PCGame

Galactic Civilizations III

Turn-based space 4X with custom ships and multiple victory paths

Stardock Entertainment · Released May 14, 2015

Strategy

Reviews
Mostly Positive
77% of 8,522
Recent reviews
Not enough recent
Players
117
daily peak, Nov 7, 2026
Steam Deck
Playable
Last update on Steam
4 weeks ago
Oct 7, 2026
Minimum PC
HD 4000
4 GB RAM · 12 GB disk
Full requirements

Metacritic: 81/100 (critic reviews)

What is Galactic Civilizations III?

A turn-based 4X strategy game played across a hex-grid galaxy. Choose a human or alien civilization, colonize worlds, research technology, design ships, negotiate treaties, spy, and wage war in customizable sandbox games or a story campaign. Victory can come through conquest, culture, technology, or alliances.

For you if...

  • +you like building empires through research, diplomacy, and conquest
  • +you enjoy designing ships and customizing galaxy setups
  • +you want single-player, PvP, or cooperative space strategy

Not for you if...

  • −you want fast-paced action instead of deliberate turn-based play
  • −you want peaceful expansion without recurring military pressure
  • −you expect direct control over tactical space battles

What players say

77% of 8,522 reviews are positive

Players praise the sandbox mode, accessible strategic depth, and variety, particularly with the expansions. Common complaints concern uneven AI, snowballing balance, lingering bugs, and a base game that some consider shallow without added content.

Players over time

▼ -5% vs a month ago

Players online on Steam, one sample a day.

Highest since Sep 2026: 147 players on Sep 21, 2026.

Show the data
DayPlayers
Nov 7, 2026117
Nov 6, 2026100
Nov 5, 202689
Nov 4, 202696
Nov 3, 202694
Nov 2, 2026109
Nov 1, 2026118
Oct 31, 2026115
Oct 30, 202691
Oct 29, 202691
Oct 28, 2026101
Oct 27, 202695
Oct 26, 2026115
Oct 25, 2026102
Oct 24, 2026106
Oct 23, 202698
Oct 22, 2026105
Oct 21, 2026111
Oct 20, 202688
Oct 19, 2026105
Oct 18, 2026122
Oct 17, 202696
Oct 16, 2026100
Oct 15, 202691
Oct 14, 2026109
Oct 13, 2026107
Oct 12, 2026121
Oct 11, 2026132
Oct 10, 2026109
Oct 9, 202686
Oct 8, 2026112
Oct 7, 2026113
Oct 6, 202698
Oct 5, 2026121
Oct 4, 2026126
Oct 3, 2026112
Oct 2, 2026113
Oct 1, 2026102
Sep 30, 2026115
Sep 29, 2026113
Sep 28, 2026143
Sep 27, 2026138
Sep 26, 2026131
Sep 25, 2026107
Sep 24, 2026103
Sep 23, 202681
Sep 23, 2026130
Sep 22, 2026132
Sep 21, 2026147

How many players finish Galactic Civilizations III?

4.5% of Steam players have unlocked «There is a crusade coming», the achievement for finishing the main story.

Share of everyone who owns the game on Steam, including those who barely played it. Updated weekly.

Screenshots and trailer

Galactic Civilizations III screenshot 1

Galactic Civilizations III system requirements

Minimum: HD 4000, 4 GB RAM, 12 GB of disk space.

As published by the developer.

Can my PC run Galactic Civilizations III?

Tell us your graphics card once and every game page will answer this for you.

Set up my PC →

Minimum

OS
64-bit Windows 10 / 8.x / 7
Processor
1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo / AMD K10 Dual-Core
Graphics
512 MB DirectX 10.1 Video Card (AMD Radeon HD5x00 Series / Nvidia GeForce 500 Series / Intel HD 4000 or later)
Memory
4 GB RAM
Storage
12 GB available space
DirectX
Version 10

Recommended

OS
64-bit Windows 10 / 8.x / 7
Processor
2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 Processor or Equivalent
Graphics
1 GB DirectX 10.1 Video Card
Memory
6 GB RAM
Storage
15 GB available space
DirectX
Version 10

Does Galactic Civilizations III have co-op or multiplayer?

Yes: co-op online; PvP online. It also has a single-player mode.

Does Galactic Civilizations III run on Steam Deck?

Playable Playable: it runs on Steam Deck with some adjustments.

  • Sometimes shows mouse, keyboard or non-Deck controller icons
  • All functionality is accessible with the default controller configuration
  • In-game text is legible on Steam Deck
  • Default graphics settings perform well on Steam Deck
  • External controllers are not supported for the primary player

PC version details

DRM
None declared on Steam
Controller
Keyboard and mouse
Platforms
Windows
Achievements
102
Steam features
Workshop, Family Sharing, Trading cards
Languages
Full audio: English. Text only: French, German, Russian.

Does Galactic Civilizations III use AI-generated content?

No AI-generated content is disclosed on the game's Steam page.

Self-reported by the developer under Steam rules: it covers AI content that ships in the game, not tools used to make it. Steam page checked on Nov 7, 2026. How to filter AI games on Steam

Tags

Recent updates

17 DLC available.

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