Skip to main content

Modder’s Earth map for ‘Civilization VI’ is too big for some PCs to handle

Civilization VI was released last Friday, much to the delight of fans of the series — and to the detriment of their workloads. Unfortunately, the game is missing one feature that was present in its predecessor — a map based on planet Earth.

The Civilization series challenges players to jostle for position with other cultures over the course of centuries of human history. To make sure that things are fair, the map and each civilization’s placement in it are typically randomized, but playing on a map based on Earth’s geography offers a fun glimpse at an alternate reality. The United States could be divided up into several different kingdoms, Cleopatra might choose to take Australia — that kind of thing.

Recommended Videos

Fortunately, one modder has gone the extra mile and created an Earth map for Civilization VI. That individual, who goes by the name of Gedemon, has posted their work on the Civ Fanatics forum for players to download, according to a report from Eurogamer.

There is one thing that players need to consider before putting the Earth map to use, however — it utilizes its own “ludicrous” map size that’s well beyond anything in the base game. Measuring 230 by 115 tiles, it’s large enough to host more than 50 civilizations at once.

A map of this size is more than capable of crashing your rig, even given the relatively basic system requirements of Civilization VI. Fans of the series will know that turns can take a long time to complete once you’re deep in a game, and that’s certainly true when 50 civilizations are contesting a map this big.

Gedemon notes that the Earth map has been tested on a 500-turn game with 32 civilizations in play, and did not crash — however, that test was carried out on a computer with 16GB of RAM, an Intel i7 4770K processor, and GTX 980ti GPU with 6GB of VRAM. It’s perhaps best to stick to a smaller map size if your system isn’t up to snuff.

Brad Jones
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
Prepare for Civilization 7 with this $3 Steam Summer Sale deal
Three Civilization 6 leaders standing above a board with the Eiffel tower on the left.

One of the most exciting announcements for PC gaming fans during Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest live stream this year was for Sid Meier's Civilization VII. It's the next entry in a long-running turn-based strategy game series about building up and thriving as a civilization from scratch. Although Sid Meier's Civilization VII does not come out until next year and doesn't even get a full gameplay reveal until August, this year's Steam Summer Sale provides players the perfect opportunity to catch up on the series.

Navigate to the Featured Deep Discounts section of the Steam Summer Sale and you'll find that Sid Meier's Civilization VI from Firaxis and 2K is available for just $3, a 95% discount from its typical $60 price tag. If you've never played a Civilization game before or want to familiarize yourself with the core tenets of the series ahead of its next entry, this Steam Summer Sale deal provides an optimal opportunity to check it out.

Read more
Civilization 7 finally announced, but you’ll have to wait for more info
The banner for Civilization 7, with highlighted text on a dark background.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII - Official Teaser Trailer

Civilization 7 will conquer your game time soon. The latest in the iconic turn-based 4X strategy franchise was announced by developer Firaxis Games during Summer Game Fest on Friday.

Read more
Master Civilization VI with these starting tips for new players and veterans
Civilization VI

No matter if you're a budding city builder or a battle-hardened Civ veteran, Civilization VI has something to offer you. In addition to the base game, Civ VI has two full expansions: Rise and Fall and Gathering Storm. 2K Games also recently announced a season pass that will extend into 2021, offering six new game modes, nine new leaders, and more. If you're just getting in on the action or returning to an old favorite, our Civ VI tips will set you on the right path.

Further reading

Read more