After fourteen years, turn-based historical strategy game
Sid Meier's Colonization will be seeing an update.
Take-Two subsidiary 2K Games announced today that developer Firaxis is currently working on
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization for PC, set to be released this fall. A "complete reimagining" of the original
Colonization, it again puts the player in the role of one of four European powers seeking to establish colonial dominance over the New World.
Though it uses the engine from
Civilization IV,
Colonization will be a standalone title. Like
Civ IV and its expansions, it is part of Microsoft's Games for Windows initiative.
2K representatives told Gamasutra that
Colonization is being developed by the team behind
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword. Alex Mantzaris and Jon Shafer were credited as lead designers on that title.
As always, Meier himself is credited as chief creative officer; he most recently served as lead designer of
Civilization: Revolution for Xbox 360, PS3, and DS, the first
Civ game since the original with Meier in that role.
Released in 1994, the original
Colonization was Meier's next original game after 1991's
Civilization, but unlike its successor it never saw a followup. The new version is said to feature a new interface as well as improved diplomacy options and mod tools.
Said Meier, "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. 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.”
