The tentpole release of February’s Apple Arcade update is Sid Meier’s Civilization VII Arcade Edition, which comes to iPad, iPhone, and Mac via Apple’s game subscription service on February 5.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is a turn-based strategy game where players build and guide a civilization from its earliest beginnings through successive historical eras. You manage cities, research technologies, engage in diplomacy or warfare, and make long-term strategic decisions that shape how your empire grows and interacts with others. The goal is to achieve victory through multiple paths, such as cultural influence, scientific advancement, military dominance, or diplomatic leadership.

Now, I’ve never played a Civilization game, but pretty much anyone I know who’s a PC gamer has. So I know how highly regarded these games are.

The App Store description of the Arcade Edition notes a number of big asterisks regarding content availability:

• No multiplayer at launch
  The Apple Arcade version does not support multiplayer gameplay at launch, unlike PC and console versions that offer online and local multiplayer options.
  
• No DLC or expansion packs
  The Arcade Edition does not include paid expansions or downloadable content. Additional civilizations, leaders, and game modes available on other platforms are not supported.
  
• Potentially limited post-launch updates
  Some updates or features released for PC and console versions may not be available on Apple Arcade, or may arrive later.
  
• Map size limitations based on hardware
  Large and Huge map sizes are only available on devices with 8 GB of RAM or more (iPad A16 users take note!). Lower-end iPads may be restricted to smaller maps.

Other Titles

Alongside Civ VII, three additional Apple Arcade titles will be released on February 5:

• Retrocade (iPad, iPhone, Vision Pro) lets you play classic arcade favorites like Pac-Man and Missile Command in an arcade-like interface on iPad and iPhone. It looks like Vision Pro users will be in for an even better experience in an immersive, arcade-style play environment.
• Felicity’s Door (iPad, iPhone, Mac, Apple TV) is a brand-new rhythm game that takes players on a journey through Tom and Felicity’s magical world of dreams. Players will join the twins and their lovable bear, Mi-chan, as they travel deep into the depths of space, traverse seaside cliffs, and navigate sprawling cyberpunk cities.
• I Love Hue Too+ (iPad, iPhone) brings a psychedelic puzzle game full of color, light, and shapes, where players arrange mosaics of colored tiles into perfectly ordered spectrums.

As with all Apple Arcade games, these titles are free from ads and in-app purchases.

Read more about these releases in Apple’s Newsroom post.