Civilization 7's Unannounced Fourth Age: Datamining and Developer Teases
Civilization 7 dataminers have uncovered hints suggesting a fourth, unannounced Age is in the works, a possibility subtly confirmed by Firaxis in an IGN interview.
Currently, Civ 7 campaigns span three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. Each Age concludes with a simultaneous Age Transition for all players and AI, involving civilization selection, Legacy retention, and world evolution – a unique feature in the Civilization series. The Modern Age, as confirmed by lead designer Ed Beach, concludes with World War II, a deliberate choice based on historical analysis. Beach highlighted the significant historical shifts marking the end of each Age, emphasizing the need for gameplay systems to reflect these real-world changes in diplomacy, warfare, and available commanders. The Cold War era was excluded due to its distinct nature compared to the preceding Modern Age.
The question of a potential fourth Age, possibly encompassing the space race and beyond, was addressed by executive producer Dennis Shirk, who, while not confirming specifics, hinted at exciting future developments and the potential for new systems, visuals, units, and civilizations tailored to a new era.
Further fueling speculation, dataminer ManByTheRiver11 unearthed references to an "Atomic Age," including mentions of new leaders and civilizations – a common pattern in Firaxis' DLC strategy. This aligns perfectly with Civ 7's current endpoint and Shirk's comments.
While Firaxis is currently addressing community feedback and negative reviews on Steam, CEO Strauss Zelnick remains optimistic about the game's long-term success, believing the core Civilization fanbase will embrace the game with increased playtime.
For players seeking assistance in their global domination efforts, IGN offers guides covering all victory conditions, key changes for Civ 6 players, crucial mistakes to avoid, map types, and difficulty settings.
