The state of Maryland has issued an official proclamation declaring September 21, 2010, as Sid Meier's Civilization V Day.

Crash course in Maryland: Parked on the eastern seaboard of the United States, it's the 42nd-smallest state but fifth in population density and first in median income, at $68,080. Its largest city is Baltimore but its capital is actually Annapolis, and its official flower is the Black-eyed Susan. Despite its small size, Maryland is the home of Big Huge Games, Bethesda Softworks and of course Firaxis, and the videogame industry generated over $1 billion in tax revenues for the state in 2008. And now it's giving Sid Meier's new Civ game its very own special day.

"Sid Meier is known throughout Maryland and the world as a pioneer of electronic gaming, having co-founded his first studio in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1982, and today continuing a tradition of developing the talent and creativity of future generations," Governor Martin O'Malley said in a statement.

"Now, therefore, I, Martin O'Malley, Governor of the State of Maryland, do hereby pay tribute to the outstanding achievements of Sid Meier on this day, July 28, 2010, and hereby recognize September 21, 2010, as Sid Meier's Civilization V Day, and call upon the people of our State to join in celebrating this salute."

Sadly, this isn't likely to translate into a paid day off work, but the recognition is still awfully nice, isn't it? Sid Meier's Civilization V comes out - you guessed it - on September 21.

Sources: VG247, Gazette.net

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