind bringing one of gaming's most complex strategy titles to VR.

Before diving into our conversation, let me set the stage for what Civilization VII VR actually is.

What is Civilization VII VR?

For those unfamiliar with the franchise, Civilization is a turn-based strategy game where you guide a historical civilization from ancient times to the modern era. You'll build cities, research technologies, wage wars, engage in diplomacy, and compete against other civilizations for dominance.

While the flat version of Civilization VII launched back in February for PC and consoles, the VR version arrives tomorrow as a separate but fully-featured adaptation. The game has been meticulously redesigned for the VR medium, with players experiencing the game around a virtual "war table" that displays your empire and the world map.

Some of the VR-specific features include:

• A tactile war table interface that lets you zoom in to appreciate unit details or zoom out for strategic overviews
• Dedicated VR spaces including a Diplomacy Room for face-to-face negotiations with other leaders
• The Archives, a museum-like space where key moments of your civilization's history are displayed as dioramas
• Mixed reality support that lets you place the war table in your physical space
• Redesigned interface mapped to the Quest Touch controllers

The game implements Civilization VII's new Age system, which divides history into three distinct periods (Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern), creating natural break points perfect for VR play sessions. The Quest version also uses faster game speeds to accommodate headset battery life.

Now, let's dive into my conversation with the developers behind this ambitious project.

Developer Interview: Behind the Scenes of Civilization VII VR

Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and readability while preserving the core content of our conversation.

On Hand Tracking and Control Schemes

Q: Did you ever consider implementing hand tracking, perhaps for manipulating pieces on the war table?

Felix Strangio: We definitely prototyped and tried out hand tracking. Ultimately, what we discovered was that we didn't have the depth required for Civilization VII's complex interface. Bringing the interface of Civilization VII into VR was challenging enough, and taking away buttons would have added too much friction to the player experience.

We ultimately decided on a full controller scheme, which also gives players access to OS overlay features like the camera and social feeds. It creates a more integrated experience overall.

On Map Size and Design

Q: How different is the map size in VR compared to the PC version?

Felix: By default, we set players to the smallest map size, which we found through testing to be the most optimal for VR given the shifting perspective around the table.

Q: Are there different varieties of maps, like ones better suited for naval units with more ocean?

Felix: As with the PC and console version, the map is randomized every time you start a new game, and there are various presets you can choose when setting up. One key feature of Civilization VII that carries over to VR is the second continent that becomes accessible in the Exploration Age. This is a constant factor that affects how exploration goals unfold as you progress.

On The "One More Turn" Experience in VR

Q: One of the things that makes Civilization so beloved is that "one more turn" element. With the Quest having only about a 90-minute battery life, how are you able to deliver that full Civilization experience?

Felix: That's a great question. The core design challenge of creating Civilization for the Quest is absolutely the form factor, and it's something we were very conscious of when designing and developing.

We made a few key adjustments. First, we increased the default game speed. On average, a game plays much faster than on other platforms, though that can be changed in the settings. The other advantage comes from Civilization VII's new age structure, which gives you these neat, bracketed sets of turns. For example, in the online game speed which we use as default, it takes about 100 turns to complete one age.

We found that if we combined these approaches, we could establish a natural rhythm where you could play through an entire age in one sitting - or standing!

Dennis: And that was a deliberate design challenge. A lot of what we saw from Civilization VI is that more casual players often had a hard time envisioning where they needed to be in the game. They wouldn't realize they were off track until too far into the game.

Combining the online experience with single-age play meant that we got natural breakpoints when finishing a session. This is especially important in VR or multiplayer, where we wanted friends to be able to gather and play a reasonable session. You can always load your save and come back later, but the age system provides those natural stopping points as well.

Felix: It ends the experience really nicely. You never feel like you need to cut a game short because you're out of time. Even if you need to stop, it feels like a natural place to pause.

On Ages and Game Design

Q: Is the development of the VR version part of the reason the age feature was brought into Civ VII in general, or is that just an overall overlying design element of VII?

Dennis: That was a happy coincidence - it just hooked right into VR. It's one of the reasons why Civ VII works so well in this format. Civilization VI was a true eight-hour experience, and while we had quick moves in Civ VI, this is just much better for creating satisfying play sessions.

The age system itself was important from the very beginning, from its original prototype. We wanted it mainly for the benefit of different player types - casual players, long-term players, and players who tend to restart after they get far enough in Civilization VI once they know if they're going to win or not. Some players just love the antiquity part of the game best and want to restart and play that over and over. The age system allows a more natural way to engage with that.

On the Quest Audience for Strategy Games

Q: Are you concerned about the demographics of Quest players? Does the typical Quest audience align with strategy game players, or are you hoping this will bring in a new audience?

Dennis: That's a tall order! We're not sure what direction this is going to go, and we're anxious to find out. We're always looking to embrace new audiences, especially after seven iterations of Civilization. Gamers, as I mentioned, after 30 years, each have their favorites. You see a lot of Civ V players who skipped Civ VI but are engaged with Civ VII because they really like whatever the "secret sauce" is in VII that they felt VI didn't have.

VR is a totally unique audience. You might have VR players who have played Civ before on Switch or PC, but they want to try something different - that immersive experience they might not have had elsewhere.

I was super impressed with how everything came out because I think it's the most amazing technical demo I've ever seen on this hardware. This is a big game! It helps that Mark Zuckerberg has always been a huge Civ fan. I think that's one reason he was so passionate about putting something this complex on this particular platform - it offers a whole new way of experiencing the game.

Felix: I'd like to add that this isn't just a technical showcase - this is the full Civ VII experience with all the strategic depth. Yes, it's a large technical challenge and a large design challenge, but I think players will appreciate that the full depth of the strategic experience is there in a new, more immersive format.

Dennis: I don't think there's been anything of this degree on the Quest before. We could have gone the path of making a Civ that's strictly a VR-specific experience, but this is THE Civ experience. It's not something else. It's not cut down or watered down just for VR. It's the full experience, and that's pretty exciting.

On Development Collaboration

Felix: Developing this alongside Firaxis rather than after the fact meant that the two development teams, while separate, were able to collaborate throughout the entire journey. We definitely got a lot of inspiration from Firaxis, and I'd like to think that maybe we inspired a thing or two over there as well. It's been great to have that open communication channel so both teams could benefit.

Dennis: It was really unique this time. When looking for possible partners, you often have a hardware developer throw something at you, and it's impossible. But this was a unique situation where PlaySide was integrated into our Slack, into our Perforce, with direct access to our team for technical advice and back-and-forth.

When we needed optimizations, we could ask questions. The Quest is a low-powered platform, but the benefits we've gained from their work in making it function on that hardware reflect up well in their achievements as well. It's been a great relationship.

On Cross-Play and Future Content

Q: Can we expect cross-play with other platforms in multiplayer? And will we see the DLCs that are coming to the PC version in VR as well?

Felix: There is no cross-play compatibility between Civilization VII VR and the other Civilization VII platforms. Part of that is form factor - the pacing of the game is so radically different that playing cross-play with other players would lead to quite a lot of friction while waiting for players on platforms where someone isn't in a headset.

Regarding DLC, there are currently no plans for bringing post-launch content. We really wanted to focus on making this launch version the best it could possibly be for Civilization VII VR, really honing in on the core gameplay. What you'll get out of the box is all of the content from the standard edition of Civilization VII.

Q: Is the reason for no cross-play specifically because VR players are physically slower when navigating menus, or is there something else?

Felix: That's partially it. The user interface flow is different, and there are also a number of helper functions and features happening somewhat in the background to make the VR experience play faster - things like slimming down map size, abbreviating certain aspects, changing the pacing of turns, and some balance adjustments. There are multiple reasons why the games aren't one-to-one in such a way that they can speak to each other.

On Community Reception and Expectations

Q: Historically, when flat games come to VR, the core community can be apprehensive. How has your core community reacted to this announcement?

Dennis: We don't know yet! We're waiting to see what happens. We're curious about that too. Obviously, since Civ has been around so long, we have an extremely passionate audience. This, in no way, takes away from all the efforts we're already doing with the main game. We're already working on patch 1.1.1, and our eyes are focused on what's coming next for the flat version. Meanwhile, PlaySide is making sure the VR experience is where it needs to be.

It's uncharted territory - we've never had a game in VR before. It's exciting and terrifying and everything else! I'm interested to see the reaction next week when it launches.

Q: I have some friends who are die-hard Civ fans, and they all want to try it on my Quest. I think that's a good sign!

Felix: Something I touched on briefly earlier was our drive toward authenticity. Just because this is an experience tailored to Quest 3 doesn't mean it shouldn't feel like Civ. We wanted it to have not just all the features but also the same essence, the same design ethos. Being so integrated into the development process with Firaxis, we were able to make sure the tone, presentation, mechanics, and dynamics were as authentic as possible. I think the base PC and console audience will appreciate that.

Dennis: When the mixed reality features were first demonstrated, it was really amazing to us. As a studio, our lunchroom and after-work happy hours are usually filled with board games because we're a board game studio at heart. Our lead designer Ed Beach is a board game designer, and it was trippy the first time we saw the mixed reality table in the middle of the room - very meta! It was a remarkable experience seeing our game completely laid out on a war table, not just on a screen.

On Future VR Projects

Q: If you have a good reception with Civilization VII VR, would you consider doing an XCOM VR?

Dennis: You never know what the future will hold. I'll poke the important people about that possibility!

On Choosing Civilization VII for VR

Q: What was the deciding factor to develop Civilization VII for VR from scratch instead of maybe bringing over an older title like Civilization IV, which might have been a simpler path?

Dennis: I think a lot went into that decision. We liked that the ages system seemed to fit with the VR experience. We liked that there was something exciting about it to Meta. I imagine Mark Zuckerberg had something to do with it too, since he's a Civ fan and wanted to see a VR version. The stars just aligned.

Why go backwards when we can shoot for the moon? Since we're releasing on every other platform anyway, and things like Switch are always challenging to work on, we figured VR would be especially challenging but worth it. PlaySide did an amazing job bringing it to life.

On Launch Timing

Q: I'm curious about the launch date. Quest games often launch during the holiday season rather than April. What influenced the decision to launch now?

Dennis: I can't speak specifically to the April date, but we found that our fans wanted to play the game, so we made it available. In the past, we've released primary titles during holidays and expansion packs in early spring, but we have content coming up in all timeframes. The VR version is finished, so there's no reason to hold it back - our fans want it now.

Q: You wouldn't want to sit on a finished product for six months.

Dennis: We're really bad about sitting on anything! If we had to wait, we'd start adding more features and end up messing everything up. Once it's ready, we want to get it out there.

On Cultural Monuments and VR Features

Q: I saw something about cultural monuments in the gameplay video. How do you unlock those?

Felix: Every time you hit a key gameplay beat - like constructing a world wonder, discovering a natural wonder, or experiencing a natural disaster - you'll be met with a grand dioramic display, which we call an immersive exhibit.

Q: Does this work in mixed reality too?

Felix: Yes, even in mixed reality. And just like the war table in mixed reality, you can pick up those displays and place them in your physical environment. Once you leave that diorama context, certain key moments will also turn into artifacts that get displayed in your VR museum.

When developing features like that, we wanted to ensure they weren't just vestigial additions but were integrated into the core gameplay loop and fantasy of why people love these games - discovery, a sense of progress, and a sense of wonder in playing with world history. I was really pleased with how that design turned out, as it highlights some of the best moments from Civilization VII with a nice punctuation mark.

Final Thoughts

My time with Civilization VII VR left me genuinely impressed. As someone who has played Civilization VI but is experiencing Civilization VII for the first time in VR, I found the transition surprisingly smooth once I got used to the controls. The ability to physically move around the war table and view my civilization from different angles added a new dimension to the strategic experience.

While there are some technical limitations and occasional bugs (as you'd expect from such an ambitious VR title), the fact that this is the complete Civilization VII experience - not a stripped-down version - is remarkable. The developers have clearly put tremendous thought into how to make this complex strategy game work in virtual reality.

Whether you're a long-time Civ fan looking for a new way to experience the franchise or a Quest owner interested in diving into strategy games, Civilization VII VR offers something genuinely fresh when it launches tomorrow, April 10th, exclusively for Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S.