'Civilization VI' news: Spring update adds Alexander the Great as newest leader

Promotional image for the PC strategy game "Civilization VI."Facebook/civ

The next civ for the "Civilization VI" spring update has been revealed.

According to reports, Alexander the Great and his countrymen, the Macedonians, will be heading to the game via its latest update. The Greek kingdom of Macedon boasts its Hellenistic Fusion ability, which offers a bonus after successfully conquering a city. The bonus a player receives varies depending on the districts that a city has formed. In addition, Alexander provides a special bonus that reduces the level of war weariness among Macedonians. This lets the civ engage in long-term warfare with lesser penalties.

The Hypaspist is Macedon's unique unit. A replacement for the Swordsman, this new unit gains an edge over its enemies by attacking districts. The unit also receives a higher amount of support compared to standard units. In addition, Alexander has a power to grant an extra unique unit called the Hetairoi, which begins with a free promotion and replaces the Horseman unit. Meanwhile, the Macedon's new unique building is the Basilikoi Paides. The said building provides bonuses and Science when players develop a non-civilian unit located in the city.

The new civ joins the recently announced Persian civilization and its leader Cyrus the Great. B3 notes that Cyrus' unique ability allows him to have bonuses that can be used to trade routes once Political Philosophy is unlocked. Aside from a free trade route, the new civ leader is also geared up for unexpected assaults. During surprise attacks, his troops get bonus movements and the nation receives less of a penalty for the declaration.

Last week, it was announced that the game now has a demo version for players to try out. The trial is available on Steam and it will focus on the Chinese civilization under the leadership of Qin Shi Huang. To help people understand how the game works, a full tutorial is also included in the demo.

Developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K Games, "Civilization VI" is exclusively available for PCs.