2K and Firaxis Games announced The major "Arc of Tomorrow" update, the paid expansion "Earthrise," and update 1.5.0 for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII. Update 1.5.0 will be released first this month. "Arc of Tomorrow" and "Earthrise" will follow in 2027.
Update 1.5.0 Is Coming This Month
Update 1.5.0 brings several quality-of-life improvements to Civilization VII. The feature players have been most looking forward to is the “True Start Location: Earth” map.
Here is a list of the main changes:
- Earth Map and True Start Location: This map depicts the world's landmasses, natural features, and resources. Each game session generates a different layout of natural wonders, even though the same map is used.
- Map updates: The "Terra Incognita" and "Shuffle" map types use the Voronoi map-generation algorithm. The maps take on a wider variety of shapes and look more natural.
- Resource Updates: Maps load and render faster. Resource placement is also more varied.
- Diplomatic Update: Players can use Influence to remain in an alliance without having to participate in the alliance's wars.
- Interface Update: The changes include plot tooltips, settlement banners, initial game settings, and the addition of a tile ruler to aid in city planning.
The Atomic Age in the "Arc of Tomorrow" Update
Arc of Tomorrow is a free update that introduces the Atomic Age, the fourth era in Civilization VII. This era extends the game’s timeline from the 1950s into the near future. Players can sign up for Arc of Tomorrow playtest sessions through the Firaxis Feature Workshop later this year.
The key features of Arc of Tomorrow include:
- The Atomic Age: a new fourth era that expands the game's historical timeline.
- The World and Modern Visuals: large-scale city architecture, updates to the tech tree and civic tree, new Triumphs, social policies, and new narrative events.
- A New Civilization and New Leaders: a number of new civilizations corresponding to each era, as well as the return of the leader Gandhi.
- Expanded nuclear gameplay: new offensive and defensive options and units, offering a fresh perspective on the concept of mutually assured destruction.
- New Kingdom Management Tool: Players can grant independence to a Settlement and turn it into a City-State to manage the size of their kingdom and loyalty.
- Great Films: Film crews look for the best filming locations based on the film’s genre, with the benefits varying depending on the quality of the resulting film.
- Manufactured Goods: Players follow recipes that combine specific commodities to produce new resources, such as Enriched Uranium.
Earthrise Takes Civilization VII into Space
Earthrise is the first paid expansion for Civilization VII. This expansion centers on the space race and interstellar missions. In addition to space exploration, Earthrise also focuses on protecting Earth itself. Further details will be announced in the coming months.
Here is an overview of Earthrise's features:
- The Age of Antiquity and Exploration: Players map the night sky and name celestial objects before expanding their understanding of the solar system and the positions of the planets.
- The Modern Era: Players launch an initial orbital mission around Earth and the Moon in preparation for further space operations.
- The Atomic Age: Players launch missions throughout the solar system using their own spacecraft. These missions discover new planetary features and resources that strengthen civilization on Earth.
- Environmental adaptation: New unit abilities and technologies allow players to alter the terrain and unlock kingdom-wide bonuses. New civil engineering structures help combat natural disasters caused by rising global temperatures—and even reverse global warming itself. Civilizations that become more skilled at managing land in specific biomes will also gain new gameplay advantages in those biomes.
Civilization VII Is Available on Various Platforms
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is now available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, as well as Apple Arcade. Update 1.5.0 will be released first this month, while Arc of Tomorrow and Earthrise will follow in 2027.
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