When it comes to its general gameplay formula, the Civilization franchise has remained largely the same for around two decades now, with each game simply adding to the successful groundwork laid by the series’ first few entries. While there’s nothing wrong with this approach, some fans have expressed their desire for Civilization 7 to shake up the series’ formula a little bit, especially as Civilization 6 is still being played avidly by many fans.
Developer Firaxis seems to agree with this sentiment, with its first reveal for Civilization 7 teasing that some major changes were coming to the long-awaited sequel. Firaxis has shed a bit more light on what these major changes are, and by far the most significant is Civilization 7‘s new Age system. While previous Civ games have featured Ages, they’ve never impacted the flow of gameplay quite as drastically, and there’s a lot fans need to wrap their heads around before Civilization 7‘s launch next February.
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Civilization 7’s Three Ages Explained
A full match of Civilization 7 will see players work their way through three distinct Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. These Ages are far more important than they have ever been before, with each Age bringing a wealth of new changes and additions, such as requiring the player to choose a new Civ each time they hit a new Age.
This progression through Civilization 7‘s three Ages is Firaxis’ way of capturing the concept of history being built in layers, over a long period. In theory, this new system will add a complex new layer of strategy to the usual Civilization formula, allowing players to drastically change tactics at key moments, and encouraging them to plan ahead and adapt to whatever opponents throw at them.
Changes That Come With Each New Age in Civilization 7
As just mentioned, Civilization 7‘s Ages come with a slew of changes, most of which come into play as soon as the new Age has begun. The major changes presented with each new Age in Civilization 7 are as follows:
- Civilizations – Players must select a new Civ for every Age, bringing new units, buildings, and abilities
- Resources – Players gain and lose access to various resources around the map depending on the Age they’re in
- Available Tech and Structures – The units, buildings, Wonders, and tech available to the player change each Age
- Playable Map Space – The map’s size will expand with each Age
- Legacies – A set of abilities that can be bought at the start of a new Age
The most important change that comes with each new Civilization 7 Age is choosing a new Civ to play as. Players will retain the same leader, but they’ll need to choose a new Civ that better fits the challenges of the oncoming Age. These new Civs will unlock a bevy of new units, buildings, and abilities that players can use for that Age.
Another interesting change associated with Civilization 7‘s progressing Ages is the increasing map size. As players reach a new Age, they’ll gain access to more of the map. The resources players can find on the map will also change with each new Age, meaning that players need to keep a close eye on their cities’ surroundings.
Functioning similarly to Civilization 6‘s Government system, Civilization 7‘s Legacies are a set of abilities and bonuses that players can continue to accrue as the Ages progress. Completing a specific milestone in the previous Age will unlock its associated Legacy Point, which can then be used to gain a related Legacy ability. For example, completing a Science milestone will result in players being able to choose a Science-related bonus in the next Age.
How Ages Progress in Civilization 7
In an average game of Civilization 7 played at standard speed, an Age should last around 150–200 turns, which is estimated at around 3–4 hours of gameplay. The progress of an Age is determined by how many turns every player has taken, and by how many Legacy Path milestones they have completed.
Towards the end of an Age, players will be presented with a unique Crisis based on the era. This Crisis will force the player to gain some negative status effects, requiring them to adapt their playstyle to work around the new disadvantages. Once the Crisis has finished, every player experiences an Age Transition simultaneously, where they choose a new Civ and decide which Legacies they wish to carry over.
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Every Antiquity Age Civilization Confirmed So Far
- Aksum
- Egypt
- Greece
- Han China
- Khmer
- Maya
- Maurya India
- Rome
These are all the Antiquity Age Civilizations confirmed for Civ 7 so far. These can all be chosen right at the start of a Civ 7 match, and they determine what units, buildings, and abilities the player gets access to out of the gate.
Every Exploration Age Civilization Confirmed So Far
- Shawnee
- Abbasid
- Norman
- Mongolia
- Chola India
During an Age Transition, players are required to choose a new Civ to replace their Antiquity Age one. The new Civs that players gain access to are based on a few different factors, such as the Civ they played as during the Antiquity Age, the milestones they completed during the Antiquity Age, and the leader they’re controlling. While most of the player’s options will be grounded in historical and geographical accuracy, players can bend authenticity with their in-game actions, unlocking wildly different Civs for future Ages that offer drastically different gameplay options.
Every Modern Age Civilization Confirmed So Far
- Buganda
- Mughal India
- Meiji Japan
- French Empire
It’s currently unclear how many Civilizations will be present in Civ 7 on launch day, but the ones already confirmed are a nice mix of franchise staples and series underdogs.