Summary

  • Civilization 7's Age Transition mechanic allows players to course-correct at the end of each era.
  • The new feature eliminates the pressure of playing perfectly, making the game more forgiving.
  • Age Transitions make Civilization 7 the most accessible entry in the franchise yet.

For fans of the iconic Firaxis franchise, the August 2024 gameplay reveal trailer for Civilization 7 marked the end of a nearly decade-long wait to see the series’ latest sequel in action. While the gameplay on display largely looked to follow the familiar formula that long ago established the strategy series as a juggernaut of the genre, one new Civilization 7 feature could help it appeal to a wider audience than ever. By breaking up gameplay into distinct ages with an opportunity to course-correct at the end of each one, the game’s innovative Age Transition mechanic may make Civilization 7 the series’ most approachable entry yet.

The introduction of Civilization 7’s Age Transition mechanic represents a major shake-up to the pace of play for the series. Whereas players of previous Civilization games could easily find themselves trapped in a no-win situation thanks to decisions made hours earlier, this new feature should make it easier to bounce back from a strategic miscalculation. Offering the ability for players to not only reappraise their approach at the end of each era but also to see how their decisions so far have affected the world around them, Age Transitions look ready to break down one of the series’ biggest barriers to entry.

city in sid meier's civilization 7
Civilization 7 Will Use Controversial Feature on PC

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 will be using a controversial feature that's intended to be a good thing, but some gamers disagree.

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Civilization’s Biggest Strength is Also its Weakness

The strategic depth of the Civilization series has been praised by players and critics for decades, but it has also served as a double-edged sword. While the ability to micromanage nearly every aspect of a civilization's growth has made the franchise a favorite of strategy fans and history buffs alike, this same complexity presents a significant barrier to entry for potential new players. The knowledge that one wrong decision during a match’s opening hours could leave them languishing in the game’s latter half likely served to keep many players from giving the Civilization series a shot.

Now, with the introduction of Age Transitions, Civilization 7 has the chance to change that. Rather than leaving them unable to escape the consequences of their potentially poor choices, Civilization 7’s three ages — Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern — will present players with an opportunity to rethink their strategy as each one draws to a close. As a result, even major missteps won’t necessarily prevent players from being able to achieve victory, making Civilization 7 the series’ most accessible entry to date.

Firaxis is eliminating the pressure to play perfectly and putting the focus back on fun.

Ages May Make Civilization 7 More Accessible Than Ever

As they near the end of each of Civilization 7’s three ages, players will encounter a Crisis that serves to shake up their civilization, with their response to these crises determining what form their society will take on the other side of the Age Transition. The most intriguing element of this feature is that, following each Age Transition, players can take control of a new civilization that has been shaped by their choices thus far. This means that making a poor choice early on won’t result in an unwinnable endgame scenario, just a different set of starting circumstances for the next civilization.

For players new to the franchise, the introduction of ages with Civilization 7 has the potential to be a literal game-changer. Freed from the pressure of trying to conduct a perfect playthrough, where one wrong decision could come back to haunt them hours later, players will now be able to experiment with different strategies throughout the course of a single Civilization 7 match. This should make matches much more forgiving, allowing players to course-correct as necessary with the dawn of each new age.

Thanks to the addition of Age Transitions to the gameplay loop for Civilization 7, Firaxis is eliminating the pressure to play perfectly and putting the focus back on fun. And by offering the same strategic depth the franchise has become known for while still allowing enough flexibility to bounce back from blunders, Civilization 7 looks poised to be the series’ most accessible entry ever.

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Sid Meier's Civilization VII Tag Page Cover Art
9 /10

Sid Meier's Civilization VII
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Grand Strategy
Turn-Based Strategy
4X
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Systems
PlayStation-1 Xbox-1 super greyscale 8-bit logo PC-1
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Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 77%
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Released
February 11, 2025
ESRB
Everyone 10+ // Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Mild Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
Developer(s)
Firaxis Games
Publisher(s)
2K
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Sid Meier's Civilization VII Press Image 1
6 Images
Sid Meier's Civilization VII Press Image 1
Sid Meier's Civilization VII Press Image 2
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Franchise
Sid Meier's Civilization
Genre(s)
Grand Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy, 4X