2K gives new Civilization VI details for the nation of Japan
If you’re like us, you are hugely stoked for the release of the latest title in the Civilization series, Civilization VI. Now we are starting to get some more details on just what the game will look like when it releases. 2K and Firaxis Games have revealed that Hojo Tokimune will lead Japan in the new game. Banzai!
So who is (or was) Hojo Tokimune? He was born in 1251, and was the eighth Shikken (de facto ruler, or Shogun-regent) of Japan. He is apparently chiefly remembered for leading Japanese forces to victory against the invading Mongol Empire, as well as spreading Zen Buddhism throughout Japan and championing the Bushido way of life. In other words, he was a major figure.
If you like to play Civilization as a ruthless dictator, you’ll probably like this dude, because Tokimune was known to rule with an iron fist. After the Mongol Empire first attempted invasion in 1274 and was summarily defeated, it sent five emissaries to meet with Tokimune. These emissaries refused to leave without an audience with the Shikken, to which Tokimune responded by having them beheaded. To this day, the emissaries’ graves can be seen in the city of Kamakura. So yeah, this is one Buddhist who wasn’t squeamish about violence.
Again, five more emissaries were sent, and again Tokimune had them all beheaded. This resulted in another invasion in 1281, and again it failed – this time in part due to an unforeseen typhoon – the “Kamikaze” or Divine Wind, so famously alluded to hundreds of years later.
As the threat of the Mongol Empire loomed over Japan for years, the samurai warrior class was a formidable force and led all of Japan’s defensive efforts, securing their legacy as one of the toughest warrior classes the world has ever known.
Unique Unit: Samurai
Samurai, or known as Bushi class, existed for nearly a thousand years in Japan. Bushido (“the way of the warrior”) was a codified set of rules and way of life adopted by a large number of noble clans throughout Japan. The samurai class wasn’t officially abolished in Japan until 1868 and, to this day, remains one of the most identifiable Japanese cultural touchstones.
Unique Building: Electronics Factory
With the invention of consumer electronics in the late 20th Century, Japan quickly became home to the largest electronics industry in the entire world. The first modern electronics factory was built by Sony in 1946, and Japanese innovations since have kept the country most profitable in what is easily the most competitive consumer landscape mankind has ever seen. So now, in Civilization VI, you’ll be able to have your own PS4 factory – sweet!
We will be following the progress of Civilization VI every step of the way to its October 21st release on PC. To stay up to date, feel free to check out the 2K Official Civilization Blog here.
SOURCE: Press Release