The Daily Populous Saturday January 4th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by fictionhorizon.com and submitted by WorriedAd870

The lead historian for Civilization 7, Dr. Sarah Bond, has a big wish for the game’s impact: she wants it to make players curious about history beyond the screen. While she enjoys working on the game, she’s also a university professor. And what’s the big challenge? Getting her students to crack open a book.

In her day job, Dr. Bond teaches undergraduates, and she’s noticed one big problem—they just don’t read enough. It’s not laziness; it’s more like they haven’t found the right hook to get them interested.

That’s where Civilization 7 comes in. She hopes it acts as a ‘gateway drug,’ sparking enough interest to nudge players toward real-world history. Whether it’s reading about ancient empires or diving into modern global politics, she believes the game can help bridge that gap.

Civilization has always been known for blending fun with learning. The game’s mechanics encourage players to think critically about historical events, cultural shifts, and even technological advancements.

However, Dr. Bond emphasizes that the game isn’t just about reliving the past—it’s about seeing how those events connect to the world today. She believes that when players build cities, negotiate with rival nations, or choose technologies to research, they’re engaging with historical concepts in a way that feels fresh and exciting.

But don’t expect the game to be a replacement for formal education. Dr. Bond has made it clear that Civilization 7 is designed for entertainment first. While it offers plenty of historical inspiration, it simplifies or alters some details to make gameplay smoother. For her, this isn’t a flaw—it’s an opportunity. She hopes that when players notice these differences, they’ll feel curious enough to explore the real stories on their own.

Dr. Bond’s enthusiasm highlights a broader trend: video games are becoming tools for learning, even if they’re not marketed that way. By combining strategy with historical narratives, Civilization 7 could inspire a new wave of curiosity about history. And who knows? Maybe one day, her students will surprise her by showing up to class with questions sparked by their latest gaming session.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!

siphillis on January 4th, 2025 at 17:40 UTC »

The best way to teach history is through context and storytelling, and games like Civ do a great job of that

TGB_Skeletor on January 4th, 2025 at 16:45 UTC »

history is one of the most important things you can learn

Brother_Clovis on January 4th, 2025 at 13:35 UTC »

When I was probably 14, I found a copy of civilization 2 for psone at a flea market. I remembered the name from some video game magazines I had, and decided to get it. I got so addicted. It was amazing to see this condensed version of history playing out. I hadn't even realized, but as I got into highschool, I was familiar with all sorts of characters and events from history, along with a rough timeline of when the events happened, and what inventions allowed for progress. While I'm certainly not a professional historian, the game absolutely gave me a lifelong fascination with history as a topic, and made it fun. Still something I love to this day, and I absolutely attribute a major part of this to civilization 2 on psone when I was 14.