It Looks Like Civilization 7 Should Be Playable on Steam Deck After Seeing Linux Requirements

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The start of 2025 looks like it will be stacked back to back with some amazing games, but towards the top of my personal most anticipated list sits Sid Meier's Civilization 7. I adore the series, with Civ 5 being my favorite, and I was sold on the new changes for this entry after trying it out at Gamescom. With a bigger console focus, I was more optimistic about this being a great game to play on the Steam Deck, and I feel even more confident after seeing the latest system requirements.

While we knew about the requirements for Windows, Civilization 7 is getting a native Linux port, and we now have the specific system requirements for playing on Linux. They are relatively similar to the Windows version, with a similar CPU and RAM minimum, but the GPU and storage space differ. On Linux, developer Firaxis is asking for a minimum of:

• CPU: Intel i5-4690 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200
• RAM: 8 GB RAM
• GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD RX 580
• Storage: 25 GB available space

They also mention the recommended OS is Ubuntu 22.04, but that shouldn't matter as much when on other updated Linux distributions, including SteamOS.

The Windows side of the specs calls for an NVIDIA GTX 1050 GPU and 20GB storage space, and while those are more friendly towards the Steam Deck, the Linux side isn't asking too much either. With strategy games like this, running at high framerates isn't the most important, so I was really worried about the CPU and RAM requirements primarily. But both of these are well within the scope of the Deck's playability.

With the GPU being the biggest restraint, we have a lot of ways to lower settings and resolution/upscaling options to get to at least 30 FPS. This is a more than playable framerate for a game like this, so with that in mind, I have full confidence this will be very playable on the Steam Deck, and I can't wait to try it out for myself!

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 can be pre-purchased ahead of its February 11th release date on Steam for $69.99, or you can get it on Fanatical for $59.49 with the coupon code "FANATICAL15" at checkout. Pre-purchasing gets you the Tecumseh leader and Shawnee civilization pack, though you can also get one of the two other editions that can get you early access with upcoming content packs and expansions.

The Fanatical links above are using an affiliate link, which gives us a little back from sales at no extra charge to you. All proceeds go back into SDHQ and its development.

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