Install unciv with Homebrew, chocolatey, MacPorts, Nix

Project links

• Homepage
• Upstream docs
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

• unciv

Project history

The official README describes Unciv as an open-source Android/Desktop remake of Civ V, made with LibGDX, with a focus on moddability. The project was created on GitHub in 2017 and has continued as an active public repository.

The official docs describe it as an open-source, mod-friendly Android and Desktop remake where players build civilizations, research technologies, expand cities, and fight opponents. The README is explicit about the project's scope: users wanting high-resolution graphics and large production values are pointed to commercial Civilization, while Unciv emphasizes being small, fast, moddable, free, and able to run on low-end hardware.

Adoption history

Unciv's adoption is visible through its cross-platform distribution and frequent release cadence. Official developer documentation describes creating GitHub releases, pushing builds to itch.io, uploading APKs to Google Play, and letting the F-Droid bot update from tags.

The input package metadata shows package-manager adoption beyond mobile stores, including Homebrew, Chocolatey, MacPorts, and Nix. That makes Unciv part of the package-nerd game niche: a real open-source game that can be installed, upgraded, and launched from system package managers.

How it is used

Players use Unciv as a lightweight turn-based strategy game, while modders use its docs and repository workflow to create and maintain game content. The official docs say unmodded gameplay is equal to Civ V, so existing Civ V guides are relevant, and the game includes a tutorial.

For command-line/package users, the interesting part is not a deep CLI interface but installability: Homebrew and other package managers make a desktop game available through the same update workflows used for developer tools.

Why package nerds care

Unciv matters to package nerds because it is a substantial, actively maintained open-source game with frequent releases and broad distribution. It demonstrates that package managers are not just for compilers and daemons; they can also deliver serious hobbyist games.

Its modest resource requirements, open development, and moddability make it a good fit for reproducible desktop setups, Linux-like package workflows on macOS, and users who prefer package-managed software over app-store-only delivery.

Timeline

• 2017: Unciv GitHub repository created.
• 2019: Early GitHub releases in the 3.2 series are published.
• 2022: Official deployment docs describe GitHub, itch.io, Google Play, and F-Droid release paths.
• 2026: GitHub releases include the 4.20 series.

Related projects

• LibGDX is the game framework named by the official README.
• Civilization V is the gameplay reference point named by the README and docs; Unciv remains its own open-source project rather than a packaged copy of the commercial game.

Sources

• GitHub repository and release metadata via `gh api repos/yairm210/Unciv` and `gh api repos/yairm210/Unciv/releases`
• https://github.com/yairm210/Unciv
• https://yairm210.github.io/Unciv/
• https://yairm210.github.io/Unciv/Developers/From-code-to-deployment/
• https://yairm210.github.io/Unciv/Developers/Translations%2C-mods%2C-and-modding-freedom-in-Open-Source/
• source_facts.package-manager