2K has just announced that development is underway for Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword, the latest expansion pack for the critically acclaimed strategy game. Developed by Firaxis Gamess exclusively for the PC, Beyond the Sword carries with it the largest amount of content of any expansion in the history of the franchise.

Obviously, Firaxis seems pretty proud of itself, but should gamers agree? Beyond the Sword does look to enhance the Civ IV experience by adding in 10 new civilizations, 16 new leaders, 5 new wonders, and a whole slew of new unit and building types, all designed for the post-Industrial Age. Of course, that's not all Firaxis sought to include in Beyond the Sword. The game also features additions such as corporations, an expanded espionage feature, random natural disasters, and enhanced AI. Furthermore, the crew at Firaxis worked hard to respond to fan requests by the inclusion of Advanced Starts, a feature which enables players to "buy" components of a custom-tailored empire and jump into play in the latter portion of the game. The expansion also includes more intricate rules for both Space and Diplomatic Victories.

"Civilization is close to our hearts here at Firaxis and we're excited to up the ante on the series once again with what we consider to be our best expansion pack ever," said Steve Martin, president of Firaxis Games. "Fan requests and a constant stream of new ideas motivate our team to continue delivering more and better gameplay for our premier series. Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is a must-have expansion for every Civ fan."

For more info visit the Civilization Website. via IGN