Civilization Discounted Steam: Latest Updates and Analysis
Civilization VII is discounted for Steam when you pre-order today, here’s how to secure the deal
Oh no, it's a pre-order article for Civ VII, get down! Well, it's also just a friendly PSA, in case you're looking for the best deal right now. The game is launching on February 11, and if you've been waiting to carve your place in history again, we've found a solid discount going right now for PC gamers.
The standard edition is down to £[website] / $[website] at Fanatical, 12 percent off its £[website] / $[website] list price. If you were already planning on getting the game at launch on Steam at full price, this is an easy discount. If you weren't, then head to the comments to flame me ASAP.
The standard edition gets you the full base game via a redeemable Steam code, which is plenty if all you want is the core Civilization experience. The Deluxe Edition on the other hand is rocking up at £[website] / $[website] at Fanatical, which is again 12 percent off its £[website] / $[website] price point, steps things up without going all-in if you want a little extra. It includes the full base game, early access from February 6 onwards, and the Tecumseh and Shawnee Pack, which adds a new leader and civilization.
Plus you’ll also get the Crossroads of the World Collection, which promises post-launch content with two new leaders, four civilizations, four wonders, and a special cosmetic bonus. The Deluxe Content Pack rounds things out with two leader personas, four profile customizations, and an alternate scout skin.
For the most expensive experience, the Founders Edition is where it’s at. There's another 12 percent discount at £[website] / $[website] (was £[website] / $[website] This digital-only edition is currently going for and includes everything in the Deluxe Edition plus the "Right to Rule Collection".
This expands the game with even more post-launch content — two more leaders, four additional civilizations, four more wonders, and another cosmetic bonus. The Founders Content Pack also adds , a new palace design, and a unique fog of war tile set to make your empire feel even more distinct.
The real kicker is that this version is only available until February 28, 2025, so if you’re on the fence, don’t wait too long. Civilization VII is already shaping up to be a worthy next step for the franchise, and getting in early with Advanced Access could be the best way to experience everything it has to offer.
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The first RTX 50-series laptops are listed at retailers and dare I say it, is that reasonable pricing I see?
Well lather me up and call me a belated Christmas turkey, there might—might—be some hope left for reasonably priced gaming PC in this RTX 50-series generation. Assuming, that is, some of the first prices for RTX 50-series laptops are anything to go by.
Asus has just revealed prices for a bunch of its new RTX 50-series laptops at its own store and Best Buy (via Wccftech), and if these initial listings bear out in reality, decent high-end mobile gaming might not cost an arm and a leg this generation. Just an arm, perhaps—we're not talking miracles, here.
I'm talking primarily about the ROG Strix G16 with an RTX 5070 Ti mobile for $1,900. This is, dare I say it, a pretty reasonable price for a laptop with a GB205 GPU, the same as will be in the RTX 5070 desktop, albeit with a handful fewer CUDA cores. This new G16 is $400 cheaper than an RTX 4070 version of the G16 2024 (or $100 cheaper including the current discount).
To put this into perspective, the RTX 5070 Ti mobile will have 5,888 CUDA cores, versus the RTX 4070 mobile's 4,608—that's almost a 30% increase. Which of course doesn't include architectural improvements and new AI wizardry.
The comparison isn't one-to-one, though, as the RTX 5070 Ti version of the laptop has a worse screen and just 16 GB of RAM. But at the very least this price makes me hesitantly hopeful for affordable RTX 50-series gaming laptops.
You'll have to forgive this hesitancy, and I'm sure many of you share it. The Nvidia RTX 50-series graphics cards we've got our hands on so far—the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090—haven't been bad performers by any stretch, but they haven't exactly been the paragon of generational improvements once you remove DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation from the mix. That makes high price tags a little hard to swallow.
The other Asus ROG laptops seem relatively in-line with the previous-gen ones, expensive as they are. The ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025), for instance, is listed at $3,400 and has an RTX 5080 mobile inside, and you can pick up a ROG Zephyrus G16 with RTX 4080 mobile for $3,297 at Newegg right now. Although, saying that, you can get one with an RTX 4090 mobile in for $3,300 at Best Buy—but the 4090 is pretty nerfed in laptops due to power and thermal restrictions.
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Nothing to get particularly excited over at the high-end, then, but most gamers will be looking around the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti level for their next gaming laptop, and on this front things are looking somewhat hopeful. Especially when you throw in that 4x frame generation the 50-series can offer.
With that on the playing field, we're surely talking seriously top-end performance for under $2,000. Again, assuming these prices stick. And assuming there are any in stock. "Coming soon" doesn't seem to mean much, lately.
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Original Halo Trilogy Soundtrack Is Getting A Gorgeous Vinyl Box Set In April
The Halo series has some of the most iconic and beloved original soundtracks in gaming history, so it's fitting that the franchise is getting such an elaborate vinyl box set. Fans can preorder the Halo Original Trilogy Soundtrack Box Set for $200 (was $211) at Amazon ahead of its April 11 release. The box set includes the soundtracks for the first three Halo games across eight discs. If you are partial to one of these soundtracks, you can preorder each one individually instead. Soundtracks for Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3 also release on April 11.
Halo Original Trilogy Vinyl Soundtrack Box Set $200 (was $211) | Releases April 11 Each piece of music has been specially remastered for this collection, and in total, there are 83 tracks here from composers Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori. Everything from "Brothers in Arms" to "Finish the Fight" is included. The presentation also looks great, as each disc comes in its own sleeve featuring the game's logo. The sleeves are stored in jackets with full illustrations of Master Chief. Everything is stored inside minimalistic box, but many fans will probably want to display the jacket cover art. If you were to buy each soundtrack individually instead, you'd spend $192 at the moment. Preorder at Amazon.
If you don't own a record player and don't feel like rummaging through your grandparents' attic for one, the good news is that there are plenty of budget-friendly, modernized record players with vintage designs. Audio quality naturally differs from product to product, but one of the most popular budget models on Amazon is this $50 record player by Udreamer. Amazon Prime members can save 20% right now, dropping the price to only $40. This turntable has two built-in stereo speakers and three speeds. You can also listen to music from your smartphone and other devices via Bluetooth.
For something a bit more robust, there's the Victrola Nostalgic. This one also has a vintage-inspired design and built-in stereo speakers, but you're also getting a cassette player, AM/FM radio, CD player, and Bluetooth for music streaming. Normally $160, you can pick this up for $100 through Amazon as part of a time-limited deal.
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Market Impact Analysis
Market Growth Trend
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0% | 7.2% | 7.5% | 8.4% | 8.8% | 9.1% | 9.2% |
Quarterly Growth Rate
| Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5% | 8.8% | 9.0% | 9.2% |
Market Segments and Growth Drivers
| Segment | Market Share | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Console Gaming | 28% | 6.8% |
| Mobile Gaming | 37% | 11.2% |
| PC Gaming | 21% | 8.4% |
| Cloud Gaming | 9% | 25.3% |
| VR Gaming | 5% | 32.7% |
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity:
Competitive Landscape Analysis
| Company | Market Share |
|---|---|
| Sony PlayStation | 21.3% |
| Microsoft Xbox | 18.7% |
| Nintendo | 15.2% |
| Tencent Games | 12.8% |
| Epic Games | 9.5% |
Future Outlook and Predictions
The Civilization Discounted Steam landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, changing threat vectors, and shifting business requirements. Based on current trends and expert analyses, we can anticipate several significant developments across different time horizons:
Year-by-Year Technology Evolution
Based on current trajectory and expert analyses, we can project the following development timeline:
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity, influencing adoption timelines and investment priorities:
Innovation Trigger
- Generative AI for specialized domains
- Blockchain for supply chain verification
Peak of Inflated Expectations
- Digital twins for business processes
- Quantum-resistant cryptography
Trough of Disillusionment
- Consumer AR/VR applications
- General-purpose blockchain
Slope of Enlightenment
- AI-driven analytics
- Edge computing
Plateau of Productivity
- Cloud infrastructure
- Mobile applications
Technology Evolution Timeline
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
Expert Perspectives
Leading experts in the gaming tech sector provide diverse perspectives on how the landscape will evolve over the coming years:
"Technology transformation will continue to accelerate, creating both challenges and opportunities."
— Industry Expert
"Organizations must balance innovation with practical implementation to achieve meaningful results."
— Technology Analyst
"The most successful adopters will focus on business outcomes rather than technology for its own sake."
— Research Director
Areas of Expert Consensus
- Acceleration of Innovation: The pace of technological evolution will continue to increase
- Practical Integration: Focus will shift from proof-of-concept to operational deployment
- Human-Technology Partnership: Most effective implementations will optimize human-machine collaboration
- Regulatory Influence: Regulatory frameworks will increasingly shape technology development
Short-Term Outlook (1-2 Years)
In the immediate future, organizations will focus on implementing and optimizing currently available technologies to address pressing gaming tech challenges:
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
These developments will be characterized by incremental improvements to existing frameworks rather than revolutionary changes, with emphasis on practical deployment and measurable outcomes.
Mid-Term Outlook (3-5 Years)
As technologies mature and organizations adapt, more substantial transformations will emerge in how security is approached and implemented:
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
This period will see significant changes in security architecture and operational models, with increasing automation and integration between previously siloed security functions. Organizations will shift from reactive to proactive security postures.
Long-Term Outlook (5+ Years)
Looking further ahead, more fundamental shifts will reshape how cybersecurity is conceptualized and implemented across digital ecosystems:
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
These long-term developments will likely require significant technical breakthroughs, new regulatory frameworks, and evolution in how organizations approach security as a fundamental business function rather than a technical discipline.
Key Risk Factors and Uncertainties
Several critical factors could significantly impact the trajectory of gaming tech evolution:
Organizations should monitor these factors closely and develop contingency strategies to mitigate potential negative impacts on technology implementation timelines.
Alternative Future Scenarios
The evolution of technology can follow different paths depending on various factors including regulatory developments, investment trends, technological breakthroughs, and market adoption. We analyze three potential scenarios:
Optimistic Scenario
Rapid adoption of advanced technologies with significant business impact
Key Drivers: Supportive regulatory environment, significant research breakthroughs, strong market incentives, and rapid user adoption.
Probability: 25-30%
Base Case Scenario
Measured implementation with incremental improvements
Key Drivers: Balanced regulatory approach, steady technological progress, and selective implementation based on clear ROI.
Probability: 50-60%
Conservative Scenario
Technical and organizational barriers limiting effective adoption
Key Drivers: Restrictive regulations, technical limitations, implementation challenges, and risk-averse organizational cultures.
Probability: 15-20%
Scenario Comparison Matrix
| Factor | Optimistic | Base Case | Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation Timeline | Accelerated | Steady | Delayed |
| Market Adoption | Widespread | Selective | Limited |
| Technology Evolution | Rapid | Progressive | Incremental |
| Regulatory Environment | Supportive | Balanced | Restrictive |
| Business Impact | Transformative | Significant | Modest |
Transformational Impact
Technology becoming increasingly embedded in all aspects of business operations. This evolution will necessitate significant changes in organizational structures, talent development, and strategic planning processes.
The convergence of multiple technological trends—including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and ubiquitous connectivity—will create both unprecedented security challenges and innovative defensive capabilities.
Implementation Challenges
Technical complexity and organizational readiness remain key challenges. Organizations will need to develop comprehensive change management strategies to successfully navigate these transitions.
Regulatory uncertainty, particularly around emerging technologies like AI in security applications, will require flexible security architectures that can adapt to evolving compliance requirements.
Key Innovations to Watch
Artificial intelligence, distributed systems, and automation technologies leading innovation. Organizations should monitor these developments closely to maintain competitive advantages and effective security postures.
Strategic investments in research partnerships, technology pilots, and talent development will position forward-thinking organizations to leverage these innovations early in their development cycle.
Technical Glossary
Key technical terms and definitions to help understand the technologies discussed in this article.
Understanding the following technical concepts is essential for grasping the full implications of the security threats and defensive measures discussed in this article. These definitions provide context for both technical and non-technical readers.
API beginner
How APIs enable communication between different software systemsAR intermediate
platform intermediate
DLSS intermediate
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