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Civilization VI to get season pass, bimonthly content updates through March 2021

2K Games is rolling out a new season pass for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI that will bring a significant amount of new content to the game.

The New Frontier Pass expansion will see eight new civilizations, nine new leaders, and six new game modes introduced to the title. And while that’s a sizable expansion worthy of note for any game, it’s an especially strong vote of confidence for one that was released in 2016.

“It’s been four years since we first announced Civilization VI, and the support from fans and players has been overwhelming,” Ed Beach, franchise lead designer at Firaxis Games, said in a statement.

The New Frontier Pass will begin dropping new content on May 21, then release more on a bimonthly basis through March 2021, the publisher said. All totaled, there will be six pieces of DLC. The pass will cost players $40 and is available on all platforms.

The first bundle will bring leaders from the Mayan and Gran Colombian civilizations, along with new city-states, resources, and natural wonders. The DLC will also include a new game mode called Apocalypse.

In July, players will receive the Ethiopia pack, which will include one additional leader and another game mode (called Secret Societies). Note that to take advantage of the new game modes, you’ll need to own the previous Rise and Fall or Gathering Storm expansions (or both).

To spur subscriptions, 2K is offering new looks and abilities to two existing leaders — Teddy Roosevelt and Catherine de’ Medici — which will ship alongside the second add-on pack.

But you don’t have to buy the expansion pack to see some changes in the game. 2K Games says that in addition to the paid DLC, it will deploy six free updates for all Civ VI players in between releases of the New Frontier Pass. Those changes will affect game balance and add some new free content.

Civilization VI has been a monster hit for the company, selling nearly 6 million copies to date as of last November, the most recent figures available. The game is the fastest-selling edition in the history of the series.

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Chris Morris
Chris Morris has covered consumer technology and the video game industry since 1996, offering analysis of news and trends and…
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