Do I need to play the previous games (Civ I, II, III, etc.) to play this game?

[Feri Ferdinan]

Do I need to play the previous games (Civ I, II, III, etc.) to play this game, or can I play this game straightaway?

For newcomers to this franchise, which game should I buy first?

I have played AOE 2 and 3 before.

[SLG]

The only thing you would learn from the earlier versions is very basic mechanisms. 6 had some major new mechanisms. It is not really that hard to learn how to play 6. Watch play through videos on Youtube. There are tutorials in the game also.

[SlasH]

It's good to know the previous games, but not essential. There is a tutorial and you can also check out civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Civilization_VI if you want to know anything specific during gameplay.

[Evrach]

You can totaly play this game straightaway

[jmerry82]

The way this series works ... there's no plot. Every time you play is its own story. The mechanics have evolved over time; each entry in the series adds new things and changes old things. But there's no continuity, and you can just pick up any game in the series and play it without any other knowledge. I've played Civ 3, Civ 4, and Civ 6 myself. 5? Never picked it up.

[johnarhoades]

There are Youtube videos you can skim and scan. That might help to give you an idea of the gameplay in general. I concur that it's good to do the tutorial. Maybe play on settler level the first time?

[dcain3456]

Absolutely not. Many mechanics change from game to game. Example, in Civ IV you wanted to build roads everywhere for gold. In Civ V such a strategy will bankrupt you. And Civ VI automates road building with trade routes.

[grognardgary]

!st AOE is and entirely different game from CIV there simply is no comparison. All civs until five appear similar on the surface but have different Mechanics and methods for winning and offer different problems to solve on the road to victory. So in short there is no advantage to be gained by playing earlier civs in terms of making you better a playing VI.