The fifth full entry to the classic, long-running Civilization series of strategy games has received an official release date, and PC gamers will be able to get their hands on Sid Meier’s Civilization V on September 21st in the US, and September 24th in the UK and Europe.

Because it’s almost E3, and time is short… here’s a great information dump for those that don’t yet know about Sid Meier’s Civilization V:

“In Civilization V, players strive to become Ruler of the World by establishing and leading a civilization from the dawn of man into the space age, waging war, conducting diplomacy, discovering new technologies, going head-to-head with some of history’s greatest leaders and building the most powerful empire the world has ever known.”

• Believable World: More than just a strategy game—the expanded visuals and immersive audio invite would-be kings to take up the reigns of power and forge a mighty empire. Civilization V offers a limitless variety of vast, realistic and diverse landscapes for players to explore, battle over and claim as their own.
• Inviting Presentation: An intuitive interface eases both new players and Civ veterans into the game. Guided by a set of trusted advisors who will explain game functionality and provide counsel for significant decisions, even first-time players will be confident in the choices they make.
• Huge Battles: Combat is more exciting and engaging than ever before. Wars between empires feel massive with armies spreading across the landscape. The addition of ranged bombardment allows players to fire weapons from behind the front lines, challenging players to develop clever new strategies to guarantee victory on the battlefield.
• Live History: Write your own epic story each time you play! Choose one of eighteen historical civilizations to lead from the stone-age to the space age on your quest to build the world’s most powerful empire.

• Improved Diplomacy: Negotiate with some of history’s most cunning rulers, each with a well-crafted plan for victory. Successful diplomacy will depend on players carefully managing relationships with other leaders, trading items and land, plying them with gold, and deciding if they are friend or foe. City States will present a new diplomatic battleground on which the major powers of the world will vie for supremacy.
• In-Game Community Hub: Compete with Civ players from all over the globe via the Internet and Play by Email, or compete locally in Hotseat and LAN matches, offering endless ways to rule the world. The game itself now serves as the hub of community activity, featuring the ability to share scenarios, compare scores, brag about achievements and visit one of the thriving Civ fansites without leaving the game. It’s now easier than ever for players to become involved in the global Civ Community.
• Modability: With unprecedented modding tools, players will have unlimited options for modifying Civilization V any way they like.