Firaxis reveals the roadmap for the strategy game. In addition to the free update, the first major expansion is coming in 2027, while Update 1.5.0 is already in the works.
Firaxis has unveiled the future of Civilization 7. This includes “Arc of Tomorrow,” a major new free update, and Earthrise, the game’s first expansion.
Arc of Tomorrow is scheduled for 2027 and introduces the Nuclear Age to the game, spanning roughly from the 1950s to the 2025s.
During this period, you can expect changes to city architecture, updated technology and civilization trees, new triumphs, social policies, narrative events, and more. There will also be a selection of era-specific civilizations, as well as the return of the leader Gandhi.
The Nuclear Age and Diplomacy: Nuclear Wars, Gandhi, and City-States
Meanwhile, expanded nuclear gameplay introduces additional offensive and defensive options as well as new units. You can also grant your settlements independence and establish them as city-states, giving you further opportunities to control the size and loyalty of your empire.
At the same time, film crews search for the perfect filming location, which varies depending on the desired genre and offers different advantages based on the quality of the film being produced. Using recipes that combine specific raw materials, you can produce brand-new, powerful resources such as enriched uranium.
Expansion into Space: Space Agencies and Climate Change in Earthrise
Earthrise is also coming in 2027 and is the first paid expansion for Civilization 7. It explores humanity’s relationship with space and the environment—highlights include the founding of space agencies and missions throughout the solar system.
You lay the groundwork for this as early as the Ancient and Age of Discovery eras by mapping the night sky and naming celestial bodies. In the Modern Age, you launch early orbital missions around Earth and the Moon, while building your own space agency during the Atomic Age. In the process, you’ll discover planetary features and untapped resources that benefit your civilization’s power on Earth.
“New abilities for units and technologies allow players to alter the terrain and bonuses of the fields in their empire,” the announcement states. “New engineering structures help counteract the increasing natural disasters that accompany rising global temperatures. Players can even reverse global warming themselves. The better a civilization becomes at managing the land in specific biomes, the more new gameplay advantages it gains, thereby improving its capabilities in those biomes.”
Update 1.5.0: True Starting Location and Quality-of-Life Improvements
Meanwhile, Update 1.5.0 is coming later this month with additional quality-of-life improvements and the introduction of the “true starting location.”
Here are the most important new features of version 1.5.0 in detail:
- World Map & True Starting Location: This new map generates the land, features, and resources of the real world, allowing players to immerse themselves even more deeply in their role-playing fantasies as the story unfolds.
- Map Updates: The “Terra Incognita” and “Shuffle” map types have been updated to use the Voronoi algorithm for map generation. This is intended to provide more variation and make these maps look more natural.
- Resource Generation Updates: Map loading and generation are faster, and resource placements should feel more natural.
- Diplomacy Updates: Players can use influence to remain in an alliance without being drawn into their allies’ wars.
- UI Updates: Further updates to action tooltips, settlement banners, and game setup, as well as a new tile ruler to assist with city planning.
