Civilization IV: Beyond The Sword Ships

By Geoff Duncan July 25, 2007

Civilization IV: Beyond The Sword Ships

2K Games has shipped the largest expansion pack for the Civilization IV strategy game franchise, Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword, adding a wealth of new civilizations, units, wonders, inventions, technologies, and an advanced AI to the popular title, focusing on late-game eras afer the invention of gunpowder.

“Given the overwhelming critical and commercial success of Sid Meier’s Civilization IV, we were inspired to provide these loyal fans with the series’ most robust expansion pack ever,” said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K, in a release. “By featuring more content than any other Civilization expansion pack, Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is a must-have for all Civilization fans and will set a new industry-wide bar for expansions.”

Developed by Firaxis Games as well as members of the Civilization fan community, the expansion pack features ten new civilizations, including the Netherlands, Babylon, and Portugal, along with sxteen new leaders including Lincoln, Boudica, Hammurabi, and Sitting Bull. The expansion pack also offers 11 new game scenarios, including the downloadable space-themed Final Frontier and historical Charlemagne scenarios. The expansion pack also opens up Espionage much earlier in the game, enables players to create corporations which spread throughout the world, random events like natural disasters and citizen demands, and an expanded Space Victory which requires more planning and tactics to win the race to Alpha Centauri. The expansion pack also features advanced starts (letting players begin the game with a custom-tailored empire) and a tougher AI which makes play more challenging at higher difficulty levels.

The Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword expansion pack is available for PC at a price of $29.99; it’s been rated “E10+” by the ESRB.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Gaming

Ubisoft confirms Assassin’s Creed remakes are in the works

Basim perched on a ledge overlooking Baghdad

In a company interview with CEO Yves Guillemot posted on the Ubisoft website Thursday, the executive reveals that there are remakes of Assassin's Creed games in the works, although he doesn't specify which ones.

"Players can be excited about some remakes, which will allow us to revisit some of the games we've created in the past and modernize them," he says, implying that it could pertain to games made before Odyssey. "There are worlds in some of our older Assassin's Creed games that are still extremely rich."

Gaming

Surfaced patent shows what an Xbox streaming console would’ve looked like

An Xbox Series X sits next to both Series S models.

There have been a few Xbox devices that have never come to fruition, one of which was Keystone, a prototype for an affordable game streaming device you could hook up to your TV or monitor. Thanks to a surfaced patent, we've gotten an even closer look at what it would've potentially looked like.

The patent, first spotted by Windows Central, gives us a more complete view of the device. We've previously seen the Keystone in the flesh. Microsoft Gaming head Phil Spencer is known for hiding teases and interesting collectibles on the shelf in his office. In a 2022 X (formerly Twitter) post congratulating Bethesda on Fallout's 25th anniversary, you can see a small white device on the top shelf that's actually a Keystone prototype. Xbox told Digital Trends that it was a version of the device made before it decided to "refocus our efforts on a new approach.”

Gaming

Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for June 28

Someone playing Wordle on a smartphone.

We have the solution to Wordle on June 28, as well as some helpful hints to help you figure out the answer yourself, right here. We've placed the answer at the bottom of the page, so we don't ruin the surprise before you've had a chance to work through the clues. So let's dive in, starting with a reminder of yesterday's answer.
Yesterday's Wordle answer
Let's start by first reminding ourselves of yesterday's Wordle answer for those new to the game or who don't play it daily, which was "ORDER." So we can say that the Wordle answer today definitely isn't that. Now, with that in mind, perhaps take another stab at it using one of these Wordle starting words and circle back if you have no luck.
Hints for today's Wordle
Still can't figure it out? We have today's Wordle answer right here, below. But first, one more thing: Let's take a look at three hints that could help you find the solution, without giving it away, so there's no need to feel guilty about keeping your streak alive -- you put in some work, after all! Or just keep scrolling for the answer.

Today’s Wordle includes the letter D.
Today’s Wordle uses two vowels.
Today's Wordle can refer to a large number of animals, particularly livestock like cattle or sheep, that are moving together in a group.