Summary
For the most part, theCivilizationfranchise has been a very iterative one. With every new entry, a handful of new mechanics, new leaders, and new nations might be added, but that’s usually about it.NewCivilizationgamesdon’t tend to really break the mold all too much, and while that’s been absolutely fine up until this point,Civilization 7might need to take a few new turns in order to keep fans invested for the long haul.
Being the next mainline entry in a franchise that’s spanned three decades now,Civilization 7will undoubtedly sell well, but it might need to do something a little extra to bring in newcomers and spice up the usual experience for long-time fans.Civilization 7could do with a unique hook, something that no previous games in the franchise have done before, and the answer toCivilization 7’s future might actually lie in the distant past.
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Civilization 7’s Unique Hook Could Be a Focus on Ancient History
TheCivilizationfranchise has always offered a slew of different nations and leaders to choose from, and while these often encompass the entire globe, they tend to focus on those civilizations that are still around today. For instance, while the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans are all present in the vast majority ofCivilizationentries, they’re all still around today in one form or another. A much rarer occurrence intheCivilizationfranchiseis a nation that no longer exists at all.
The Aztecs are one of the most prominent ancient civilizations that don’t exist anymore, essentially dying out with the invasion of the Spanish in 1521. The Aztecs are one of the few ancient, long-gone civilizations that are actually represented across theCivilizationseries, popping up in several entries as a regular playable nation. As theCivilizationfranchise has gotten bigger over time, and more nations are added, more ancient civilizations have started to appear, withCivilization 6having the most. With the help of multiple expansion packs and smallerDLCs,Civilization 6is home to several different now-extinct civilizations. On top of the Aztecs, players can also control the Mayans, the Incans, and the Khmer.
Civilization 7should take this concept of ancient civilizations to the next level, and essentially make it its whole hook. Though it might seem likeCivilizationhas already brought all the well-known ancient civilizations to the forefront, there are actually a ton of lesser-known ancient nations that are equally deserving of representation in theCivilizationseries. The ancient Indus, also known as the Harappan, was an ancient valley civilization that thrived on agriculture, and is generally considered to be one of the earliest civilizations known to man, right alongside Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Olmec are another ancient, long-gone civilization, existing around the same time as theAztecs, Incans, and Mayans. The Minoans are another great pick for an ancient civilization, appearing in Crete during the Bronze Age.
Focusing on ancient civilizations wouldgiveCivilization 7a completely unique hook, making it stand out massively from its predecessors. One of the coolest aspects of this premise would be seeing these ancient civilizations last longer than they did in real-life, letting Firaxis imagine how each civilization’s unique architecture would have evolved over time if they kept on existing. Each ancient nation would still fit within the parameters ofCiv’s usual structure, with each one having documented strengths and weaknesses, so Firaxis really wouldn’t need to change all that much in order to pivot the upcoming entry in a brand-new direction.
