Pro-Kiev X users have lashed out at Civilization VII’s developers for including Catherine the Great, with calls for Russia to be nixed
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII video game has sparked a heated debate online over the history of Russia and Ukraine, and the role of Empress Catherine the Great. A number of pro-Kiev X users have called for the Russian civilization to be axed from the latest installment of the popular series in light of the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Since the escalation of the hostilities in February 2022, multiple Western countries have banned performances by certain Russian artists. Ukrainian authorities have been removing all things Russian from the public domain for years, with the trend recently intensifying.
Moscow has consistently denounced such policies as attempts to “cancel” Russian culture.
Scheduled for release on February 11, Civilization VII is the latest instalment in the series that dates back to 1991, and allows players to “assume the role of a famous historical leader” and “guide a civilization through history.”
According to previews and information provided by the developers, the game features Russian Empress Catherine the Great, whose rule spanned more than 30 years in the second half of the 18th century.
It was on her watch that the Russian Empire crushed the Crimean Khanate and absorbed the peninsula following the Russo-Turkish War.
In a promotional video on YouTube titled “The Empress. Bow to Catherine the Great in the latest Civ 7 First Look,” the developers described the Russian monarch as a modernization-oriented ruler, who takes a keen interest in the arts and science. If a player chooses to play as the Russian civilization, they will go on to have ‘Cossack’ military units at their disposal, as well as ‘Katyusha’ missiles – an apparent reference to the iconic Soviet WWII-era multiple launch rocket system.
However, Catherine the Great’s character did not sit well with numerous pro-Kiev commentators on X, who vented their frustration under Firaxis Games’ post on Friday. Some accused the developers of promoting “Russian propaganda” by introducing a character who had “contributed to the destruction of Ukrainian culture.”
Not everyone in the comment section was on board with the outrage though, with one user asking: “What’s with all the dumb Ukrainians in the comments? Russia is a major power in the world. It makes sense for them to be in the game.”
Civilization VII was created by US video game developer Firaxis Games, and is being distributed by publisher, 2K Games. While the latter stopped operating in Russia following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, the company has still decided to offer Russian dubbing for the game, according to gamer-oriented Russian media outlets.
