Civilization 7 early access unlock time and release date

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Here's when you can enter the new age of making history.

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Civilization 7 is almost here, but history doesn't arrive all at once. Civ is the latest series to offer early access for those who shelled out for pricier preorders, meaning some of us are only hours away from making Machiavelli the ruler of Han China when early access starts tonight for Deluxe or Founders Edition owners.

If you're keen to do some early brushing up on your empire-building, we've got plenty of resources for the would-be world leader. Our Civ 7 victory guide can help you chart your path to primacy in every age, while our handbook for Civ 7 towns and cities work will give you some tips for managing your municipalities. You can't just slap a wonder down anywhere, after all.

Civilization 7 early access unlock time

(Image credit: 2K)

To play Civ 7 five days earlier than its full launch date, you'll need to have preordered either its Deluxe Edition or its Founders Edition. Civ 7 early access will unlock at 12 am EST on February 6, meaning everywhere west of the US east coast will technically have early access on February 5. Here's when Civ 7 early access unlocks in time zones around the world:

Civilization 7 early access launch times

  • 9 pm, February 5 (PST)
  • 12 am, February 6 (EST)
  • 5 am, February 6 (GMT)
  • 4 pm, February 6 (AEDT)
  • 6 pm, February 6 (NZDT)

Civilization 7 full launch release date

For those of us willing to wait to leave our mark, however ignominious, on the long arc of virtual history, we've got five more days before we're menaced by the forces of hostile city-states. Similar to early access, Civ 7's full launch will be at 12 am EST on February 11, giving it a February 10 launch for everywhere further west.

Here's the full launch times for Civ 7 around the globe:

Civilization 7 full launch times

  • 9 pm, February 10 (PST)
  • 12 am, February 11 (EST)
  • 5 am, February 11 (GMT)
  • 4 pm, February 11 (AEDT)
  • 6 pm, February 11 (NZDT)

Will Civilization 7 have preloading?

Nope.

While console players get to enjoy a nice, easy preload, Civilization 7 won't be available for preload on PC. We'll have to start our downloads at unlock time, however urgent our needs to start researching Animal Husbandry might be.

Lincoln Carpenter
News Writer

Lincoln has been writing about games for 11 years—unless you include the essays about procedural storytelling in Dwarf Fortress he convinced his college professors to accept. Leveraging the brainworms from a youth spent in World of Warcraft to write for sites like Waypoint, Polygon, and Fanbyte, Lincoln spent three years freelancing for PC Gamer before joining on as a full-time News Writer in 2024, bringing an expertise in Caves of Qud bird diplomacy, getting sons killed in Crusader Kings, and hitting dinosaurs with hammers in Monster Hunter.