'Civilization 6' adds Persia to playable factions in Spring 2017 update

Firaxis has announced the arrival of the second of two new factions to arrive in the upcoming "Civilization 6" downloadable content (DLC) pack. Cyrus II and will be arriving with Persia in the highly acclaimed simulation game.

Persia will come with Macedonia, led by Alexander the Great, with the game's Spring 2017 update. They will also come with their special units, buildings and skills.

As per the official "Civilization" website, Cyrus II will be leading Persia in the newest instalment. He found the Achaemenid Empire, the largest kingdom in the world prior to the arrival of Alexander the Great.

Cyrus II has invaded lands such as the Lydians, Elamites, Patera, Judea, Syria and Babylonias. This has led to quite a mixture of cultures across his empire. Moreover, history fans will recognise familiar units, skills and buildings from this new faction.

Persia will have the Immortal as its unique unit. This is the empire's elite foot soldier, equipped with weapons for both long and short range. Cyrus II can also help construct the Pairidaeza or the Persian Gardens as a unique building. This can help provide culture, gold and appeal across adjacent tiles.

Eurogamer added that players of the Persian faction gain access to the "Fall of Babylon." This is activated once they declare a surprise war against an opponent. At the cost of diplomatic penalty, all Persian units will gain a movement boost.

All of these features are demonstrated in the official YouTube gameplay trailer for Cyrus II and his Persian empire. This teaser included some of the features players may gain access to if they choose the Persian faction in the game.

The Persians and Macedonians will be added to the game's roster of 21 factions and leaders. Countries in the title include America, Brazil and Germany. Meanwhile, players also have the opportunity to play as historical figures such as Saladin of Arabia, Qin Shi Huang of China, Cleopatra of Egypt and Gilgamesh of Sumeria.

The Spring 2017 update will be arriving with a couple of updates such as balance and multiplayer changes, as well as bug fixes. However, Firaxis has yet to detail the exact changes to come to the game.

Players who have purchased the game's Digital Deluxe Edition will automatically receive the update once it is ready. Unfortunately, Firaxis has yet to announce an official release date.

"Civilization 6" was released on Oct. 21, 2016, for the PC. It is the sixth official instalment in Firaxis' "Civilization" franchise. The game allows players to participate in a grand strategy simulation involving real-life countries, figures and events.