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

Civilization 7's Unannounced Fourth Age: Datamining and Developer Teases

Civilization 7 dataminers have uncovered evidence suggesting a fourth, unannounced Age is in the works, a claim subtly supported by Firaxis in a recent IGN interview.

Currently, a full Civ 7 campaign spans three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. Each Age's conclusion triggers a simultaneous Age Transition for all players and AI. 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, concludes before the Cold War. Lead designer Ed Beach confirmed this in the IGN interview, explaining Firaxis' decision to end the current version with World War II. Beach detailed the historical reasoning behind this Age structure, highlighting key global shifts as defining points for each Age's conclusion. The transition from Exploration to Modern, for instance, reflects the challenges faced by established monarchies due to revolutions. The end of the Modern Age reflects the significant historical pivot of 1945. The absence of the Cold War is deliberate, as its distinct nature differs from the rest of the Modern Age.

When asked about a potential fourth Age, possibly extending into the space age, executive producer Dennis Shirk offered a cryptic but encouraging response, hinting at the possibilities and the design team's vision for future expansion.

Further fueling speculation, dataminer ManByTheRiver11 discovered references to an "Atomic Age," along with unannounced leaders and civilizations within the early access version of the game. This aligns perfectly with the game's current ending and Shirk's comments.

While addressing negative player reviews on Steam, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed confidence in the game's long-term success, believing the core Civilization audience will appreciate it more with extended playtime.

For those seeking to conquer the world in Civilization 7, resources are available, including guides on achieving every victory type, understanding key changes from Civ 6, avoiding common mistakes, and navigating map types and difficulty settings.