Civilization 7: Atomic Age Confirmed? Firaxis Teases New Era

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

Civilization VII's current campaign spans three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. Upon completing an Age, all players and AI opponents simultaneously transition. This transition involves selecting a new civilization from the new Age, choosing which Legacies to retain, and witnessing a world-altering evolution—a unique feature unseen in previous Civilization games.

The Modern Age, based on current 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 game with World War II. Beach detailed the historical reasoning behind the Age divisions:

“We considered historical ebbs and flows,” Beach explained. “Andrew Johnson, our senior historian, was instrumental. He helped us view history globally, not just from a Western perspective. We noted the simultaneous decline of major empires—Roman, Chinese, Indian—around 300-500 CE, marking a natural end to Antiquity. The Exploration to Modern transition reflects the challenges faced by established monarchies due to revolutions (French, American, etc.), creating a suitable endpoint. Finally, the global upheaval of the World Wars provided a clear pivot point in history, especially considering our Age-specific gameplay systems (diplomacy, warfare, commanders). We deliberately avoided the Cold War, as it felt distinct from the rest of the Modern Age.”

The question of a potential fourth Age, possibly extending into the Space Age, was naturally raised. While Executive Producer Dennis Shirk didn't offer confirmation, he hinted at future possibilities: “The design allows for each Age to be packed with unique systems, visuals, units, and civilizations. The potential is immense; we can't discuss specifics, but we're excited about the future.”

Further fueling speculation, datamining by Redditor ManByTheRiver11 revealed references to an "Atomic Age," along with new leaders and civilizations—all expected given Firaxis' DLC strategy. This Atomic Age aligns perfectly with Civ VII's current ending and Shirk's comments.

Currently, Firaxis is addressing community concerns that have resulted in mixed Steam reviews. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative feedback but expressed confidence that the "legacy Civ audience" will appreciate the game with more playtime, calling its early performance "very encouraging."

Need help conquering the world? Check out 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.