Civilization 7: Atomic Age Hints Spark Firaxis Excitement

Civilization VII dataminers have uncovered evidence suggesting a fourth, unannounced Age is coming, a possibility hinted at by Firaxis in an IGN interview. Civilization VII's current campaign spans three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern, each concluding with a simultaneous Age Transition for all players. This transition involves selecting a new civilization, choosing which Legacies to carry over, and witnessing a game world evolution—a unique feature in the Civilization series.

The Modern Age, based on in-game units and victory conditions, ends before the Cold War, a point confirmed by lead designer Ed Beach in the IGN interview. Beach explained Firaxis' decision to conclude the current version with World War II, highlighting the collaborative effort with senior historian Andrew Johnson to ensure historical accuracy across different global regions. They identified key historical turning points to define the end of each Age: the decline of major empires around 300-500 CE marking the end of Antiquity; the era of revolutions challenging monarchies signaling the transition from Exploration to Modern; and finally, the global upheaval of World War II concluding the Modern Age. The Cold War era was deliberately excluded due to its distinct differences from the preceding period, with the thermonuclear device signifying the end of the military victory path.

The possibility of a fourth Age, potentially encompassing the space race and beyond, was teased by executive producer Dennis Shirk, who emphasized the potential for new systems, visuals, units, and civilizations specific to such an era. This speculation was fueled by datamining efforts revealing references to an "Atomic Age," along with new leaders and civilizations—consistent with Firaxis' DLC strategy for previous games.

Currently, Firaxis is addressing community feedback following mixed user reviews on Steam. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative reviews but expressed confidence in the game's long-term success, emphasizing the positive early performance and believing the "legacy Civ audience" will grow to appreciate the game with more playtime.

Need help conquering the world? Consult our guides on achieving every Civ VII victory, understanding key changes for Civ VI players, avoiding crucial mistakes, and navigating map types and difficulty settings.