A player recently placed their laptop on the control panel of a stair-climbing machine, playing Civilization VI while exercising. The game map filled the screen in the photo, sparking community discussion about bringing the "one more turn" mentality into the gym.
Judging from the photo, the player had been exercising for a while, with visible sweat stains on their shirt. Some joked that if they did a push-up for every turn, the player would already be in great shape; others quipped that finishing a game might result in losing not just 200 calories, but 20 kilograms.
Players also discussed the game progress shown in the image. Some speculated that he might still be considering the location for his first city, but the game interface indicated that several turns had already passed. Many therefore commented that he had indeed "earned" his next turn through exercise.
During the discussion, some players shared specific setups for playing the Civilization series at the gym. The significant body movement on treadmills makes stable mouse operation difficult, while finding a suitable angle for a laptop on stationary bikes can be challenging. In comparison, using a walking pad under a standing desk allows for easier multitasking, with one player claiming they could walk 5 to 8 kilometers a day using this method.
Other suggestions included placing kettlebells next to the seat to complete a set of exercises between turns, or switching to tablet or console versions, with some mentioning playing via the desktop mode on the Switch 2. These methods require different amounts of space and equipment, allowing adjustments based on the training environment.
The turn-based mechanic is key to this style of play: players don't need to perform continuous real-time actions, can pause at any time to complete a set of exercises, and don't have to worry about network latency affecting their gameplay. As long as the device can be placed securely, a single game session can last throughout the entire workout.
Playing the Civilization series in public spaces is not a new phenomenon. Previously, players have been spotted playing in children's play centers, on airplanes, and in bars. There was even an instance where a train conductor forgot to check tickets after seeing a passenger playing Civilization III on their laptop.