The buzz around *Civilization 7* continues to grow as dataminers uncover hints of a fourth, unannounced Age. In a revealing interview with IGN, Firaxis, the game's developer, has teased its plans, stirring excitement among fans. A standard campaign in *Civilization 7* progresses through three distinct Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. At the end of each Age, players and AI opponents undergo an Age Transition, which involves selecting a new civilization for the upcoming Age, choosing which Legacies to carry forward, and witnessing the evolution of the game world. This innovative system marks a departure from previous entries in the *Civilization* series.

The Modern Age in *Civilization 7* concludes before the Cold War, a decision confirmed by lead designer Ed Beach in the IGN interview. Beach explained that the game's timeline ends at the close of World War 2, a choice rooted in extensive historical analysis. "We spent a lot of time looking at the ebbs and flows of history," Beach noted. He elaborated on how the game's Ages were structured, citing the collapse of major empires around the 300 to 500 CE as the endpoint for Antiquity. The transition to the Modern Age was influenced by significant historical revolutions, such as the French and American Revolutions, and the subsequent rise of new nations. The Modern Age ends with the World Wars, a pivotal moment that allowed for fresh gameplay mechanics and diplomatic and warfare rules unique to each Age.

When asked about future expansions, executive producer Dennis Shirk hinted at the possibilities of adding a fourth Age, potentially involving space exploration and contemporary units. "You can imagine the possibilities with this, honestly," Shirk teased, without confirming specifics. This has fueled speculation among players, especially after dataminers, including Redditor ManByTheRiver11, discovered references to an "Atomic Age" within the game's code. These findings align with Shirk's comments and suggest new leaders and civilizations could be on the horizon, consistent with Firaxis' DLC strategy from previous games.

In the meantime, Firaxis is addressing community feedback and working to improve the game's reception, which has been mixed on Steam. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick remains optimistic, suggesting that the "legacy Civ audience" will warm to *Civilization 7* as they continue to play, describing the game's early performance as "very encouraging."

For players looking to conquer *Civilization 7*, our comprehensive guides offer valuable insights. From strategies to achieve every victory type to understanding significant changes from *Civilization 6*, and avoiding common pitfalls, we've got you covered. Additionally, explore our explanations of all map types and difficulty settings to enhance your gameplay experience.