Can Civilization 7 Be Played on Gaming Handhelds?

Thinking about diving into Civilization 7 on your favorite gaming handheld? Good news if you’re on the lookout for compatibility—Civilization 7 is kicking off with Steam Deck verification, as announced in a community update on Steam. This means the game is likely to run smoothly on various handheld devices. Although I haven’t had the chance to see how it performs on my Steam Deck yet, rest assured it’s something I’ll cover in detail when my review goes live after the February 3, 2025 embargo lifts.

Valve has given Civilization 7 a thumbs up for compatibility on the Steam Deck, highlighting that it works well with the default controls, maintains text clarity, and offers solid graphics performance. This bodes well not just for the Steam Deck, but also for other portable gaming devices like the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go.

Moving on to the PC side of things, if you’re gearing up to play Civilization 7, let’s talk about what kind of hardware you’ll need. The system requirements for Windows and SteamOS/Linux are almost identical, except for a few details. To get started, the minimum you’ll need is an Intel Core i5-4690, Core i3-10100, or an AMD Ryzen 3 1200 processor, along with 8GB of RAM. Graphics-wise, they’re suggesting an NVIDIA GTX 1050, Intel Arc A390, or AMD RX 460, with about 20GB of storage space required.

For a smoother experience, the recommended specs are beefier: think an Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X CPU, with an NVIDIA RTX 2060, AMD Radeon RX 6600, or Intel Arc A750 GPU, and 16GB of RAM. Those playing on SteamOS/Linux will need to ensure they have 25GB of storage, and the supported GPUs step up to an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580.

Considering the power packed into today’s handheld gaming PCs, even without a separate GPU, you’d typically see in a laptop or desktop setup, I don’t anticipate any major hiccups when I start testing the game on the Steam Deck.

Now, for those wondering what Civilization 7 brings to the table: set to release on February 11, 2025, this latest chapter in Sid Meier’s renowned series is eagerly awaited across multiple platforms, including PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and the Nintendo Switch.

Unveiled around mid-2024, Civilization 7 sets itself apart with some refreshing changes from its predecessor. Unlike Civilization 6, which felt like an incremental update, Civ 7 alters the gameplay significantly. Now, leaders aren’t tied to specific civilizations, offering more dynamic play styles. After each age, players undergo a sort of reset, picking a fresh civilization to lead, which adds a thrilling layer of strategic possibilities that can sway based on your opponents’ tactics.

Among the new features to enjoy are the Commander Units for air, land, and sea, which make warfare feel less monotonous and add a substantial edge whether you’re on the attack or holding the fort at home. If you’re curious about the nitty-gritty details and want an in-depth look at what Civilization 7 has in store, check out my preview after I had the chance to spend 20 hours exploring the game.