The short answer: yes, Civilization is definitely educational.

As a longer answer, Civilization is probably the most educational games I have ever played, for a variety of reasons. Especially informative are the gameplay modes that are modeled after earth and mimic the distribution of real civilizations in human history.

First, and most generally, I think Civilization is a fantastic lesson in anthropology, i.e. the study of human societies and cultures and their development. Within this realm, there is a nice variety of material available that is highly informative to the player. Some of these sources are factual and encyclopedia-like, while others are more dependent on hands-on experience.

The primary format of the factual material in the game is the “Civilopedia,” which is a large digital database that simultaneously details the in-game properties of units and buildings and their background histories in the real world historical context. In this sense, it it kind of like a user’s manual, but it is also a supplementary encyclopedia full of historical information should the player’s interest be piqued. And by playing as real historical figures and building real ancient wonders and buildings, interest in the history behind them is, indeed, piqued (at least for me – I have always been fascinated by history). And I think it is important to note that the player’s interest in this history might not be inherent; in other words, they might not necessarily be interested in learning about history or facts associated with civilizations if they have not played the game. In this sense, Civilization is an example of how gaming could be considered a type of ‘catalyst’ that encourages a desire to learn – clear support for the potential of games in education.

Besides the obvious way that the “Civilopedia” encourages learning, perhaps the most effective form of education in this game is derived from the gameplay itself. In fact, I argue that this entire game is a simulation of world history and human geography. By playing this game, one can actually gain an understanding of how (and why) the development of civilization has occurred. There are so many themes to explore – for example, how the placement of Civilizations in relation to each other has affected their histories: Europe’s history is so confusing and chaotic because there were a large number of competing societies in a very small space, while China’s isolated development had much less to do with rival nations. Climatic factors are also explored; Australia was never really developed until recently, because it is very arid and lacks food resources, and the vast majority of people in Canada live so close to the US border because the rest of the country is barren or mountainous.

It’s not just the objective factors that make this game so insightful – there are subjective matters to consider as well. For example, when a close ally is being attacked by a very powerful military machine, the player’s decision is not always straightforward. There are huge losses to consider, but to leave a friend hanging would have its own set of implications. These kinds of decisions, and plenty of others, are one way in which the game teaches the player to think about the behaviors of nations in the real world; international politics are dicy at best, and most issues should be treated with great care.

From big-picture game themes to the details of international relationships, Civilization is undoubtedly a great educational game. I know this, because I can say with certainty that I have learned a lot about “how the world works” by playing this game, as well as how it came to be the way it is. I think anyone who wants a lesson in history, human geography, or climate, or even more areas of interest, this is a great place to start. And it’s addictively fun, as it turns out.