Founded in 1991, the empire-building, turn-based strategy trailblazer Civilization has built a legacy nearly 35 years in the making. If anyone knows about withstanding the test of time… The aptly named Civilization VII: Test of Time Update drops May 19, and publisher 2K Games let Intel Gaming Access in on why this people-powered update is so very special.
Constructive Community
Firaxis leaned heavily on player feedback throughout development to make sure the update lived up to its name.
“The primary inspiration for the Test of Time Update was feedback from our players, and the collaborative spirit of our community,” Firaxis Games says. “What truly differentiates this update from previous patches is its foundational nature. It re-engineers the core pillars of Civilization VII to offer a more flexible, sandbox-driven experience.” Total player agency is the aim, with the ability to persist as a single civilization through every Age. “It creates a stronger, more versatile base for the future of Civilization VII,” Firaxis says, “ensuring players can create and lead an empire to stand the test of time.”
“The Test of Time Update synthesizes over a year’s worth of listening, iteration, and playtesting into one massive, free update,” Firaxis continues. “It is designed for players who love interesting strategic decisions, as well as those who are looking for an immersive experience.”
Players can look forward to a deeper connection to the lineage they themselves have created. They are not required to switch civilizations at Age transitions (unless they choose to) and have the advantage over even the most famous of history’s empire founders—they get to actually see how their legacy plays out.
“The most substantial changes arrive in the form of three reworked or entirely new features,” Firaxis says. The first: Time-Tested Civs. “You can play as one Civ throughout an entire campaign when the update goes live,” Firaxis confirms. “When playing as these Time-Tested Civs, the new Syncretism mechanic will allow you to create all-new builds by adopting the Unique Units or Infrastructure from another civilization that’s currently in its ‘Apex Age’, or double-down on what makes your Civ unique with Affirmation.”
There is also a new Victories system which has been completely reworked to reward dominance throughout the game. “We’re committed to making sure your win in Civilization VII is defined by successfully making interesting choices and giving you as many paths as possible to pursue greatness,” Firaxis says. The new Triumphs system, which replaces Legacy Paths, offers, “a wide range of optional, challenging objectives to help each game feel unique, and are tied to each of the six Attributes: Militaristic, Cultural, Scientific, Economic, Diplomatic, and Expansionist.”
Sound and Vision
Alongside these three main pillars, the Test of Time Update also brings a new Fractal Continent map, a new Commerce Screen, a New Advisor Council, new narrative events, and much more. “One of the most impressive yet understated elements of Test of Time is the sheer number of updates to audio tracks and civilization visual elements,” Firaxis says. “Our audio team implemented a sophisticated additive and subtractive mixing system where a civilization’s theme becomes more intimate and scaled-down when they are ‘Time-Tested,’ only reaching its full, multi-layered orchestral peak when they reach their specific ‘Apex Age.’ This resulted in over nine hours of new music across 175 tracks.”
Naturally, it’s going to look good, too. “The update brings a major expansion to regional architecture,” Firaxis adds. “Civilizations in the Pacific, North African, and Eastern European sets maintain a distinct and evolving visual identity that bridges the gap between ancient and modern styles. Small but vital quality-of-life changes, like the introduction of the highly randomized ‘Fractal Continents’ map type, provide a level of tactical variety and city-planning depth that fundamentally changes the late-game experience.”
Build on Performance
Intel and Civilization have a long history of their own. “PC has long been the home of the Civilization franchise, since the original launched,” Firaxis recalls. “It is incredibly important to us that the game runs smoothly on a wide range of hardware configurations. 2K and Intel have been partners since the launch of Civilization VII where our companies worked together to leverage Intel® Xe Super Sampling (XeSS) to bring the best PC gaming experience to the players. We continue to partner to help improve the gameplay experience.”
It sounds like time is on Civilization’s side. So what’s next? “The Test of Time Update is just the beginning of a long and exciting journey, as we continue to evolve the game alongside our community,” Firaxis says. “We will continue to drop new content collections that expand the roster of leaders and civilizations, and we are working hard to finalize highly requested features like the return of hotseat multiplayer. We have an exciting roadmap ahead!” Keep an eye on the time, gamers; there’s more to come.
Purchase Civilization VII on Steam
