The Atomic Age is finally coming to Civilization 7, which previously only covered history up to the Modern Age. Along with the addition of a new era through the free ‘Arc of Tomorrow’ update in 2027, a new expansion titled ‘Earthrise’ was also announced.
Firaxis Games unveiled the roadmap for Civilization 7 on September 6. Both the free update introducing the Atomic Age and the first paid expansion set in space are targeted for release in 2027. Ahead of these, Patch 1.5.0—featuring long-requested quality-of-life features—will arrive later this month.
The Atomic Age will be introduced through a major update named ‘Arc of Tomorrow’. Much like the previous ‘Test of Time’ update, this major content drop is planned as a free update. Firaxis described the Atomic Age as “a unique and exciting topic to explore because it touches upon our most recent past,” confirming that it will be added as the game’s fourth era.
The game’s timeline will expand by 100 years, extending from the 1950s—where the game previously ended—up to the 2050s. A wealth of new civilizations, leaders, buildings, units, and gameplay systems will be added. This era captures the shadow of nuclear warfare and the darkness of the Cold War alongside the wondrous milestones of space exploration. Furthermore, with nuclear mechanics introduced, the return of Mahatma Gandhi—a symbol of peace who, in the Civilization franchise, is inextricably linked with nukes—was also confirmed.
©Firaxis Games
Additionally, players can look forward to the new expansion ‘Earthrise’ in 2027. As Civilization 7’s first paid expansion, Earthrise centers around the Cold War space race and missions across the solar system. While it does not depict full-scale alien colonization like the previously released ‘Civilization: Beyond Earth,’ it is expected to offer more expanded space content than previous mainline Civilization games. Alongside venturing into space, it will also cover protecting Earth’s environment.
Content additions are also scheduled for this year. Patch 1.5.0, set for release later this month, will officially introduce the highly requested ‘True Start Location: Earth’ map. With this map, each civilization will start as close to its real-world geographical location as possible, enabling more realistic gameplay.
Firaxis noted that these details represent only a portion of its future plans and stated that it will continue to reveal more information. Regarding Arc of Tomorrow, the studio plans to recruit playtest participants before the end of this year.
Ed Beach, Creative Director at Firaxis, said, “This announcement is only a tiny fraction of what we have planned,” adding that “35 years of ‘just one more turn’ memories is a truly incredible milestone.” He also expressed his gratitude to the fans.
©Firaxis Games
©Firaxis Games
©Firaxis Games
This article was originally written in Korean and translated with the help of AI. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
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