As Civilization 7 Dataminers Discover Reference to the Atomic Age, Firaxis Says 'We're Excited for Where This Is Going'

Civilization 7's potential fourth age: Datamining and developer hints suggest a future expansion.

Civilization 7's current campaign encompasses 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 retain, and witnessing a world evolution—a unique feature in the Civilization series. The Modern Age, as confirmed by lead designer Ed Beach in an IGN interview, concludes with World War II. Beach detailed the historical reasoning behind this structuring, emphasizing the significant global shifts marking the end of each age. The transition from Antiquity to Exploration reflects the decline of major empires around 300-500 CE, while the shift to the Modern Age mirrors the impact of revolutions in Europe. The end of the Modern Age at WWII is justified by the subsequent dramatic changes in global power dynamics. The game intentionally stops short of the Cold War due to its distinct nature.

Speculation about a fourth age, potentially an "Atomic Age" encompassing the space race and beyond, is fueled by both developer comments and datamining. While executive producer Dennis Shirk remained tight-lipped about specifics, he hinted at the exciting possibilities for future expansion, emphasizing the age-specific systems, visuals, units, and civilizations already in place. Datamining efforts by Reddit user ManByTheRiver11 have uncovered references to an Atomic Age, along with unannounced leaders and civilizations, further supporting this possibility.

Currently, Firaxis is focused on addressing community feedback and improving the game based on mixed initial reviews. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed confidence in the game's long-term success, believing that the core Civilization fanbase will appreciate the game more with continued play.

For players seeking assistance in conquering the world, resources are available including guides on achieving all victory types, understanding key differences from Civilization VI, avoiding common mistakes, and comprehending map types and difficulty settings.