Does Civilization VI Have a Turn Limit? The Answer and More!
The short answer is: yes, Civilization VI can have a turn limit, but it doesn’t have to. By default, a standard game of Civilization VI ends after 500 turns, corresponding roughly to the year 2050 AD. However, the beauty of this game lies in its customization options. You can easily disable the “Time Victory” condition during game setup, effectively removing the turn limit and allowing you to play indefinitely until another victory condition is met or you choose to stop. It’s a gamer’s sandbox, truly!
Understanding the Turn Limit in Civ 6
Civilization VI, like its predecessors, uses a turn-based system. This means that each player, controlling their chosen civilization, gets a chance to make moves and decisions within a set turn. These decisions encompass everything from city management and military maneuvering to technological research and diplomatic negotiations. Each turn represents a span of time, which changes as the game progresses from ancient times to the modern era.
The default turn limit of 500 turns on the standard game speed aligns with the Score Victory condition. If no player achieves a victory through domination, science, culture, religion, or diplomacy by the end of turn 500 (or the year 2050 AD), the game concludes, and the civilization with the highest score is declared the winner. This score is determined by various factors, including population, territory, technological advancements, and wonders built.
Disabling the Turn Limit: A World of Possibilities
Fortunately, the developers at Firaxis Games understand that players often want to explore different strategies, experiment with their civilizations, or simply enjoy the game beyond the arbitrary turn limit. That’s why they provide a straightforward way to remove the Time Victory condition.
During game setup, before you start a new game, navigate to the Advanced Options menu. Within this menu, you’ll find a checkbox labelled “Time Victory”. Unchecking this box disables the Time Victory condition and removes the 500-turn limit. With Time Victory disabled, the game will continue indefinitely until one of the following occurs:
- A player achieves a victory through Domination, Science, Culture, Religion, or Diplomacy.
- A player is completely eliminated from the game (losing all cities and settlers).
- All players are eliminated, resulting in a defeat for everyone.
This freedom allows you to pursue long-term goals, engage in extended wars, develop sprawling empires, and generally immerse yourself in the game without the pressure of reaching 2050 AD. Even after achieving another victory condition, you can select the “One More Turn” option to continue playing indefinitely. You can find additional insights into the game and game-based learning at the Games Learning Society website.
Game Speed and Turn Limits
The game speed setting also influences the number of turns available if you do choose to play with the Time Victory condition enabled. Civilization VI offers several game speeds, each altering the pace of the game and the number of turns available:
- Online (200% speed): Approximately 250 turns
- Quick (150% speed): Approximately 330 turns
- Standard (normal speed): 500 turns
- Epic (75% speed): Approximately 750 turns
- Marathon (50% speed): Approximately 1500 turns
Note that these turn counts are approximate and can vary slightly depending on specific game events and settings. A longer game speed, like Marathon, provides more time to develop your civilization and pursue your chosen victory path.
FAQs: Your Civ 6 Turn Limit Questions Answered
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the nuances of the turn limit and other related aspects of Civilization VI.
1. What happens if the turn counter runs out in Civ 6?
If the turn counter reaches its limit (typically 500 on Standard speed) and the Time Victory condition is enabled, the game ends. The civilization with the highest score at that point is declared the winner by Score Victory. If Time Victory is disabled, the game continues indefinitely.
2. Can you play Civ 6 forever?
Yes, you can play Civ 6 “forever” in the sense that you can disable the Time Victory and then select “One More Turn” even after achieving another victory type. The game will continue until you decide to stop. You will not get another victory screen, but can keep playing as long as you like.
3. What is the point of the “One More Turn” option?
The “One More Turn” option appears after you achieve a victory. It allows you to continue playing the game even after you’ve “won.” This is ideal for players who want to continue developing their civilization, experimenting with different strategies, or simply enjoying the game world.
4. How do I remove the turn limit in Civ 6?
To remove the turn limit, start a new game and go to Advanced Setup. Find the option for “Time Victory” and uncheck the box. This will disable the Time Victory condition and allow you to play indefinitely.
5. What year does Civ 6 end in a standard game?
A standard game of Civ 6 typically ends in the year 2050 AD if the Time Victory condition is enabled. This corresponds to turn 500 on standard game speed.
6. What constitutes a defeat in Civ 6?
You are defeated in Civ 6 if you lose all of your cities and Settlers, or if another player achieves one of the victory conditions and you are not on their team. If the Time Victory is disabled, the game continues without a Score Victory, and nobody can be defeated by time.
7. How does game speed affect the length of the game in Civ 6?
As mentioned earlier, the game speed setting directly influences the number of turns available. Faster speeds like Online and Quick shorten the game, while slower speeds like Epic and Marathon extend it, giving you more turns to develop your civilization.
8. What are the different victory conditions in Civ 6?
Civilization VI offers several distinct victory conditions: Domination, Science, Culture, Religion, and Diplomacy. Each requires a different approach and strategy. With the Time Victory disabled, you must win by one of these victory conditions to end the game (by your success, that is).
9. Can you change the game speed after starting a game in Civ 6?
No, you cannot change the game speed after you’ve already started a game in Civilization VI. The game speed is set during the initial game setup and cannot be altered mid-game.
10. Does the AI play to the turn limit?
The AI (Artificial Intelligence) in Civ 6 strives to achieve victory through any available means, including exploiting the Time Victory. Therefore, the AI does play with the turn limit in mind, attempting to maximize their score and compete for a Time Victory if other victory conditions seem unlikely.
11. How important is the Score Victory compared to other victory types?
The Score Victory is often considered the least satisfying victory type because it relies on simply surviving until the end of the game. Other victory types are more actively pursued and require specific strategies and achievements. However, achieving a Score Victory on a high difficulty level can still be challenging.
12. Is it possible to win a game of Civ 6 before turn 500?
Yes, it’s entirely possible to win before turn 500 (on standard speed). By focusing on a specific victory type, such as Domination (through military conquest) or Science (by launching a successful Mars colony), you can achieve victory well before the turn limit.
13. Can I customize the year the game ends in Civ 6?
While you cannot directly specify a particular year, you can effectively alter when the game ends by changing the game speed. Longer game speeds (Epic and Marathon) extend the game, pushing the final year further into the future, while shorter game speeds (Online and Quick) bring the game to a conclusion sooner. You can also disable the Time Victory altogether.
14. How does simultaneous turns affect the turn limit?
Simultaneous turns are an option in multiplayer games where players can take their turns at the same time, reducing the waiting time between turns. However, simultaneous turns do not directly affect the turn limit itself. The game will still end after 500 turns (or whatever the turn limit is set to), regardless of whether turns are taken simultaneously or sequentially.
15. Why should I disable the turn limit in Civ 6?
Disabling the turn limit in Civ 6 offers several advantages. It allows you to:
- Pursue long-term strategies without the pressure of reaching 2050 AD.
- Experiment with different civilizations and their unique abilities.
- Develop sprawling empires and engage in extended wars.
- Focus on building wonders and maximizing cultural or scientific output.
- Simply enjoy the game world at your own pace. Essentially, disabling the turn limit unlocks the full potential of Civilization VI as a sandbox strategy game, empowering you to shape your civilization’s destiny without artificial constraints.