Civilization 7 has made some significant changes from Civilization 6 as the game propels the franchise (and your empire) into a new era. We have highlighted the biggest changes you can expect to face as you make the transition from Civilization 6 to Civilization 7.
Sid Meier has a rule of thirds when designing a sequel – 33% brand new features, 33% improving previous features, and 33% is returning features. Civilization 7 continues to uphold that tradition and some of the new content shakes up the experience.
More Civilization 7 guides
Civilization 7: All Difficulty Levels Explained | Civilization 7: What is Influence and How to Use it | Civilization 7: Best Leaders for Beginners |
Full steam ahead
Defined by Ages
One of the biggest changes is the debut of Ages. Progression is dictated by three Ages that you’ll move through on your path to victory. These are the Antiquity Age, the Exploration Age, and the Modern Age. As you move between these ages, you’ll be working towards objectives on a Legacy Path. Completing either a Science, Culture, Economic, or Military path in the Modern Age simply wins you the game.
Civilizations are Age-exclusive and come with unique abilities, units, buildings, and other improvements. Expect an Age to last around 150 to 200 turns on standard speed.
Less micromanaging of religious units
Arguably the most tedious victory type in Civilization 6, Civilization 7 has abandoned a Religious victory. With that said, Religion still plays a huge part in your empire.
To get Cultural Legacy Points in the Exploration era, you need to display Relics. You select a Reliquary Belief when you found your Religion, and that is how you can obtain these Relics.
Converting an area to your religion is similar to the process in Civilization 6. Simply spawn in a Missionary and use it to convert territories via its charges. Those that follow your religion in Distant Lands contribute to progressing the Military Legacy Path.
With each Age comes a new Civilization
When a new Age comes around in Civilization 7, it’s time to change over your rule. Although this is a unique way to progress through history where civilizations rise and fall, it can feel strange to start as Ancient Greece and end as France, for example.
However, your leader will remain the same throughout the ages, allowing you to mix bonuses to create some powerful combinations.
Run your towns
When a Settler establishes a Settlement, it will no longer be a city, but a town. Towns have a 50% growth bonus and automatically convert all their production into Gold. It is possible to purchase buildings and units in towns using Gold. When a town hits seven population, you can choose Town Focuses. Once you’ve chosen a Focus for your town, it stops growing and the yields it generates from that point onwards is sent to your capital.
Towns can be converted to cities using gold which will then allow you to focus your production on turns or continue with gold.
Builders are out of a job
Builders have been left out of Civilization 7 entirely. As your empire grows, you’ll manually allocate a Population to a tile, creating an improvement based on the natural features of that tile, indicated by icons.
Replacing City States
Rather than a City State, Independent Powers will feature at the beginning of every Age. Some will be hostile and send units to attack you, or they may be friendly and leave you to your own devices.
Either collaborate with Independent Powers to become their Suzerian and earn various bonuses, or use your army to destroy them for a reward. The reward you get depends on the type of Independent Power it is.
