Populous: The Beginning

Populous: The Beginning is the third entry in Bullfrog Productions’ celebrated god game series, marking a significant departure by placing the player directly in control of a shaman rather than an abstract deity. Released in 1998 on PC and 1999 on PlayStation, the game tasks players with leading their tribe across a solar system, conquering rival groups and unlocking new magic. It was the first Populous title to use 3D graphics, and received a strong critical reception.

Ten PAL variants are catalogued, spanning the UK, Scandinavia, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Spain. All releases use Full Jewel PAL cases with Hologram B on the case, supporting Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Swedish on a single disc. Original pressings were released on 31 March 1999, with distinct barcodes per territory group. Later EA Classics and Value Series EA Classics reissues followed for the UK/Scandinavia and France/Germany groupings. A UK solo pressing is also documented alongside a Scandi/UK combined variant, reflecting the multilingual nature of the release. Populous: The Beginning is a well-catalogued and collector-relevant title from this era.