Will this new direction bring all-night Civ sessions to the console crowd, or should it be put to bed early? Get the verdict from the reviewing public, after the jump.

Eurogamer
You can't play Civ Rev like Civ. The underlying systems are the same, if hugely (and at times brutally) simplified, but where its PC siblings could, to a certain extent, be played at your own pace, this sticks army ants in your bed. If you try to sleep, you'll be eaten alive. It keeps moving at all times, and if you don't move with it you won't get anywhere. That said, the lowest couple of difficulty settings are almost hilariously forgiving, but you'll very quickly want to graduate to a more challenging one. Even if you're specifically aiming for an economic, cultural or technological victory, be prepared to shed some blood along the way.

VideoGamer
There are drawbacks to the new approach. As we said the world map is small, but at times it feels way too small. It seems like an oversight that the game doesn't allow players to generate custom maps that are bigger. And despite the world being tiny, it's sometimes hard to get an overview of what's going on because the camera's distance to the action is fixed in place. It's kind of like only being able to play PES on the short camera view. Sometimes you need to switch it to wide in order to see more of the playing field.

1UP
If you're new to Civ's turn-based world, the abundance of information at the beginning of a game can be daunting — and even more so for your chosen civilization's different opening gambits. Revolution does a great job of appropriate hand-holding, with its array of cartoon advisers and "Civilopedia," which contains a wealth of strategic and operational knowledge, accessible at any time. So, when your first Settler unit establishes the capital city in the opening turns, you'll be in good shape for the Manifest Destiny that's to follow.

IGN
Civilization Revolution is a standout strategy console game that successfully straddles the line between hardcore and casual. But after spending many hours with the game, I found myself wanting just a bit more depth, which I suppose is the inherent pitfall of bringing one of PC gaming's deepest experiences to a console with both input and hardware limitations. True, I could get in and out of a game with relative ease, but I also didn't have the option to micromanage my workers (there are production settings, but they are quite basic) or embark on an epic campaign.

Kotaku
...the game can be too short, and too small, and in some cases a little rough, but what Firaxis needed to do if this game was to ultimately succeed was take that core Civilization experience – the discovery, the advancement, the combat, the diplomacy – and ensure that even a streamlined version of the game still had you up at 3 in the morning, telling yourself you'll just have "one more turn". Which it does.

Looks like many more sleepless nights are in order.

I believe the videogames industry has an ongoing problem, in that a large proportion of the people who influence the game design process prefer Strategic play to other kinds of play. But as the audience for games has exploded into the mass market, strategy games (and other forms of Strategic play, such as adventure games) have become niche titles, with even the most popular titles selling no more than a few million units at most, while games with a wider appeal can rack up more than ten million units (as Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training, GTA: San Andreas, Guitar Hero and The Sims all demonstrate in wildly different ways).

A good strategy game may well be a series of interesting decisions – but a good game is something that meets the play needs of its audience. If you want to make games for the new videogames market, you’d better start striving to understand just what those diverse play needs might involve.

Certainly, plenty of games are a series of interesting decisions, but as Bateman points out, it doesn't mean all games are, and many super-successful games don't fit the paradigm.

A Game Isn't a Series of Interesting Decisions [Only a Game]

Variety reporter Ben Fritz knows that Sid Meier made a Colonization game back in the day. And he knows that the new one, the upcoming Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Colonization, won't quite force you to sail to a new land so you can kill all the natives and screw them with the exchange rate.

But he's troubled. He's spent a good amount of time on his blog to show that he's thought this through. Colonization was and is racist and appalling, he states. He doesn't call for a ban. He's a First Amendment guy. But he does call for a reaction.

Goddamit, am I the only one who think it's morally disturbing to make a game that celebrates COLONIZATION?

Bonus reader challenge: Reply to this post, pro or con, without using the old conversation-stopper: "It's just a game."

Civilization IV: Colonization... Wow that looks offensive [Variety's The Cut Scene Blog]

He wouldn't confirm, of course, any plans for a Wii version of Civilization Revolution but his positive response should be encouraging, at least, to Civ fans.

He was also asked about the possibility of a Civ MMO:

I'm exploring lots of exciting ideas right now. A Civ MMO is a really intriguing idea and we're spending time thinking about how we could make it the fun addictive experience Civ players expect. Beyond that I have some new ideas that are quite different from games I've made in the past – and that's all I'm able to tell you right now. Stand by for more information in the near future!

10 Questions: Firaxis' Sid Meier [GameDaily]

It'll be available in Fall 08, and the announcement says the 1994 title is being rebuilt from the ground up to take advantage of the Civ IV engine, adding new graphics, interface and features.

You still lead one of four European countries in conquering the New World, dealing with natives and the other nations and all that wonderfully bloody business. Here's hoping for smallpox blankets? Full release and screens after the jump!

2K Games Announces Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization™ for Games for Windows®
Sid Meier's Classic Colonization is recreated as a new stand-alone title in the Civilization IV� universe

2K Games Announces Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization™ for Games for Windows®
Sid Meier's Classic Colonization is recreated as a new stand-alone title in the Civilization IV® universe

New York, NY – June 9, 2008 – 2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today that Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization™, the next offering in the award-winning Civilization IV® universe, is currently in development at 2K's world-renowned Firaxis Games development studio. Conceived from the ground up to take advantage of the Civilization IV engine, Colonization will be available fall 2008 exclusively for Games for Windows®.

"We've received many requests from fans over the years to bring back Colonization and now seemed to be the perfect time to do that," said Sid Meier, director of creative development at Firaxis Games. "The Civilization IV engine provided a fantastic foundation for a new Colonization experience and allowed us to create something great for both new players and long time fans of the game."

In Colonization, players lead one of four European nations on a quest to conquer and rule the New World. Players will be challenged to guide their people from the oppressive motherland, discover the New World, and negotiate, trade and fight with both the natives and other nations as they acquire power and fight for freedom and independence.

As a complete reimagining of the 1994 classic, Colonization is a total conversion of Civilization IV that combines Civilization's addictive "just one more turn" gameplay with all-new graphics and features that add more depth to the franchise. New features, such as a brand-new interface, improved diplomacy options and the included modding tools ensure that Colonization will be the next great title from gaming's premier strategy game developer.

Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization for Games for Windows will be available fall 2008 and has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information, please visit www.civilization.com

* Colonization does not require the original Civilization IV product in order to be played.

The Civilization Revolution demo also contains both multiplayer and single player gameplay, and while I am no expert I am going to go out on a limb and say there is some civilization building going on.

Both demos weigh in on the hefty side, with Battlefield at 1.5 GB and Civ at a slightly more modest 1.25 GB. Enjoy!

Demo: Battlefield: Bad Company [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]
Demo Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution [Same Guy]

“I’m fortunate to be able to do what I love and am grateful for all of the wonderful recognition I’ve received over the years,” said Sid Meier. “It is every kid’s dream to make it into the Guinness World Records and I’m thrilled to be a part of the prestigious book. I’m thankful to the many game critics who have enjoyed our games and hope they are as excited about our upcoming Civilization Revolution title as I am.”

And there, my friends, is why great men are great. They are never too proud to slip in a little marketing. Go read some more marketing in the official press release, while I apply some watercolor photoshop filter love to this great, great man.

Sid Meier Enters Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2008

As Industry’s Most Award-Winning Developer

Sid Meier, creator of the Sid Meier’s Civilization® franchise and Director of Creative Development at 2K’s world-renowned Firaxis Games development studio, has officially won more game awards than any other video game creator according to the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2008.The Civilization series boasts some of Sid’s most impressive game awards, including Sid Meier’s Civilization IV™, which was selected as Strategy Game of the Year by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) and 1UP.com. Next up from the award-winning developer is Sid Meier's Civilization® Revolution™, which promises to uphold the franchise’s gold standard.

Sid Meier’s awards for his game design genius are numerous. In 1999, Sid was the second person ever to be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences’ Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Computer Museum of America's Hall of Fame in 2002 and received a commemorative star on the Walk of Game in 2006. Meier was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2008 Game Developers Choice Awards.

“I’m fortunate to be able to do what I love and am grateful for all of the wonderful recognition I’ve received over the years,” said Sid Meier. “It is every kid’s dream to make it into the Guinness World Records and I’m thrilled to be a part of the prestigious book. I’m thankful to the many game critics who have enjoyed our games and hope they are as excited about our upcoming Civilization Revolution title as I am.”

Built from the ground up solely for console and handheld gaming systems, Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution features fast-paced, pick-up-and-play action involving strategic global domination and history's most intrepid leaders, as well as a highly competitive multi-player experience. Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution brings the renowned Civilization franchise to current gen consoles and handhelds for the first time, delivering the vast re-playability and unmatched addictive gameplay that has become synonymous with the works of Sid Meier. New graphical designs and a streamlined interface will transport the Civilization franchise to a level that fans have never seen before.

Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution is rated E10+ for everyone 10 and older and will be in stores beginning July 8, 2008 for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Nintendo DS™. For more Civilization Revolution information, visit www.civilizationrevolution.com.

For those interested in such micromanaging pursuits can check out everything the game has to offer on Civilization: Revolution's newly launched website. It's a nicely put together site and has a decent amount of places for you to explore including videos, screenshots, forums and all the information on Civilization: Revolution you could want.

Civilization: Revolution Official Site [2K]

The first thing I noticed is the graphical overhaul the entire game has gone through in it's trip from PC to home console. Armies are no longer small collections of little dots, but now are fully fleshed out characters that actually engage enemies in animated battles. It sounds like a small thing but is actually a huge improvement and really draws you into the game a bit more. The closer camera angles help with this as well. Also completely revamped are the character models for all the various nation's leaders and advisers. They are much more detailed and while they are still technically rather cartoony, they still seem much more realistic than the ones in previous games of the series.

We launched right away into a multiplayer game against Wired's Chris Kholer. Now before you go skipping all the way to the end just to see if I kicked his butt, no I did not. Nor did he kick mine. Unfortunately we did not have the forty five minutes to an hour it takes to play a full vs game, but we got enough in to get a feeling for it. There are three different multi-player modes in the game: Free For All, Head to Head and Teams. We played the head to head version but I am sure the other modes play similarly in their basic play.

There are sixteen different civilizations to choose from at the top of the game, each civ having it's strengths and weaknesses. An interesting addition to this version of the game is the ability to apply an handicap to your team. So if you are a new player going up against a more experienced one, you can choose from one of four different levels of handicap that will speed up your building and production speeds and the like. Of course choosing to handicap will stick you with one of the impressive list of names for the handicaps: Noobish, Noobasauraus, Noobatronic or Noobalicious.

Once the game started I could tell it was moving at a faster pace than previous titles. According to the developers, this is the best multiplayer functionality yet seen in a Civilization game. The controls and functions from the PC version have all been retrofitted to suit the controllers for the PS3 and Xbox 360. (The version I saw was the 360) The controls were comfortable and intuitive and within a few turns I was playing pretty smoothly. Civilization is kind of like riding a bike, once you find your balance your gliding along like you've been playing your whole life. I started off by building a couple cities and then sending my men out to start exploring the land. Several turns later I had acquired enough units to create an army. The armies area is a great addition since you essentially combine any three matching units together and you instantly have a nine person force. The is great for those ground skirmishes where you get to steal land from lowly barbarians. The game is still turn based and you have to wait for your opponent to finish his move before you can start yours. This can be boring at times, but it does afford you a little time to try and think ahead about your next move. The battle animations are done using the Havok engine and it was cool to watch the little guys fall off a mountain or die face down in the ocean. I did manage to get in a scuffle with the fine Mr. Kholer's army but in the time allotted I only managed to steal his camels. Not a great prize, but I enjoyed my feeling of accomplishment.

Before leaving, I got to check out a little of the DS version of the game albeit briefly. The handheld version is almost an exact replication of the console game with the exception of the graphics which of course had to changed to accommodate the DS screens and resolution. The controls and gameplay however are exactly the same. The developers explained that they didn't want to present a stripped down version just because it was on a handheld. From what I could tell in the short amount of time I had with it, they did an admirable job.

I enjoyed my time with Civilization Revolution and will definitely be picking up a copy when it comes out on June 3rd. It has made the jump from PC to console nicely and the graphical improvements will make it an interesting play for long time Civ players. For new players just getting interested in the title or those who just don't care for PC gaming, it will be a great introduction into the city building, wonder erecting, micromanaging world of Civilization.

The Three Most Important Moments In Gaming, And Other Lessons From Sid Meier [MTV News]

In this 15 minute chat we talk about the death of the PC gaming market, how GDC has evolved and what type of character he plays in WoW... among other things.

powered by ODEO

Huge laughs from the audience. Damn there are a lot of dorks in the audience...present company included. Through the hour-long interview, Meier divulged all sorts of not-so-secret secrets, admitting his geek fetish of still programming his own titles. Here were some of our favorite things he said, organized for your easy digestion...

On Casual Games
"The word 'casual' is kind of a tough game to pin down...I'm not that interested in doing simple games, but, if you look at the budgets, games we made 10 or 15 years ago are 'casual' by that measure."

On Civilization 1 Addiction
"We hadn't made a game up to that point that had that addictive quality...kind of scary when we first realized...here was a portent of the future, how games could really become something people really wanted to spend a lot of time playing."

On Railroad Tycoon And Games Of Yore
"A lot of what we did was trigger your imagination...we just did a little bit, but the player added a lot of the experience...imaginations are still around today."

On Why He Programs
"I'm more willing to waste my time that somebody else's time."

On How You Design Civ
"The temptation with Civilization is to throw everything into it...computers can handle that, but humans can't."

On What He Plays (Tact Edition)
"I guess it's like, you do something all day, you want a change of pace. I haven't really played any other strategies."

On Vocation
"My hobbies are [in] music, but there's no money in music."

On The Era
"It's kind of a golden age, I think, for gaming."

On Civilization Revolution
"It's really kind of a designer's dream to repair a path...go back in time with a lot more knowledge and a lot more experience."

On Making An All-Encompassing, Career Highlight Game Like Spore
"No."

Xbox Originals [Xbox.com]

I enjoy the idea of doing something I haven't done before, so a MMO would fit perfectly, but I really can't say if that would be the next game we do or if it's still a couple of games down the road before we come to that. Because I have new single player games I want to do, as well.

I've had a pet project I've been working on for years, three of them if my memory is right. It started as a simple idea: You can judge a lot from a person's desk. I bet you could judge just as much from their home entertainment system. So I decided it would be fun to try and track down some pictures from the work desks and home gaming set-ups of the people who work in and cover the video game industry. Simple right? Not so much.

Turns out that many of the people are either too busy or too private to want to participate in such a project. To make matters worse, there's always fear that something sitting on someone's desk, that ends up in a photo, could actually be news worthy. Like a secret project or the next big thing. But I didn't give up and about once a year I'd harass a bunch of game developers for photos. Finally, this year, the harassment paid off.

What started as a trickle of photos turned quickly into the collection of galleries you'll find on the jump: More than 40 different photo galleries from 17 studios, seven publications, two industry movers and shakers and a couple of fun surprises.

You'll get to see the desk of such greats as Sid Meier, Peter Molyneux and Tetsuya Mizuguchi along with plenty of others. Remember you can comment both on the next page and on each individual photo if you click on them.

If I find there is interest, I will try to periodically update this gallery of galleries with more developers, journalists and industry movers and shakers. Have fun.

DEVELOPERS
2K Games

ASTRO Gaming

Buzz Monkey Software

Capcom

Eat, Sleep, Play

Electronic Arts

Firaxis Games

Flying Lab Software

Gearbox Software

Harmonix Music

Incognito Entertainment

Insomniac Games

Kojima Productions

Lionhead Studios

NanaOn-Sha

Naughty Dog

NCSoft

NetDevil

Neversoft Entertainment

Ninja Theory

Pandemic Studios

Petroglyph Games

THQ

Q Entertainment

JOURNALISTS

Blue's News

BoingBoing

EGM

The Escapist

GameLife

Joystiq

Kotaku

MTV

Slashdot Games

VE3D

VH1

INDUSTRY FOLK

MISCELLANIES
I AM 8-BIT

Penny Arcade

Whorecraft

Video Games Live

You might think Sid's tastes are singularly strategic, but he namechecks Okami, Gran Turismo 4 and Resistance: Fall of Man as some of his favorite games. Then, there's the gushing. Oh the gushing! Not only does he call the PLAYSTATION 3 "light years ahead" of the PlayStation 2, he's just enamored with Sony as a whole.

Sony's done an amazing job of establishing a quality standard and delivering on systems' promise. Look at the caliber of titles we're suddenly seeing from machines like the PlayStation®2 - the company takes a long-term view and really focuses on delivering amazing hardware right out of the box.

Hints of a Meier-developed PlayStation bound game are not-so-subtly hinted at in the editorial, which could be very very interesting. I'm guessing it's going to be along the lines of Sid Meier's PlayStation Sonnets. Michael McWhertor

Armchair General [PlayStation.com via Game Daily]

One of the more colorful characters from the early days of Electronic Arts, Dani Bunten is to be posthumously inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame during the D.I.C.E. Summit early next month. Bunten is responsible for some of the greatest early computer games, including the legendary M.U.L.E. While she started life as Dan Bunten, her gender was transcended by her mastery of game design. Speaking with GameSpot, Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins had nothing but praise for Bunten.

"Dani was a great leader and source of inspiration that we will never forget. Dani's selection for the Hall says something very positive and very important about how influential Dani was as a thinker and designer and how that leadership inspired so many others."

Dani Bunten named to AIAS Hall of Fame [GameSpot]
Danielle Bunten Berry on Wikipedia

• Europa Universalis III (PC) Strategize your way through 300 years of nation building
• Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (DS)
  Film Noir meets "Take On Me" set in the 70's.
• The Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean (PSP)
  The popular RPG series returns to the PSP
• Inuyasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel (DS)
  Based on the TV show of the same name!
• Sid Meier's Pirates! (PSP)
  Arrrgh! Pirates are taking over the PSP. Prepare to be boarded!
• Alien Shooter: Vengeance (PC)
  Fend off an invading alien horde. The title sort of says it all.
• Sam & Max Episode 3: The Mole, the Mob and the Meatball (PC)
  More wacky adventures from the dog and rabbit detective duo.

I'll definitely picking up a copy of Hotel Dusk, it just looks too cool to pass up. Any of these look good to you? Flynn De Marco

2K today released a free holiday scenario for Sid Meier's Railroads!.

The pack includes a new holiday train with two skins and custom sounds; holiday-themed extras like cookies, eggnog and toys; holiday music; a North Pole environment and a scenario that has you trying to stop three robber barons from destroying Christmas. Brian Crecente

When computer games and video games collide! Legendary PC game designer Sid Meier is thinking about bringing Civilization to the Nintendo DS. He says, "If we can deliver a fun experience to the players on the DS, then we'll do it." While the ill-fated N-Gage saw a version of Civilization II, Meier wasn't directly involved as the title was licensed out by Atari. He's currently busying himself with a PSP version of Pirates, which he compares to the PC/Xbox version and says "is "looking to be a really fun game." What about the new machines, Sid?

I think the latest consoles have the processing power to deliver fun experiences with the bigger strategy games. It's definitely something we've been keeping our eyes on and we'll let you know where we'll go from here.

The key word here, folks, is FUN. Brian Ashcraft

Sid Meier Talks Fun [VGB]
Click here to learn about Fun-Boy.

In order to shill a few more copies of the Sid Meier's Railroads! (emphasis theirs), 2K Games is giving you the opportunity to (re)play the "tycoon game that started it all". It's a measly 14 MB download, so you really have no excuse.

At the very least, burn it to a CD-ROM and give it as a stocking stuffer, you cheap bastard. Michael McWhertor

Download Railroad Tycoon

Take-Two isn't really talking details yet, but they're bringing Sid Meier's Pirates to the Playstation Portable.

The man himself even says he's psyched.

"We love the new possibilities from handheld systems like the PSP system," added Sid Meier, Director of Creative Development at Firaxis Games. "Pirates! for the PSP system allows players to shape the heroic life of a pirate while embracing the pirate's way of life - always on the go!"

Of course, I'd be psyched too if someone was going to pay me bushels of money for porting a game. If I were Meier, I'd demand to be paid in bullion. Brian Crecente

2K to Bring Sid Meier's Pirates! to the PSP [T2G]

2K Games have announced that four of their games are being pushed onto Steam. The games are Sid Meier's Pirates!, Civilization III, Civilization IV and Shattered Union.

The list is pretty weird: who in their right mind would buy Civ III when they can pick up Civ IV for pretty much the same price? Civ IV is just hugely superior.

Pirates! is the real prize here, though. It was pretty much my GOTY in 2004, mostly because it just perfectly updated my nostalgic memories of entire nights spent with my buddy Mike as a teenager, drinking Coke, eating bacon cheeseburger subs and "Yargh!"ing at each other as we played Pirates! Gold on the Genesis. Give it a shot if you haven't already: I think it's my favorite Sid Meier game/. Florian Eckhardt

Steam Opens Up to 2K Hits [Next Generation]

I'm not a huge fan of collector's editions. Usually they seem to be just some extra art, maybe a book, a DVD of stuff you don't care about. But I can actually see some real value in the Civilization Collector's Edition that Take-Two just announced.

The $70 pack comes with: Sid Meier's Civilization I, Sid Meier's Civilization II, Civilization II: Fantastic Worlds, Civilization II: Conflicts in Civilization, Civilization II: Test of Time, Sid Meier's Civilization III, Sid Meier's Civilization III: Play the World, Sid Meier's Civilization III: Conquests and Sid Meier's Civilization IV.

You also get Civilization: The Card Game, a 250-card tabletop game; The Chronicles of Civilization, a 96-page book on the history of the game; a DVD about the creation of the game; tech tree posters for all of the games; wallpaper images and podcast MP3s.

If you're a hardcore Civ player, which is just about every Civ player, then this is the pack for you. Brian Crecente

One surprising thing is exactly how beefy the system requirements are: a 2.0 GHz processor, a gig of RAM and a beefy video card. These requirements are actually higher than the ones for Doom 3 for the Mac. Macs are definitely getting more and more powerful and with Boot Camp, Mac owners can happily game by just loading up Windows XP. But it defeats the point of a port entirely if a game running natively on OSX requires twice the resources that it would require if you installed the XP version. Florian Eckhardt

Edit: Ooops! My bad. Eric Duncan over at Aspyr Media wrote to inform me that I'd quoted the recommended specs, not the minimum, which are a 1.8 ghz processor, 512MB of RAM and 64MB of video RAM. He assures us it plays pretty well even at those. Swell!

Civilization 4 for Mac [Apple Store]

But not Will Wright's kids. They play Guitar Hero. Meier's offspring play Oblivion. Oblivion! AOL Games has a feature on the coolest gaming dads in the biz, including those two and many more.

What about you, commenting crew? Tell us how cool (or uncool) your gaming dad is. Michael McWhertor

Father's Day Game Time

Carmack, Meier, Lara make the Walk of Game [Gamespot]
Walk of Game Official Site

Granted, they haven't denied that he's in it... but where's Hitler? It seems to us that if you're going to include one of the 20th century's most inhuman mass murderers, you might as well go the whole hog and include Hitler. Hitler's scarcely more distasteful than Stalin — in fact, Hitler killed less people than Stalin.

We know, 2K Games: you've got the profitable German market to consider, where Hitler references are, as they might say, verboten. Still, do what all other game manufacturers do when they run afoul of German anti-Nazi censorship laws: replace Hitler with a robot for the German release. We recommend the sensuous German robot Maria from the 1927 Fritz Lang film, Metropolis.

Civ IV: Warlord Screenshots [Gamespot]

The new expansion will concentrate on military campaigns with six new scenarios, powerful new "warlord" units, plus the usual expansion pack staples of new civs, more leaders, more resources, more wonders, more stuff!

Full press release after the jump.

NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—March 16, 2006—2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO - News), and the Company's world-renowned development studio Firaxis Games, today announced Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords, an expansion pack for the critically acclaimed Sid Meier's Civilization IV for the PC.

Since its October 2005 release, Sid Meier's Civilization IV has sold over a million units worldwide and was named both PC and Strategy Game of the Year by GameSpot. An all-new expansion pack, Warlords pays homage to some of history's greatest military leaders, delivering six new scenarios, giving players the chance to change the course of history with the help of their new powerful "warlord" unit. The expansion pack is loaded with new civilizations, new leaders and more units, resources and wonders that can be used in both single and multiplayer games.

"Civilization IV has been a great success for us," said Christoph Hartmann, Managing Director of 2K Games. "We believe Warlords will exceed the extremely high demands of gamers worldwide with new additions to its already successful formula."

Created in 1991 by industry legend Sid Meier, the Sid Meier's Civilization franchise has been internationally recognized as one of the greatest PC game franchises of all time. Each Civilization is a turn-based strategy game that challenges players to build and expand an empire throughout all of human history in order to become the most powerful ruler in the world. As the latest game in the series, Civilization IV has won countless Game of the Year awards from print and online publications around the world, including North American publications such as PC Gamer, Computer Games, IGN, GameSpy and GameSpot. Most recently, Sid Meier's Civilization IV was named Best Strategy Game in the Ninth Annual Interactive Achievement Awards held by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.

"We're very happy with the success of Civilization IV," said Sid Meier, Director of Creative Development for Firaxis Games. "Within days of its release, gamers around the world were fully addicted, staying up late at night and just hoping for 'one more turn'...what could be better! Warlords will feed that addiction with more of everything gamers want."

Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords will require the full version of Sid Meier's Civilization IV and will be released for PC this summer. For more information please visit http://www.civiv.com/.

About Sid Meier's Civilization Franchise

Created by industry legend Sid Meier in 1991, Civilization instantly set the standard and defined a new genre of empire-building strategy games. An addictive blend of building, exploration, discovery and conquest, the original Civilization is still recognized as one of the greatest games of all time. Sid Meier's Civilization IV was released in 2005 for the PC to critical acclaim, receiving numerous Game of the Year awards from outlets around the world.

About Firaxis Games

Firaxis Games is one of the world's premier game development studios, and home of legendary designer Sid Meier. Firaxis has developed some of the most successful and award-winning computer and video games on the market today including; 2005 PC Game of the Year - Sid Meier's Civilization IV , Sid Meier's Pirates! (PC and Xbox), the blockbuster Sid Meier's Civilization III series, and Sid Meier's SimGolf . Firaxis legacy titles include the Sid Meier's Civil War Series! (Gettysburg!, Antietam!, and South Mountain), and the Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri series. In 2005, Firaxis Games was acquired by Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., joining the 2K Games publishing label, a wholly owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive.

About Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is an integrated global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games and accessories for the PC, PlayStation game console, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PSP(TM) (PlayStation Portable) system, Xbox and Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube(TM), Nintendo DS(TM) and Game Boy Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K Games, 2K Sports and Global Star Software; and distributes products in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two also manufactures and markets video game accessories in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region through its Joytech subsidiary. The Company maintains sales and marketing offices in Cincinnati, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Vienna, Milan, Sydney, Breda (Netherlands), Auckland, Shanghai and Tokyo. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them. The Company has no obligation to update such forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary significantly from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of factors. These important factors are described in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended January 31, 2006 in the section entitled "Cautionary Statement and Risk Factors."

Contact:

2K Games
Jay Boor, 646-723-4253
jay.boor@2kgames.com
or
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.
Jim Ankner, 646-536-3006
james.ankner@take2games.com
or
Bender Helper Impact
Derek Musso, 212-689-6360
derek_musso@bhimpact.com
or
Firaxis Games
Kelley Gilmore, 410-891-3001, ext. 131
kgilmore@firaxis.com

Source: Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

We don't need to tell you, then, that Sid Meier's new upcoming game, Eponym's Railroads!, will be a hardcore sex simulator obfuscated through the metaphor of the nation's sprawling railroad system. Like us, we're sure you can't wait.

The Golden Age of railroading is back with Sid Meier's Railroads! Combining the best of real-world and model railroads, Sid Meier's Railroads! puts you in charge of building your own railroad empire, running everything from steam-powered locomotives to more modern diesel and electric trains, managing cargo and your bottom line, all while engaging in corporate warfare against rival tycoons, slick entrepreneurs and robber barons.

It's Sid Meier, locomotives and sex, so we're sure it'll be great. Due out Fall 2006. Full press release after the jump.

2K Games Announces Sid Meier's Railroads! For PC.

— Legendary Designer Sid Meier Returns to Reinvent the Classic Railroad Tycoon Franchise That Revolutionized Strategy Gaming —

New York, NY - March 16, 2006 - 2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), and the Company's world-renowned development studio Firaxis Games, today announced the next edition of the award-winning Railroad Tycoon franchise, Sid Meier's Railroads! for the PC.

The Golden Age of railroading is back with Sid Meier's Railroads! Combining the best of real-world and model railroads, Sid Meier's Railroads! puts you in charge of building your own railroad empire, running everything from steam-powered locomotives to more modern diesel and electric trains, managing cargo and your bottom line, all while engaging in corporate warfare against rival tycoons, slick entrepreneurs and robber barons.

"In addition to winning countless awards, the Railroad Tycoon franchise pioneered the simulation and strategy genres by introducing limitless gameplay," said Christoph Hartmann, Managing Director of 2K Games. "Building on the franchise, Sid Meier's Railroads! will deliver a simulation experience that caters to both strategy gamers and locomotive fans alike."

"We're thrilled to have the opportunity to bring this game back home," said Sid Meier, Director of Creative Development for Firaxis Games. "Railroads is near and dear to our hearts and we're looking forward to delivering the endlessly fun gameplay experience fans of our games have come to expect."

Cities and industries grow up around you as Sid Meier's Railroads! enables players to lay track and route trains, haul raw materials to market and carry manufactured goods throughout the land. Sid Meier's Railroads! introduces a large number of different single-player game scenarios and a variety of play modes including the "sand-box" modeling mode, real-time LAN and Internet play.

Sid Meier's Railroads! will be released for the PC this fall. For more information please visit http://www.2kgames.com/.

About Firaxis Games

Firaxis Games is one of the world's premier game development studios, and home of legendary designer Sid Meier. Firaxis has developed some of the most successful and award-winning computer and video games on the market today including; 2005 PC Game of the Year - Sid Meier's Civilization IV , Sid Meier's Pirates! (PC and Xbox), the blockbuster Sid Meier's Civilization III series, and Sid Meier's SimGolf . Firaxis legacy titles include the Sid Meier's Civil War Series! (Gettysburg!, Antietam!, and South Mountain), and the Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri series. In 2005, Firaxis Games was acquired by Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., joining the 2K Games publishing label, a wholly owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

About Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is an integrated global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games and accessories for the PC, PlayStation game console, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, Xbox and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube , Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K Games, 2K Sports and Global Star Software; and distributes products in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two also manufactures and markets video game accessories in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region through its Joytech subsidiary. The Company maintains sales and marketing offices in Cincinnati, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Vienna, Milan, Sydney, Breda (Netherlands), Auckland, Shanghai and Tokyo. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders. Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them. The Company has no obligation to update such forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary significantly from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of factors. These important factors are described in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended January 31, 2006 in the section entitled "Cautionary Statement and Risk Factors".

EXCLUSIVE chat with Firaxis, the development team of Civilization IV!" [Xfire]

All of our fanfare and our excitement over Civilization IV is well documented. Finally, with just a simple exchange of cash for goods at your local game store, you can walk home with Civilization IV today. As sequels tend to be, this one is loaded with upgrades from the previous iterations. My favorite new addition are the new religions you can find - these can increase how much gold you earn. Religion makes you money? Who would've thought.

Sid Meier Answers Slashdot Queries
Civ IV Site Launches

The Sid Meier appeared on the Kojo Nnamdi Show on public radio in Washington, D.C. (My home town!) Tuesday to talk about Civilization 4, his love of game design and impact on the industry. Meier, who lives in Hunt Valley, Maryland, was introduced on the show as the father of modern video gaming and a man who prefers strategy over violence in a time when the industry is heading in the opposite direction.

Perhaps over stated, but the interview is worth a listen. Gamespot editor Jason Ocampo joined the talk show about halfway through and comes off as bit of a fan boy, though he does talk abit about why he loves the game so much.

During the show Meier hinted that he is considering making a new Alpha Centari.

Alpha Centari is another game we would like to revisit some time. Unfortunately we have a limited number of games we can do so I can't say where that will be on our schedule.

He also spent a bunch of time plugging his latest Civilization (which came out this week) and said he just doesn't have the time to play MMOs.

Audio Link [WAMU, thanks Jay]