Civilization 7's Expanding Horizons: A Fourth Age on the Horizon?
Civilization 7, currently featuring three distinct Ages – Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern – may soon expand its historical scope. Dataminers have uncovered evidence suggesting a fourth, unannounced Age, a claim subtly supported by Firaxis in an IGN interview.
The game's current structure sees players progress through each Age, experiencing a simultaneous Age Transition for all players and AI. This transition involves selecting a new civilization, choosing which Legacies to carry over, and witnessing a transformation of the game world – a unique feature unseen in previous Civilization titles.
The Modern Age, as confirmed by lead designer Ed Beach, concludes with World War II. Beach detailed Firaxis's meticulous historical approach, emphasizing the consultation with senior historian Andrew Johnson to ensure global historical accuracy. The Age divisions were strategically chosen to reflect significant historical turning points: the decline of major empires around 300-500 CE marking the end of Antiquity; the era of revolutions challenging established monarchies signaling the transition from Exploration to Modern; and finally, the global upheaval of the World Wars concluding the Modern Age. The Cold War's distinct nature, Beach explained, prevented its inclusion within the Modern Age.
While executive producer Dennis Shirk remained tight-lipped regarding specifics, he hinted at future expansions, stating that the Age system's design allows for significant expansion in terms of systems, visuals, units, and civilizations. This aligns perfectly with datamined evidence revealing references to an "Atomic Age," including new leaders and civilizations – a common pattern in Firaxis's DLC strategy.
Currently, Firaxis is focusing on addressing player concerns that have resulted in mixed Steam reviews. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative feedback but expressed confidence in the game's long-term success, highlighting the "legacy Civ audience" and describing the game's early performance as "very encouraging."
For those seeking to conquer the world in Civ 7, resources are available, including guides on achieving victory, understanding the changes from Civ 6, avoiding common mistakes, and navigating map types and difficulty settings. The potential addition of an Atomic Age, however, promises even greater strategic depth and historical immersion.
