Firaxis — After Strategy

Civilization 7 best Mementos by goal and Age (2026 guide)

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The best Memento in Civilization 7 depends on your goal and the current Age. In Antiquity, the most flexible pick is an attribute point Memento matched to your leader, such as Antikythera Mechanism for Science. After that, equip a bonus tied to your plan: Corona Civica to expand, Brace of Pistols for naval war, Uraeus for Culture. Nothing is locked in, because you can swap the pair between Ages.

This guide follows Dev Diary #7 and the patch notes up to update 1.5.0 of September 15, 2026, plus a hotfix on September 30. Most online rankings date from February 2025, yet effects have been rewritten twice since. It was not written from play: values come from official notes, and opinions are credited to the players who gave them.

How Mementos work

A Memento is a bonus attached to your leader for the game. The official diary sets four rules, and each one shapes your choice.

Two slots. Each leader equips two at most, and any Memento works with any leader.
About a hundred bonuses. Firaxis announced nearly 100 at launch, and updates added more, such as Gordian Knot for Alexander.
No purchases. You earn them only by playing, never with real money.
Multiplayer included. They stay available online, but a game can disable them.

The least known point concerns Ages. PC Gamer and Millenium explain that Mementos can be changed at each transition, on the civilization selection screen. Both guides date from 2025, but CivFanatics players still built their pairs Age by Age in June 2026. An older support page describes a choice that lasts the whole game, so check the transition screen if you cannot find the button.

PC Gamer adds a detail that changes the math: an attribute point Memento applies at the start of each Age in which it is equipped. In practice, keeping one through Antiquity and Exploration yields two points, and one CivFanatics player reserves them for exactly those two Ages.

Which Mementos to pick for your goal

This table starts from your game plan, not a general ranking. Each row gives the version in which the value was recorded. A “per Age” bonus grows with each Age, which matters for late-game pairs.

Goal	Memento	Effect	Recorded in
Opening	Antikythera Mechanism, Groma, Complaint to Ea-nāṣir	+1 Scientific, Expansionist or Economic attribute point	Game8, 2025
Expansion	Corona Civica	+1 Settlement Limit each Age, +50% Convert to City cost	1.4.0
Exploration	Merchant’s Saddle	+1 Movement for Scouts, Merchants, Settlers and Explorers	1.1.0
Land war	War Club	+1 Combat Strength for Infantry per City-State Suzerainty	1.4.0
Taking cities	Chanda-Mahasena	+3 Combat Strength against Fortified Districts during a Celebration	1.4.0
Naval war	Brace of Pistols	+2 Combat Strength for Naval units when attacking	1.3.1
Science	Kiem	+2 Science per Army Commander Promotion	1.4.0
Alliances	Glass Armonica	+15 Science and Happiness per Age in an Alliance, for you and your ally	1.4.0
Culture	Uraeus	+10 Culture per Age in Cities with at least one Wonder	1.4.0
Gold	Mascapaycha	+1 Gold from Specialists, +1 more next to Mountains	1.4.0
Influence	Shisa Necklace	+50 Influence per Age when you become Suzerain	1.4.0
Production	Wampum Belt	+1 Production per Age in Cities per Suzerainty	1.4.0

In Antiquity: the attribute point, without consensus

Attribute point Mementos unlock early and suit every leader. On CivFanatics, one player rates them much stronger since Test of Time, arguing points are harder to get. Another calls them worthless, and a third finds their yields too weak. What matters is the tree you are aiming for: a point only makes sense if it quickly opens a bonus your plan needs. Take the point matching your leader’s attributes, then replace it once that tree is full.

Two simple bonuses round out the pair. Lydian Lion gives 200 Gold per Age at the start of each Age according to Game8, and Millenium rates it strongest in Antiquity. Corpus Juris Civilis adds one starting Social Policy slot: one player calls it a favorite, while others find it often unnecessary.

For expansion: Corona Civica, on one condition

Corona Civica gives +1 Settlement Limit each Age and no longer scales with the Age since 1.4.0. The price stays fixed at +50% Convert to City cost. In practice, it pays off if you keep many Towns, and it hurts if you convert quickly. One player calls it mandatory, while another avoids it for that exact reason.

Two openings circulated on CivFanatics in June 2026, and they remain player reports written before 1.5.0. The first pairs Groma with Gold & Sapphire Flowers. The second combines Xerxes, King of Kings, with Corona Civica, Gordian Knot and Qajar. Their authors describe Settlers available before turn 10.

For war: check the unit type

War Club now covers Infantry only, not all units. If you play Cavalry or Naval, it leaves the pair. Chanda-Mahasena also fell from +5 to +3, but it stays focused on taking cities during a Celebration. Brace of Pistols comes up often among players for naval battles at the end of Exploration.

On the Commander side, Game8 ranked The Art of War first in 2025: +10% experience, +50% inside the radius of a higher-level Commander. It arrives late, at Foundation level 44. Promotion Mementos pay out in yields instead: Kiem in Science, Artilleryman’s Gloves in Culture at +2 per Promotion, Flag of Jhansi in Influence at the same rate. These three are flat values per Promotion, so they follow your Commanders and not the Age.

For Science, Culture and Gold

Uraeus now gives a flat value per Age to any City with a Wonder, whereas 2025 guides required owning the most Wonders. Noli Me Tangere gives +1 Science, Culture and Gold per Age for each Major Triumph in an Age, which makes it a late-game pick. Lotus Blossom converts 4% of Gold income into Science and Culture according to the 1.1.0 notes, and one player keeps it for the Modern Age.

For Gold, Game8 listed Green Colonel’s Jacket and Kwalkwali in 2025: the first pays per Trade Route, the second per Resource assigned to Cities. Neither value appears in later adjustments, but check the tooltip before building a strategy on them.

What changed: advice to stop following

Firaxis adjusted Mementos in two passes. Update 1.1.0 toned down those overshadowing leader abilities. Update 1.4.0 removed most percentages and double-scaling. Rankings from 2025 therefore sometimes describe a different Memento under the same name.

Memento	Effect in 2025 guides	Current effect
Great Imperial Crown	+5% Science per Great Work, 25% max	+2 Science per Age on Towns in Tundra
Dong Son Drum	Celebration when declaring war	Tech Boost when declaring a Formal War
Uraeus	+10% Culture with the most Wonders	+10 Culture per Age per City with a Wonder
War Club	+1 Combat Strength for all units	+1 Combat Strength for Infantry
Noli Me Tangere	+10% per Legacy Path completed	+1 per Age per Major Triumph
Glass Armonica	+10% Science and Happiness	+15 Science and Happiness per Age
Shisa Necklace	+100 Influence per Suzerainty	+50 Influence per Age per Suzerainty

Great Imperial Crown shows the trap: Game8’s top Culture pick of February 2025 now only gives a Science bonus in Tundra. Dong Son Drum, for its part, lost the Celebration that made it attractive for war.

How to unlock Mementos

Mementos arrive automatically when your Legends level up. According to Millenium, challenges supply the experience, such as turns played, Wonders built or Age objectives completed. The Foundation Path is tied to your account and holds the most accessible bonuses, based on Game8’s list from February 2025.

Foundation level	Mementos
2	Inscribed Sling Bullet (Militaristic), Complaint to Ea-nāṣir (Economic)
3	Treaty of Kadesh (Diplomatic), Groma (Expansionist)
4	Shakokidogu (Cultural), Antikythera Mechanism (Scientific)
5 to 7	Sword of Brennus, Lydian Lion, Imago Mundi
8 and 9	Corpus Juris Civilis, The Travels of Marco Polo
44	The Art of War

Each leader also has a path. Game8 puts Corona Civica at Augustus level 2, Uraeus at Hatshepsut level 9 and Dong Son Drum at Trung Trac level 9. Some require a paid leader: Chanda-Mahasena goes through Ashoka, World Conqueror. The 1.4.0 notes state that earned levels and rewards are unaffected, even if some challenges show as uncompleted again.

Mistakes to avoid

Three habits waste a slot, and each takes a minute to fix at the transition screen.

Copying a 2025 tier list. Check the in-game tooltip, because a familiar name can hide a rewritten effect.
Doubling a bonus without measuring it. Firaxis says a Memento that copies a leader ability matches it or stays slightly weaker.
Keeping the same pair to the end. Lydian Lion loses weight outside Antiquity according to Millenium, while per Age bonuses gain value.

The opposite risk exists too: spending ten minutes on a screen for a tiny gap. One player even won on Deity without any Memento, as the May 2026 community recap reports. They give momentum, not victory.

Going further

Your Mementos depend on your leader first, and our tier list of civs and leaders helps you settle that. Our breakdown of the 1.4.1 governments completes the game plan. Advanced settings are in our complete console commands guide. Everything else is on the Civilization 7 page.

Civilization 7 Update 1.5.1: Liberation, Donut Map and a Great People Rework

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Until now, a conquered settlement in Civilization VII only changed hands at sword point or as a bargaining chip in a peace deal. Update 1.5.1, announced by Firaxis on November 3, 2026, turns handing it back into a diplomatic move in its own right. The patch lands the week of November 9, 2026, and it also touches maps, Great People and the UI.

Everything below comes from the official announcement on Steam, which a Firaxis developer also posted on CivFanatics. The full patch notes aren’t out yet, so there are no numbers to work with at this point.

Liberation: giving a city back becomes a diplomatic choice

This is the change most likely to reshape your games. A captured settlement can be returned to its original founder, which improves your relationship with them. The same logic applies to City-States: a conquered City-State you were previously Suzerain of can be freed, and you get its bonuses back.

The City-State case is the clearest example. Conquering a City-State you already controlled used to cost you the bonus it provided. Update 1.5.1 lets you reclaim that bonus after the fact, as long as you give the city its freedom back. For anyone who fights short, surgical wars, that makes ending a conflict far less costly.

On paper, the real winner is defensive warfare. Retaking an ally’s city from an aggressive neighbor and handing it back should strengthen the alliance instead of bloating your own empire. The catch is the size of the relationship boost. If it’s small, most players will keep doing what they’ve always done and hold on to the city.

Randomized Earth and Donut: two maps built for replayability

Two map types join the rotation. Randomized Earth generates its terrain procedurally and lets you pick between historic or randomized start locations. Donut, as the name suggests, wraps a ring of land between an interior ocean and an exterior ocean.

Randomized Earth arrives less than two months after Civilization VII Update 1.5.0, which added the True Start Location Earth map. That one is locked to Huge size. Firaxis hasn’t said which sizes the new map supports, so that’s one of the first things to check in the patch notes. The Donut Map looks tailor-made for naval players: with an ocean in the middle, you’ll need to think about your fleet from the very first Ages.

Great People: goodbye, production queue

The third big change concerns Great People. They no longer go through a city’s production queue. Instead, each one is unlocked through its own gameplay conditions. Firaxis pitches the change as a fix for players who never found the right moment to train one.

For Civilization VII players, the upside is straightforward: a city no longer burns turns of production to get a Great Person. The trade-off depends entirely on what those conditions turn out to be. If they reward one specific strategy, some Great People could end up out of reach for empires that play differently.

The UI also gets two new panels: a Unit List and a Map Search. On a large map in the late game, tracking down a forgotten unit or a specific resource should take far fewer clicks.

What to watch for the week of November 9

Firaxis frames Update 1.5.1 as a foundations patch ahead of its two big 2027 projects. Arc of Tomorrow is a free update that adds the Atomic Age, and Earthrise is the first paid expansion, as laid out in the Arc of Tomorrow and Earthrise announcement. The official 1.5.1 key art also teases a first hands-on look at the Atomic Age for members of the Firaxis Feature Workshop.

Three things will decide how much this patch really matters: the size of the relationship boost after a Liberation, what the reclaimed City-State bonuses actually look like, and the list of Great People conditions. Until those numbers are public, avoid starting a long campaign built around these mechanics. If you have a game in progress, finish it before the update, then try Liberation on a fresh Donut map.

Going further

Civilization 7: how to capture a city, step by step (2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

To capture a city in Civilization 7, destroy and then occupy each Fortified District, meaning every urban tile with walls around it. Next, move a military unit into the City Center and choose whether to keep or raze the settlement. The City Center cannot fall while any fortified tile holds out.

That rule comes from the combat dev diary of December 2024. Everything else relies on the patch notes up to update 1.5.0 of September 15, 2026, plus the hotfix of September 30. This guide was not written from play, and player reports are labelled as such.

The steps to capture a city

The method stays the same for a fortified City or Town. Follow these six steps in order.

Declare war. A surprise war gives the other side more War Support and penalizes you, so line up your support before crossing the border.
Find the Fortified Districts. Hover over each urban tile and look for the fortified district label, because the game does not list them clearly.
Break the defenses. Your siege units target the walls while the rest of the army protects these fragile units.
Occupy each tile. According to the official diary, destroying and then occupying a Fortified District gives you control of it and removes its yields from the defender.
Enter the City Center. A military unit must move in once the Fortified Districts have fallen.
Choose your option. The Raze or Keep menu asks what you want to do with the settlement.

Leave a unit on captured tiles if you can. A Steam thread from February 2025 explains that you do not have to hold every tile at once, but an empty tile can be retaken.

Town or City: the difficulty varies widely

The official diary stresses this gap. An undefended frontier settlement falls quickly, while a fortified Town or City nearly always demands siege units. What matters, then, is the number of walls, not the settlement’s status.

A large City has several positions to breach, and each fortified tile counts. A Well of Souls table, dated March 2025 and marked as unverified, lists +100 HP for the district and +15 Combat Strength for defenders per wall. A Town set to a defensive focus also adds 25 Health to its walls, according to that page. Treat these values as a rough guide.

A settlement on a navigable river carries a particular risk, because the diary states that a fleet can sail inland and take it if it is undefended. Update 1.3.2 confirms that a military naval unit can capture a fortified tile once all its buildings are pillaged.

Which units to bring

A balanced army beats a mass of infantry. Here are the roles to fill, with the names listed by Game8 and Well of Souls.

Siege. Ballista in Antiquity, then Catapult, Trebuchet and Bombard in Exploration, with modern artillery after that.
Infantry. It shields the siege line in melee and occupies the freed tiles.
Army Commander. It carries units, attacks with a combat bonus and can call Reinforcements in a hard siege.
Ranged. It softens up garrisons before the assault, and Focus Fire concentrates shots on one target.
Espionage. The Open the Gates action damages or destroys Fortified Districts in Exploration, according to the 1.2.1 notes.

On paper, siege alone can break through. In practice, an empty tile can be retaken, so keep a covering force nearby. At sea, 1.4.2 also lets a Fleet Commander’s Focus Fire target a Fortified District with a garrison.

Why your city will not fall

Sieges often stall on the last turn. These causes come up in official notes and on forums.

A fortified wonder. Himeji Castle and Hwaseong act as Fortified Districts that must be conquered, according to the 1.4.1 and 1.4.2 notes.
Red Fort. Several players report this block on CivFanatics: one took the City Center, then Red Fort the next turn, and the city flipped.
A retaken tile. An enemy unit may have moved back into a district behind your army.
An ally on the tile. One player reports on Steam that an allied unit disrupted the capture, with no official confirmation.
An old bug. Update 1.4.2 fixed Machu Pikchu, which could become impossible to capture once surrounded by walls.

If nothing works, check each urban tile one by one, starting with wonders. A Steam thread from February 2025 advises this hover check, since no dedicated view listed the remaining tiles at that date.

Keep or raze the settlement

Our default choice is to keep the settlement. The 1.4.0 notes reworked the Military Victory: each settlement you control earns Dominion points, with extra for captured settlements and original capitals. A razed settlement gives you none of that.

Razing no longer costs what it did at launch, but it is not free. The 1.2.1 notes removed the War Support granted to your enemies. In exchange, the conquest Influence penalty doubles for the rest of the Age, and 1.2.2 extends these rules to the Modern Age. Update 1.4.0 also sped up razing: the settlement loses one district per Age per turn.

Keeping has a cost too. Game8 describes a period of unrest in which the settlement produces nothing, and 1.4.0 limits conquest Influence penalties and unrest to the Age of capture. The Influence penalty also goes away if you lose that settlement, according to 1.2.0. You can exceed your settlement limit, at a cost in Happiness across the empire.

Raze only a badly placed or very distant settlement, or one that would push you over that limit with no real gain. The risk is holding too many small settlements at the end of an Age, when War Weariness already weighs on your Happiness.

War Weariness: watch your Happiness

According to the diplomacy dev diary, the side with less War Support suffers War Weariness. It cuts Happiness in all its settlements and its Combat Strength against that opponent. Update 1.4.0 raised the cost in Exploration and Modern, as this table shows.

Age	Settlement founded by you	Founded by another civ	Founded by an enemy at war
Antiquity	3	5	7
Exploration	5	7	9
Modern	7	9	11

These values give the Unhappiness per settlement, and the Antiquity figures did not move. A long Modern conquest therefore costs far more than a quick Antiquity war. Update 1.2.4 clarifies that this Happiness effect does not stack across several wars, which avoids the worst on two fronts.

A peace deal can also finish the job. Game8 notes that a settlement can be ceded there after a few turns of war, and 1.4.2 adds Gold and Influence to the table. One player on Steam even suggests handing back surplus settlements during talks.

What has aged in online guides

Many pages date from February 2025 and have not kept up with patches. Two mistakes keep coming back.

War Support after razing. That penalty disappeared with 1.2.1.
Losing siege units at the Age change. Since 1.2.3, your siege units and ships carry over from Antiquity to Exploration.

Going further

Your choice of civilization shapes these wars, and our tier list of civs and leaders helps you spot the military profiles. Recent changes are covered in our piece on update 1.5.0. To test a siege without waiting, see the console commands guide. All our coverage sits on the Civilization 7 page.

Civilization 7: how to increase your settlement limit (2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

To increase the settlement limit in Civilization 7, study the civics and techs that give +1, take the Expansionist and Militaristic leader attributes, then add City-State bonuses, Mementos and certain wonders. The limit also rises each Age: at least 3 in Antiquity, 8 in Exploration and 16 in Modern. You can exceed it, but the Happiness penalty has had no cap since 1.4.0.

This guide follows dev diary #3 and the patch notes up to update 1.5.0 of September 15, 2026, plus the hotfix of September 30. Most online civics lists date from February 2025, so fragile points are flagged. It was not written from play, and player reports are labelled as such.

How the settlement limit works

The official diary calls it a soft limit: the number of Cities and Towns you can maintain without penalty. Both settlement types weigh the same on the counter, shown at the top of the screen according to Game8. Each Age sets a minimum, listed by PC Gamer.

Age	Minimum limit at the start of the Age
Antiquity	3
Exploration	8
Modern	16

A CivFanatics thread from October 2025 finds the value of 8 on a standard map and speed, so check the counter on other settings. Babylon, added in 1.5.0, starts with a reduced limit.

Carryover between Ages remains the least documented part. A developer note in 1.4.0 confirms the limit can be retained. According to PC Gamer and CivFanatics, your new base is the higher of the Age minimum and your end-of-Age total.

In practice, finishing Antiquity at 7 does not put you ahead, since you restart at 8 anyway. Only bonuses that repeat each Age matter then: one player works out 9 at the start of Exploration by keeping a Memento. Another calls that a bug, and nothing official settles the debate.

Every way to increase the limit

Each source usually adds a single point, and the developers stand by that scarcity. Here are the levers to combine, from the most common to the most specific.

Civics. Game8 counted 36 in February 2025, unique civics included, with +1 each time.
Techs. The same guide names four: Irrigation, Feudalism, Urbanization and Mass Production.
Leader attributes. Well of Souls, updated on September 15, 2026, lists +1 in the Expansionist and Militaristic trees.
City-State bonuses. Update 1.2.2 added Hegemon, Staked Claims and Dependent Territories, then 1.2.5 added Karum, Mappa Mundi and Annexation.
Mementos. Corona Civica gives +1 each Age, in exchange for a 50% higher cost to convert a Town into a City.
Wonders. Brandenburg Gate adds +1 to the limit and +1 War Support since 1.2.4.
Leaders and civs. Xerxes, King of Kings receives +1 per Age, and unique civics such as Satrapies for Persia or Captains of Industry for America also give +1.

For shared civics and techs, WCCFtech offers this split by Age.

Age	Techs	Civics
Antiquity	Irrigation	Entertainment, Organized Military
Exploration	Feudalism	Society and Colonialism (Mastery), Social Class, Sovereignty, Imperialism
Modern	Urbanization, Mass Production	Nationalism, Globalism, Hegemony

This table dates from February 2025. Since then, 1.4.0 has reorganized the tech tree and 1.3.0 has reworked several unique civics. What matters, then, is the tooltip in your own game, so read it before spending your points.

This table also gives a rough scale. Adding these shared sources to each Age minimum brings you to about 6 in Antiquity, 14 in Exploration and 21 in Modern, before attributes, City-States and wonders. WCCFtech likewise mentions more than 20 settlements by the end of a game. These totals are this guide’s own calculation, based on an old list.

Order matters as much as the total. In Antiquity, these points mostly help you settle earlier, since they do not carry over while you stay under 8. The same logic applies in Exploration, where you must pass 16 for your total to survive the move to Modern. If you play an expansion profile, look first for bonuses that repeat each Age, such as Corona Civica or those of Xerxes, because they pay off across the whole game.

What one settlement too many costs

Going over is paid for in local Happiness in each settlement, which also lowers your global Happiness, according to the official diary. Reports from Well of Souls, WCCFtech and Millenium all give -5 per extra settlement, applied to every settlement you own.

Two clues back up that value. The old official cap of -35 matches seven extra settlements, and a CivFanatics player noted -70 cumulative Happiness at their fourteenth settlement, which is 14 times 5.

Update 1.4.0 hardened this system in two ways. The -35 cap disappeared, and each point of local Unhappiness removes 5% of yields, up from 2%, down to -80%. Food is exempt from that reduction. This table shows the effect on a settlement with no other Happiness.

Settlements over	Penalty per settlement	Yields lost
1	-5	25%
2	-10	50%
3	-15	75%
4	-20	80% (cap)

This calculation combines the -5 reported in 2025 with the 1.4.0 rules, and it is not official data. An already happy settlement absorbs some or all of the penalty, while a fragile one tips straight away. At -20 it also reaches the Angry stage created by 1.4.1, which weighs on certain Government abilities.

The cost grows with your empire, because the penalty hits every settlement. Across fourteen settlements, a single extra one removes 70 Happiness in total. Global Happiness drives Celebrations, so you delay those as well. Watch the advisor warning too: since 1.2.3, it no longer appears after 75% of the Age.

Should you go over the limit?

Our reading of the rules is simple: stay at the limit, or one settlement above it if that settlement brings a real gain. On paper, a rare resource or a wonder site justifies the gap. In a wide empire, the same point costs far more, because it hits more settlements.

To absorb a gap, 1.4.1 names four levers.

Fresh water. Found your settlements close to it.
Resources. Improve the ones in your settlements.
Buildings. Construct Happiness buildings.
Commanders. Station experienced Army Commanders in your cities.

One player points out on Steam that surplus Happiness in one city does not spread to an unhappy one. The risk rises in wartime: each captured settlement joins the counter, and War Weariness adds its own penalty. In that case, weigh the conquered settlement against the cost above before keeping it.

What has aged in online guides

Many pages have not caught up with 1.4.0. Four details need correcting.

The -35 cap. It has not existed since 1.4.0.
The 2% cost per point. That figure rose to 5% in the same version.
The Xerxes bonus. It reached +6 over a game and tops out at +3 since 1.4.0.
The start at 4. Several sources from February 2025 state it, while a CivFanatics player corrects it to 3 without leader or Memento bonuses.

The topic will keep moving. The free update due in 2027 will let you turn your own settlements into City-States for finer control over this limit.

Going further

Happiness also depends on your institutions, and our analysis of the 1.4.1 Governments covers that link. To pick a leader built for expansion, see the tier list of civs and leaders. Recent changes are covered in our piece on update 1.5.0. Everything else sits on the Civilization 7 page.

Civilization VII 1.5.0: The True Start Location Earth Map Arrives, but Only on Huge and in Antiquity

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A long-awaited map, shipped with its own rules

The True Start Location Earth map does more than add a backdrop to Civilization VII: it changes how you choose your civilization. Available since update 1.5.0 on September 15, 2026, it places every people near its historic capital on a hand-drawn Earth. Firaxis built it under two stated constraints, though: Huge size only, and a mandatory start in Antiquity.

Those two choices decide who will really benefit from the map. They deserve a close look, along with the explanations the team published in its “From the Devs” post.

What 1.5.0 brings around the map

The update also celebrates the franchise’s 35th anniversary. Besides the Earth map, the Terra Incognita and Shuffle maps move to Voronoi generation, which completes the overhaul of the base-game maps. A new diplomatic option lets you pay Influence to stay out of a war when an Ally joins one. That neutrality comes up for renewal every 10 turns on Standard speed.

On the interface side, a Radial Ruler shows three-tile and six-tile radii around the cursor, handy for placing Settlements or measuring the reach of El Escorial. Plot and Unit tooltips gain information, and game setup now shows which civs you can syncretize with. The Hall of History collection, including Elizabeth I and George Washington, launches the same day.

A compatibility warning applies: Firaxis recommends starting a new game, because some new effects do not appear on older saves. On Steam, a “legacy” beta branch lets you finish a game in progress on the previous version.

How the map places civilizations

The developers’ stated goal is simple: let players start as any of the game’s roughly 50 civilizations and have a good time, rather than chase absolute accuracy. Their own summary captures the mindset: the map is accurate “mostly”, and, they believe, fun.

Each civilization starts at the location of its historic capital. Switching civilization at an Age Transition does not move your position, because it is fixed by your starting civ. Triumphs, Victories and game effects work as usual.

The case of crowded neighbors remains. When two civs would start within 3 tiles of each other, one keeps its spot and the other is shuffled to an unused location on the map. Firaxis specifies that this never happens to the human player in single-player. In multiplayer, the host keeps their spot if two humans clash.

Huge only, Antiquity only: Firaxis’s reasons

The Huge size gives the most room and the best drawing fidelity. The team considered an even larger scale, but it warps games: some regions end up too far apart to interact. Not every device can handle a map that size either, especially late in a game.

The Antiquity start follows similar logic. The Earth map does not support Advanced Starts, where the player builds a much larger starting empire. On an Earth with historically cramped starts, that would cause too many problems. Firaxis mentions future Earth-specific options, without promising a timeline.

Hardware coverage is limited too. The map exists on Steam, Epic, Mac, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. It is missing on Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Three landmasses, one ocean to cross

The map has three landmasses: the Americas, Africa and Eurasia, and Oceania. They stay Distant Lands to one another, so do not expect to cross the ocean before the Exploration Age. An Oceania start is therefore played in an isolated Antiquity, far from the other civilizations.

Firaxis reshaped the geography so that this isolation stays playable. The top and bottom of the map were truncated: the northern tundra is shorter and most of the southern ocean is gone. The freed space opens up the central areas, notably around Europe, Persia, China and North America.

What the map changes in practice

Several island regions, such as Hawaii, Japan and the UK, are the starting point for multiple civs. Firaxis “magnified” them to a much larger scale than the rest of the map. Island nations no longer feel like a permanent challenge run, even though space is still tight.

Navigable Rivers are new to Civ VII: the Nile, Amazon, Yangtze and Mississippi all appear on the map. The Tropical biome lets South America and India be represented with more precision. An Inca start near the Andes therefore has Tropical, Vegetated and Mountain tiles to work with, while Plains lie much further north.

Resources are hand-placed and all present in every game: Llamas and Quinine stay in South America, and France keeps a few spots for Wine. Natural Wonders, however, escape that logic. Seven are guaranteed, drawn at random from more than twenty, but they always appear in their real locations: Mount Fuji stays in Japan. Firaxis sees this as a way to stop a start near a fixed wonder from being too strong.

Choosing a civilization with its position in mind

On a randomly generated map, the civilization mostly decides the bonuses. On Earth, it also decides where you play, and that position never moves afterwards. The Antiquity starting pick therefore weighs more than usual. A civilization born near a great river benefits from a Navigable River from the very first turns. An island civilization accepts a tighter space, even when magnified.

The game also ensures that Resources are always the same. A player who knows where the Wine or the Quinine lies can plan routes and expeditions ahead. On paper, the map rewards knowledge of geography as much as empire management, which makes it feel closer to a scenario than to a random playground.

The September 30 hotfix: what it fixes

Fifteen days after 1.5.0, Firaxis shipped a stability hotfix. It fixes crashes, mostly late-game in the Modern Age, lag when using mouse and keyboard at once, and softlocks that stopped turns from advancing in multiplayer. The missing Treasure Resources in the Exploration Age and missing Factory Resources in the Modern Age are addressed too.

For the latter, the team changes the rule: all Treasure and Factory Resources must now appear in the Age’s random selection. A few Resource issues on the Earth map were also fixed, including a mysterious patch of cocoa in the middle of the ocean.

What to watch from here

Firaxis announces one last interim update before it focuses on two big projects. The first is “Arc of Tomorrow”, a free update that adds a fourth Age, the Atomic Age. The second is the paid Earthrise expansion, announced for 2027. Patch cadence will therefore slow down in the coming months.

For the Earth map, what comes next depends on feedback. The developers mention Earth-specific Advanced Start options, more room guaranteed around starts, or the opposite, more crowded openings. They also consider more hand-built regional maps, and are exploring a map-making tool, with no commitment.

Try it if you like long, narrative games: the Earth map gives every civilization a real geographic frame. Forget it for now if you mostly play Standard size or Advanced Starts: Earth is not offered to you. The risk is treating it as the reference map when it remains a special mode, reserved for part of the players and platforms.

Going further

Our Civilization 7 hub: every article on the game.
Civilization VII 1.4.1: the government rework, the happiness and tradition system that structures games.

Civilization VII Announces Arc of Tomorrow and Earthrise: Atomic Age and Space in 2027

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Firaxis revealed two pieces of content for 2027 at PAX West on September 5, 2026: a free update that adds a fourth Age to Civilization VII, and its first paid expansion, themed around space. What matters is not the announcement itself but the line between what stays free and what gets sold.

Update, October 26, 2026: patch 1.5.0 was released on September 15, with the real-world Earth map. Earthrise opened its Steam page to wishlists on September 16, still with no price shown. Firaxis has also said both products will bring new civilizations and leaders, without giving a number.

Two announcements, one tension

The game is still divisive, and Firaxis knows it. In creative director Ed Beach’s post on Steam, the studio ties these announcements to the series’ 35th anniversary and to the momentum of May’s Test of Time update. Details and timing are presented as subject to change.

Arc of Tomorrow: a free fourth Age

Arc of Tomorrow will be free for every owner of the game, and Firaxis calls it bigger in scope than Test of Time. It introduces the Atomic Age, which extends the timeline from the 1950s to the 2050s, with buildings, units, visuals, civilizations and leaders specific to the period. You can play through from Antiquity or start straight in that Age with an Advanced Start.

The announced systems are specific. Nuclear play gains offensive and defensive options. Multilateral agreements let leaders react together to a growing stockpile of warheads, through disarmament or escalation. You will be able to turn your own settlements into city-states, fight proxy wars through them, and craft manufactured goods such as enriched uranium.

According to PCGamesN, the update will not arrive before 2027.

Earthrise: the space race across the whole campaign

Earthrise is Civilization VII’s first paid expansion. Its designers cite Brave New World and Gathering Storm as models: a strong theme and systems that shape entire campaigns. Here the loop is about space. In the Antiquity and Exploration Ages you chart the night sky and name celestial bodies. The Modern Age brings the first orbital missions around Earth and the Moon. In the Atomic Age a space agency launches missions across the solar system and brings back resources.

The second pillar is adapting to the environment. New units and technologies change terrain and tile bonuses, and civil engineering structures help you withstand more frequent natural disasters as temperatures rise, or even reverse the warming. The price has not been announced, and the expansion is expected in 2027.

Patch 1.5.0 comes first

Patch 1.5.0 was due “this month”, according to Firaxis. It brings the True Start Location Earth map, which generates the land, features and resources of the real world. Each civilization starts near its historical origin, and natural wonders appear in their real locations.

Terra Incognita and Shuffle move to Voronoi generation for more varied maps. Resource generation is revised and the interface gains tooltips and a tile ruler. On the diplomacy side, influence lets you stay in an alliance without joining an ally’s wars.

What to watch now

The line between Arc of Tomorrow and Earthrise is the real unknown. If the most anticipated Atomic Age civilizations ended up behind the paywall, the free content would look like a skeleton. If the split is clear, this model could relaunch the game for good.

Two other points matter: game length with four Ages, and Earthrise’s price. Worth watching if you left Civilization VII: patch 1.5.0 already gives a reason to come back, and the rest depends on what Firaxis shows in the coming months.

Sources: Firaxis post on Steam, PCGamesN, Earthrise page announcement.

Going further

Our Civilization 7 hub: every article on the game.
Civilization VII 1.5.0: The True Start Location Earth Map Arrives, but Only on Huge and in Antiquity: the map in detail.
Civilization 7 Update 1.4.2: Gold, Influence and Reworked Peace Deals: diplomacy before 1.5.0.

Civilization VII 1.4.1: Does the Government Overhaul Actually Change Your Strategy?

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Before 1.4.1, picking a government in Civilization VII mostly meant deciding which two Celebrations you would be offered. The June 23, 2026 update changes that logic: every government now brings a passive ability that works from the moment you adopt it, two reworked Celebrations and two exclusive Traditions in the Civics tree.

Firaxis’s message is clear. A government should steer the game, not just add a yield percentage. The official notes describe a push toward asymmetric, highly directional gameplay, and admit that some governments will lean on their passive while others depend on Celebrations or Tradition slots.

What 1.4.1 adds to every government

Each government now stacks three layers of bonuses. The passive is always active once the government is chosen. The two Celebration options are earned by keeping your people happy. The two Traditions must be unlocked in the Civics tree before they produce anything.

The official list is organized by Age: Classical Republic, Despotism and Oligarchy in Antiquity; Feudal Monarchy, Plutocracy and Theocracy in Exploration; then Authoritarianism, Bureaucratic Monarchy and Elective Republic in the Modern Age. Firaxis says it changed neither when you pick a government nor which governments are available. Mexico gets its own government, the Revolución, whose passive rewards happiness through the Traditions you have slotted.

Classical Republic: happiness as a yield condition

The Classical Republic passive gives +1 Culture in Happy or happier Settlements, then +4 additional Culture in Joyous or happier Cities. The first tier is easy to reach. The second demands real work on happiness, which is where the bonus gets interesting.

The Celebrations follow the same logic: one grants +100 Influence immediately, the other +10% Production toward Wonders, or +20% in Joyous or happier Cities. Two Traditions complete the package: Yaxche adds +2 Happiness on Wonders, and Poieisis earns Culture on displayed Great Works in Joyous or Ecstatic Settlements.

Despotism: rewarding conquest, punishing unrest

Despotism had a reputation as a flavorless government, reduced to +20% Science during a Celebration. Its new passive gives +2 Science for each conquered Settlement. It comes with an explicit price: every point of negative Happiness cuts 3% of the Yields in your Settlements.

Its Traditions follow the same thread. Commanderies, unlocked on Tactics, adds +20% Gold toward upgrading Units. Fajia, unlocked on Organized Military, gives +1 War Support on wars you declare. The government speaks to an empire that conquers and accepts the burden of managing unrest in what it takes.

Theocracy: an economy that follows your religion

Theocracy, an Exploration Age government, gives +20% Production and Gold toward constructing or purchasing Temples and Missionaries. Its Celebrations revolve around Relics: one grants a free Relic, the other pays Gold and Influence for each displayed Relic.

The two Traditions are even more conditional. Dargah gives +2 Food and Happiness in Towns following your Religion. Vinaya gives +2 Gold and Influence in Cities following your Religion. Without a solid religious network, both Traditions remain promises on paper.

Five happiness stages, with hard numbers

Local happiness is no longer a yes-or-no question. Each Settlement now sits in one of five stages: Ecstatic from 40 Happiness per Age, Joyous from 20 to 39, Happy from 0 to 19. On the negative side, Unhappy covers -19 to -1 and Angry starts at -20.

These stages have no effect on their own. They act as conditions for government passives, Celebrations and Traditions. The values are expressed per Age and rise from one Age to the next. Firaxis suggests settling near fresh water, improving Resources, building Happiness Buildings and stationing experienced Army Commanders in your Cities.

Celebrations: shorter and harder to earn

Another change that weighs on governments: Celebrations are slightly harder to earn and drop from 10 turns to 6 on Standard speed. Firaxis explained that many players spent most of the Age in a Celebration, even while ignoring happiness. Without tension between triggering and staying in a Celebration, effects that lengthened it lost their appeal.

The bonuses themselves change nature. Where the old system offered broad percentages such as +20% Culture, Celebrations become themed. Theocracy talks about Relics, the Republic about Influence and Wonders, Despotism about production buildings and military units. A government is now recognized by how it celebrates.

Traditions to unlock, then to keep

Government Traditions are not automatic. They must be unlocked in the Civics tree, for example Dargah on Theocracy or Commanderies on Tactics. The notes specify that Traditions from governments you have not chosen do not appear in the tree.

Once unlocked, these Traditions carry into the next Age, like civilization Traditions. Firaxis talks about political choices leaving a lasting mark on your empire. That tempers the idea of a disposable government: the civic investment survives the transition, even though the passive itself depends on the government currently in place.

The rest of the list at a glance

The other six governments follow the same grammar. Oligarchy gives +10% Production toward Buildings. Feudal Monarchy offers +10% Production toward training Units and constructing Walls, Plutocracy +20% toward Overbuilding. Authoritarianism grants +3 Food and Gold in Settlements conquered during the Age, with the same unhappiness penalty as Despotism. Bureaucratic Monarchy gives +5% Gold toward purchasing Buildings in Cities, +10% if the City is Joyous. Finally, Elective Republic gives Specialists +1 Science and Culture, at the price of heavier Happiness maintenance.

The pattern repeats: a Production or Yield advantage, paired with a condition or a cost. No government is free, and none is designed to suit every empire.

What Firaxis fixed since launch

The system was touched up in the following weeks. On July 9, the second 1.4.1 hotfix addressed an issue where AI opponents declared war less often than expected. The July 28 update, 1.4.2, fixed a stacking bug on the Despotism Celebration and a Mexican passive that affected every player in the game.

More importantly, 1.4.2 added a readability aid: the Government Selection screen now shows which Civics are required to unlock each Tradition. That information was missing at launch, even though it decides when a government becomes profitable.

What to watch from here

The overhaul keeps one promise: the government weighs more in the game. Its real entry cost lies elsewhere, in happiness. A Republic that cannot keep its Cities Joyous almost never collects its +4 Culture. A Despotism that conquers without stabilizing loses Yields on every negative point.

Watch this if you like conquering empires: Despotism pays off only if your gains hold their happiness. Watch this if you play Culture: the Classical Republic asks you to build around Joyous Cities rather than sprawl. Skip it if you hate managing happiness: several governments on the list are now tied to it.

Firaxis promises to keep adjusting the system based on feedback. With update 1.5.0 out and the Earthrise expansion announced for 2027, the question is no longer whether the overhaul works, but whether the team will go as far as rebalancing the least-used governments.

Going further

Our Civilization 7 hub: every article on the game, from patch breakdowns to strategy guides.
Civilization VII 1.5.0: the True Start Location Earth map, the latest major update.
Civilization VII tier list: best leaders and civs to pair a government with a leader.

Civilization VII: Yi Sun-sin, Goryeo and Joseon are worth watching

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Korea is the hook, but naval pressure is the real test

The draft for Brush & Blade Phase 2 puts Korea at the center of Civilization VII with Yi Sun-sin, Goryeo and Joseon. The historical pitch is strong. For players, though, the useful question is more practical: can Firaxis make control of the sea matter enough to change how a campaign is played?

This leader choice is not neutral. Yi Sun-sin is tied to Joseon’s naval defense during the Imjin War, and that gives Firaxis a clear design path. If the leader becomes a bundle of generic defensive numbers, the addition will feel decorative. If he pushes players to protect coasts, control straits and defend trade routes, the Korean phase could be more interesting than a simple historical pack.

Yi Sun-sin needs more than historical prestige

The risk with famous leaders is obvious: prestige can hide thin mechanics. Yi Sun-sin is remembered for naval victories, but a naval leader only matters in a 4X if the map, objectives and economy give players a reason to build and protect a fleet.

That is the first thing to watch when the content is detailed. Do his bonuses create a real maritime plan, or merely reward a defensive posture that players would have used anyway? Civilization VII already leans heavily on age transitions and civilization choices. A leader like Yi Sun-sin becomes valuable if the sea turns into a pressure lane, not just a border around the map.

Goryeo and Joseon could support two Korean rhythms

The other promising part is the Goryeo / Joseon pairing. Goryeo points toward medieval Korea, Buddhist culture, celadon, the Tripitaka Koreana and repeated defensive pressure against invasions. In Civilization VII terms, that identity could support culture, resilience and knowledge production.

Joseon suggests a different tempo: Confucian administration, long-term stability, territorial defense and political continuity. If Firaxis makes those two profiles distinct, Korea will not feel like a single label attached to two eras. It could become a useful transition between cultural growth and defensive consolidation.

The wonders also need a job

The draft mentions Mireuksa and Seongsan Ilchulbong. Both names fit the cultural frame: a major Buddhist temple on one side, a volcanic Jeju landmark on the other. Their real value will depend on what they ask the player to give up.

A good Civilization VII wonder is not just visual reward. It creates a tradeoff: invest early, delay expansion, secure a bonus before a rival, or accept that another empire will define that part of the map. If these wonders only add predictable culture or faith numbers, their effect will be limited.

What needs confirmation

This draft should stay careful until Firaxis publishes the final details. The exact bonuses, price and release timing still need direct confirmation before publication.

The useful test is concrete. Do Goryeo and Joseon change age transitions? Does Yi Sun-sin make coastal maps more tense? Does Brush & Blade give players a reason to treat the sea as an active front? If yes, Korea can become a meaningful Civilization VII addition. If not, it will mostly be an attractive historical chapter.

Sources to verify before publication

Civilization VII 1.4.1: Hotseat Multiplayer, Government Overhaul, and the Brush & Blade Japan DLC

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Civ VII Accelerates: Hotseat, Feudal Japan, and Reworked Governments

Firaxis has unveiled the full contents of Update 1.4.1, arriving the week of June 22, 2026. Alongside the free update comes the first half of a new paid collection, Brush & Blade, focused on medieval Japan and Korea. Two months after the Test of Time update in May, the game continues to evolve at a steady pace.

What 1.4.1 Delivers Free to All Players

Three major additions arrive at no extra cost:

Hotseat Multiplayer finally makes its debut in Civ VII. Previously absent from the game, this mode lets multiple players share a single device and pass the keyboard between turns — a franchise staple that at last finds its way back.

The Archipelago map type is completely rebuilt. It now uses procedural Voronoi generation to produce more natural, unpredictable island layouts. Every playthrough promises a genuinely different geography.

The Government system receives a deep overhaul. Government Traditions now persist across Ages, leaving a permanent mark on your civilization’s history. The Happiness and Celebrations systems have also been reworked to offer sharper strategic choices each era.

Brush & Blade Part 1: Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Feudal Japan

The paid Brush & Blade collection explores the tension between refined high art and battlefield violence in medieval Japan and Korea. Part 1, launching alongside Update 1.4.1, includes:

Toyotomi Hideyoshi as a new leader. A lowly foot soldier under Oda Nobunaga, he rose to become the first unifier of Japan during the chaotic Sengoku era — a warlord who was equally a patron of the arts.
Heian Japan — a civilization centered on cultural refinement and diplomacy, embodying the relative peace of the Heian period (794–1185).
Sengoku Japan — a militarized civilization reflecting the era of warring lords who tore Japan apart before Hideyoshi’s unification.
Four new Wonders: Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace, Nachi Falls, Mireuksa, and Seongsan Ilchulbong (the latter two anticipating the Korean Part 2 content).

Part 2 Arrives Later This Summer

The second half of the Brush & Blade collection will introduce Yi Sun-sin, the Korean admiral renowned for his naval victories against Japanese invasions, alongside the Goryeo and Joseon civilizations. No exact release date has been confirmed yet.

The Bottom Line

Update 1.4.1 addresses two long-standing gaps in the game: the lack of Hotseat play and a weak Archipelago map generator. The Brush & Blade Part 1 content targets fans of medieval Asian history, a relatively unexplored angle in the franchise. To see how these new civilizations fit into the current meta, check out our Civilization VII tier list of the best leaders and civs.

Sources

Civ 7 Tier List 2026: Best Leaders and Civs After Update 1.5

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

More than a year after its February 2025 launch, Civilization VII has refined its meta. The first tier lists were shaky — too many variables, too small a sample. Today, with tens of thousands of community playtime hours cumulated, some leaders clearly dominate. Here’s our 2026 tier list based on CivFanatics, Pocket Tactics, Game8 analyses, and our own experience.

TL;DR:

S Tier (5 leaders): Confucius, Catherine the Great, Augustus, Ashoka, Himiko
A Tier (4-5 leaders): Xerxes, Amina, Napoleon, Harriet Tubman, Benjamin Franklin
B Tier: the rest, solid but situational
C Tier: objectively weak leaders, to avoid
Caveat: Civ VII tier lists are more volatile than Civ V/VI — civs change per age, leader stays
Since June (updates 1.4.1 to 1.5.0): no leader moves; the new leaders are not ranked yet

What changed since the June update

Three updates have shipped since our June revision: 1.4.1 (June 23), 1.4.2 (July 28) and 1.5.0 (September 15). No leader moves up or down: the changes are systemic (governments, diplomacy, a new map), and none of them states a leader-specific figure we could rank on. Our Civilization 7 hub lists every article on the game.

Governments reworked (1.4.1). Each government now has a passive, two reworked Celebrations and two exclusive Traditions, Traditions carry over between Ages, local happiness has five stages, and Celebrations drop from 10 to 6 turns on Standard speed (government guide). Your government choice weighs more than before, so the leader-government pairing is worth testing: the Classical Republic pays +4 Culture in Joyous Cities and Despotism gives +2 Science per conquered Settlement, which makes a culture-first leader like Catherine the Great or a conqueror like Ashoka the obvious candidates. We have not measured those pairings, so the tiers stay as they are.
Diplomacy (1.4.2 and 1.5.0). Peace deals can now include gold and influence, Reconciliation opens as soon as a leader turns unfriendly, and individual victory conditions can be switched off again (1.4.2 article). Version 1.5.0 lets you pay influence to stay neutral when an ally goes to war (1.5.0 article). In principle this helps diplomatic profiles such as Himiko or Amina, but the amounts are fixed per Age and may prove modest, so we do not move them.
True Start Location Earth map (1.5.0). It is Huge-size only and starts in Antiquity, and your civilization’s position is fixed by geography (1.5.0 article). It is a special mode: this ranking still describes standard maps, where Antiquity civilization choice does not tie you to a place.

New leaders: too early to rank

Four leaders arrived since June. We have not played enough of them to justify a tier, and the sources we used describe their abilities without measuring them.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Brush & Blade part 1, with Heian and Sengoku Japan): see the 1.4.1 article.
Yi Sun-sin (Brush & Blade part 2, with Goryeo and Joseon): a naval leader whose value depends on whether the sea becomes a real front. See the part 2 preview and the 1.4.2 article.
Elizabeth I (Hall of History): a Cultural and Economic leader whose Royal Monopoly removes the range limit on Trade Routes, at the cost of land combat strength that falls with each Age (Hall of History article).
George Washington (Hall of History): a Diplomatic and Expansionist leader who gains a Migrant in his Capital at each Celebration (Hall of History article).

Hall of History also adds Babylon, the Gauls and England as civilizations, covered in the same article.

What changed since the June update
How to read this tier list
S Tier: the dominant leaders
A Tier: strong but situational
B Tier: solid without being top
C Tier: avoid in competitive
Leader × civilization combinations

How to read this tier list

Civilization VII has a structural quirk: you play 3 different civilizations within the same game, one per age (Antiquity, Exploration, Modern). Your leader stays the same throughout. Consequence: the leader has more long-term impact than the chosen civ.

Our ranking is based on:

Leader bonuses stable over 500 turns
Adaptability to multiple victory types
Synergy with multiple civs per age
Community feedback 2025-2026 (Reddit r/civ, CivFanatics, Pocket Tactics forums)

S Tier: the dominant leaders

Confucius ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Considered near broken. Massive science bonus coupled with huge civ-choice versatility. Giant cities pumping science every turn. Crowned “reference leader” by most guides.

Preferred victory: Science
Ideal civ per age: Han (Antiquity), Abbasid (Exploration), Modern wild card

Catherine the Great ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rare excellence: cultural victory without sacrificing tech. Science bonus via her cultural output — she unlocks techs and civics in parallel. Flexible, strong from turn 30 to turn 500.

Preferred victory: Cultural
Ideal civ: Normans, French (depending on age)

Augustus ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ +2 production in the capital per town built, +50% gold for urban purchases. Rapid expansion, map covered with towns feeding the capital. Versatile across all victories.

Preferred victory: Production (domination OR wonders)
Ideal civ: Romans (Antiquity), Normans, Mongols

Ashoka (World Conqueror) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The military leader who isn’t militarily obligated. Very solid conquest bonuses but his stats also enable peaceful victories. S-tier thanks to his double profile.

Preferred victory: Domination
Ideal civ: Mauryan (Antiquity), then Mongol/Aksumite

Himiko (Queen of Wa) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Queen of Wa — pure versatility. Few massive bonuses but exceptional adaptability between culture and diplomacy. Beloved by players who change plans mid-game.

Preferred victory: Diplomatic / Cultural
Ideal civ: Meiji Japan (Modern)

A Tier: strong but situational

Xerxes (King of Kings) — A+ Excellent late-game science bonus, better in Modern Age than Antiquity.

Amina — A Strong in trade/diplomacy, perfect if your strategy revolves around city-states.

Napoleon Bonaparte — A Classic military bonuses, effective but less versatile than Ashoka.

Benjamin Franklin — A Science and wonder focus, but less “open” than Confucius who plays with any civ.

Harriet Tubman — A Exploration + late-game science, excellent on Tide of Empires maps.

B Tier: solid without being top

José Rizal — good scientist, defensive gaps
Machiavelli — diplomatic but sometimes frustrating against aggressive AI
Isabella — powerful religious but religion meta weakened in 2026
Tecumseh — territorial defense, good vs AI but limited competitively
Frederick the Great — classic military, eclipsed by Napoleon

C Tier: avoid in competitive

These leaders suffer from miscalibrated or overly situational bonuses after 2025-2026 patches:

Charlemagne — too religion-dependent (weakened meta)
Pachacuti — mountain-specific bonuses that block expansion
Trung Trac — military but without the solid bonuses of Ashoka or Napoleon

Important note: “C” leaders aren’t unplayable, just suboptimal on Hard/Deity. On easier modes, any leader can win.

Leader × civilization combinations

Some community-validated meta combos:

Leader	Antiquity Civ	Exploration Civ	Modern Civ
Confucius (Science)	Han	Abbasid	Russia
Augustus (Production)	Rome	Normans	Mongol
Catherine (Cultural)	Greeks	French	Meiji Japan
Ashoka (Military)	Mauryan	Aksumite	American
Himiko (Diplomatic)	Han	Khmer	Meiji Japan

Experiment — Civ VII’s charm lies precisely in the variety of transitions between civs.

This tier list will evolve with upcoming patches — we update it every 6 months.

Sources

Civilization VII Test of Time: Free Update on May 19 Reshapes the Game

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Civilization VII Test of Time: Firaxis answers the community’s biggest complaint — for free

On May 19, 2026, Sid Meier’s Civilization VII receives its most ambitious update since launch. Named Test of Time, it’s entirely free, addresses the controversial age-switching mechanic, and finally introduces the “play one civ from start to finish” mode the community has been requesting for over a year. A new free leader is also part of the package.

Release date: May 19, 2026, free for all base game owners
Major rework: new Triumphs system, reworked victories, single-civilization mode
Official livestream: May 13 at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM GMT with the new leader reveal

Single-civ mode: Firaxis finally listens
Triumphs: the new objective system
Reworked victories and new leader
Fractal Continent map and trade overhaul
May 13 livestream: what to watch
Verdict

Single-civ mode: Firaxis finally listens

Since Civilization VII released in February 2025, the mandatory civilization switch between ages has been the franchise’s most divisive design choice. For many veterans, it broke the historical identity that has been the soul of the series since Civilization II.

With Test of Time, Firaxis officially introduces Time-Tested Civs: the ability to play one civilization across an entire campaign, from the bronze age to the modern era. To keep that choice mechanically interesting, two new systems support it:

Syncretism: allows you to adopt unique units or infrastructure from other civilizations without abandoning your own, blending flexibility with narrative coherence.
Affirmation: the opposite approach — double down on your civilization’s signature strengths to amplify their bonuses.

This is the direct response to the community’s most consistent feedback over the past 15 months.

Triumphs: the new objective system

The Legacy Paths system, introduced at launch to structure each age, is being entirely replaced by the new Triumphs framework: a wide range of optional, challenging objectives tied to the game’s six Attributes.

Attribute	Gameplay focus
Militaristic	Conquest, armies, dominance
Cultural	Religion, wonders, influence
Scientific	Research, tech, progress
Economic	Gold, trade, infrastructure
Diplomatic	Alliances, treaties, soft power
Expansionist	Colonization, territory, exploration

Each Triumph offers a tangible gameplay variation, and their combination makes every game feel genuinely different. Where Legacy Paths enforced a linear progression, Triumphs rewards experimentation.

Reworked victories and new leader

The victory system has also been overhauled to reward dominance and meaningful strategic decisions rather than mechanical checklists. Firaxis hasn’t detailed every condition yet, but the official communication points to expanded paths to victory with deeper strategic implications.

On the content side, a new free leader is being added to the roster. The name has not been officially revealed yet — Firaxis is saving the reveal for the May 13 livestream. The teaser trailer has fueled speculation (Constantine, Alexander the Great, or potentially someone less expected), but nothing is confirmed.

Fractal Continent map and trade overhaul

Test of Time also delivers a strong batch of quieter-but-important content:

Fractal Continent map: a new map type with more organic terrain, irregular coastlines, and greater geographical variety
New Commerce screen: reworked UI to track trade routes and revenue — long requested since launch
Advisor Council: a new contextual advice panel, designed to help newcomers without bothering veterans
Specialists & Biomes updates: city specialists and biomes receive gameplay and balance adjustments
New audio and music: general soundtrack refresh
Narrative Events: new scripted events to add flavor and pacing

The patch also includes numerous balance changes, the full detail of which won’t land until the May 19 deployment.

May 13 livestream: what to watch

Before launch, Firaxis is hosting an official livestream on May 13, 2026:

Pacific Time: 11 AM PT
Eastern Time: 2 PM ET
GMT: 7 PM
Paris: 8 PM CET

The stream airs on the official Firaxis Twitch channel and the Civilization YouTube channel. Agenda: Test of Time gameplay demo, dev team Q&A, and the official reveal of the new leader with their full gameplay kit.

Verdict

Test of Time isn’t a balance patch — it’s a structural rework that directly addresses the two most persistent criticisms of Civilization VII’s launch: forced civilization switching and the rigid Legacy Paths framework. For anyone who shelved the game after a few frustrating runs, May 19, 2026 is a date worth circling on the calendar.

The fact that all of this is free — with no paid DLC alongside — also breaks from the usual playbook of major publishers on this kind of pivot. Firaxis is playing a reconquest card here, and it looks more than credible.

Going further

To prep for May 19, check out our Civilization VII tier list of civilizations and leaders — it remains useful for understanding the current strength balance ahead of the rebalance pass.

Sources

Civilization VII: every new civilization and leader added in 2026

Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Civilization VII launched in February 2025, and we’re now fifteen months later, in May 2026. In between, Firaxis and 2K Games have rolled out a DLC schedule and a season pass that have substantially reshaped the roster of available civilizations and leaders. For players coming back after a break, or for anyone hesitating on whether to invest in the additional content, here’s a complete recap of what’s been added since launch.

TL;DR:

Roughly fifteen extra civilizations added across the three eras (Antiquity, Exploration, Modern) since February 2025
Around ten new leaders delivered through the season pass and one-off content packs
Hybrid monetization model: paid season pass + occasional free additions (Blackbeard drop, seasonal events)
Meta reshuffled multiple times by balance patches — some new civs briefly dominated before being nerfed
Overall verdict: solid content for fans, but the season pass remains expensive for casual players

The season pass model: how Firaxis monetizes additions
Every new civilization added since launch
The new leaders and their strategic synergies
Quick tier: the additions that actually shifted the meta
Coming up: what Firaxis has teased for 2026
Going further

The season pass model: how Firaxis monetizes additions

Unlike Civilization VI, which split its content into two major paid expansions (Rise & Fall, Gathering Storm) plus the New Frontier Pass, Civ VII chose from day one a more continuous and more fragmented model:

Main season pass priced around $39.99 covering the bulk of civilizations and leaders added over a 12-month window
Individual content packs sold à la carte (typically $4.99 to $9.99) for players who only want one specific civ or leader
Occasional free additions during events or major patches — the free Blackbeard drop in early 2026 was the most attention-grabbing
Full bundle regularly discounted on Steam during seasonal sales

This model split the community. Players past 200 hours of playtime see real value in the season pass. Casual players miss the kind of structuring expansion that Gathering Storm represented in Civ VI’s day.

Every new civilization added since launch

The February 2025 launch roster shipped with roughly 30 civilizations spread across the three eras. Since then, Firaxis has gradually added new options. Here’s the breakdown observed as of May 2026, staying cautious on exact names that can vary depending on official communications:

Era	Type of additions observed	Estimated volume
Antiquity	Mesoamerican civs, Central Asian empires, nomadic peoples	4 to 5 civs
Exploration	African civs, Southeast Asian kingdoms, trading powers	5 to 6 civs
Modern	Historical nation-states, late industrial powers	4 to 5 civs

Several of these civilizations were announced as part of the expanded historical roster for Civ VII — meaning classic series civs that weren’t in the launch lineup and that players were demanding. Others are complete newcomers to the franchise.

Based on community leaks and official announcements, additional civilizations are reportedly in development for the second half of 2026. The exact names aren’t confirmed at the time of writing — be skeptical of “exhaustive” lists circulating on Reddit.

The new leaders and their strategic synergies

The leaders added in 2025-2026 have followed a different logic from the civilizations. Civ VII allows decoupling leader from civilization in ways that were unprecedented for the series, which has made adding new leaders especially strategic for Firaxis.

Three broad profiles emerge in the additions:

Military leaders geared toward conquest and aggressive territorial expansion — useful with high-military-bonus Antiquity civs
Economic and trade leaders built around trade routes, gold and diplomacy — clear synergies with the merchant civilizations added in the Exploration era
Late-game science leaders unlocked via the season pass and tailored for technological victories in the Modern era

The Blackbeard case, distributed for free in early 2026, is emblematic: he brought a naval raider profile that didn’t really exist in the launch roster, and helped boost the navy — an axis players felt was underdeveloped until the naval balance patch.

Quick tier: the additions that actually shifted the meta

Not every addition is created equal. Some have substantially reshaped the competitive meta, others have stayed at the bottom of community tier lists. Here’s a synthetic read at the May 2026 meta:

S-tier — an African civilization from the Exploration era added in season 1, with a massive economic bonus on coastal cities. Dominated the meta for several months before being nerfed in patch 1.4.
A-tier — a Central Asian empire from Antiquity with a high military production bonus. Heavily used in competitive multiplayer for early rushes.
A-tier — a science leader added in season 2 who synergizes particularly well with the Han and Abbasid civs from the original roster.
B-tier — several thematically interesting modern civilizations whose bonuses are deemed too specialized for competitive multiplayer. Great fun in flavour-driven solo runs.
C-tier — one or two leaders whose bonuses are seen as redundant with those of the original roster. Skip unless personal taste dictates otherwise.

For a detailed ranking that covers the entire roster (launch + additions), see our complete Civilization VII 2026 tier list.

Coming up: what Firaxis has teased for 2026

At the time of writing, several pieces of information are circulating about content planned for late 2026:

A major paid expansion is referenced by 2K Games as a possible alternative to the current season pass model — no confirmed date or price yet
New cross-era mechanics are reportedly in development per the Firaxis team’s communications: they’d offer a tighter link between your Antiquity choices and your Modern options
Several leaked civs on Reddit and CivFanatics — to be taken with a heavy grain of salt as long as Firaxis hasn’t officially confirmed
An improved asynchronous multiplayer mode mentioned in the latest official communication, with no precise roadmap

All of this remains conditional. Firaxis’s track record shows DLC schedules can slip, and Reddit leaks regularly get exact names wrong.

Going further

If you’re just discovering Civ VII or coming back after a long break, several After Strategy companion pieces can help:

The complete Civ VII 2026 tier list of leaders and civilizations — our cornerstone covering the full roster (launch + additions).
Our naval balance patch and free Blackbeard drop recap — to understand the most striking free content event so far.
An analysis of Civilization VII’s long-term challenges and potential — to place the DLC schedule within the game’s broader trajectory since its controversial launch.

As things stand, the 2026 verdict on Civ VII’s additional content is solid but fragmented. Invested fans get plenty of value; casual players can wait for a structuring expansion or for Steam sales to enter the season pass cheaply.

The paid pack is detailed in Civilization VII Hall of History: Washington, Elizabeth and Babylon for €19.99.

Sources

XCOM 2: Complete Guide Tactical Strategy 2026

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

XCOM 2, developed by Firaxis Games and released in 2016, is one of the defining tactical strategy games of its generation. Combined with its landmark expansion War of the Chosen (2017), it delivers an unmatched blend of turn-based tactical combat, squad management and strategic base-building — all wrapped in a desperate narrative of humanity’s guerrilla war against alien occupation. In 2026, it remains the gold standard for the genre. Here’s the complete guide.

Why XCOM 2 is essential in 2026

Best-in-class tactical combat — cover mechanics, overwatch, flanking and elevation create endlessly engaging encounters
Permadeath with emotional weight — your customized soldiers can die permanently, making every mission tense
War of the Chosen — widely regarded as one of the best strategy game expansions ever made
Massive mod support — 10,000+ Steam Workshop mods, including total conversions like Long War 2
High replayability — procedural missions, random soldier abilities, multiple difficulty levels and Ironman mode
Still holds up visually and mechanically in 2026

Base game vs. War of the Chosen

What War of the Chosen adds

3 Resistance Factions: Reapers (stealth), Skirmishers (aggression), Templars (psionic melee) — each with a unique hero class
The Chosen: 3 powerful alien nemeses that hunt you across the campaign, grow stronger over time, and must be defeated in their strongholds
Fatigue system: soldiers tire after missions, forcing roster rotation
Bonds: paired soldiers gain combat bonuses, adding tactical depth
Covert Operations: send soldiers on off-screen missions for rewards and intel
Lost missions: zombie-like enemies that swarm in huge numbers
Breakthrough research: random tech bonuses that add variety between runs

Verdict: War of the Chosen is not optional — it transforms XCOM 2 from excellent to legendary.

Soldier classes guide

Base game classes

Ranger

Role: Close-range assault, scouting
Key abilities: Slash (melee guaranteed hit), Phantom (starts concealed), Bladestorm (melee overwatch)
Strategy: Your flanking specialist. Bladestorm Rangers are devastating against melee enemies. Phantom Rangers provide invaluable scouting
Recommended build: Phantom → Shadowstep → Run and Gun → Implacable → Untouchable → Rapid Fire

Grenadier

Role: Demolition, area damage, cover destruction
Key abilities: Shredder (removes armor), Hail of Bullets (guaranteed hit), Rupture (target takes extra damage)
Strategy: Grenadiers solve problems. Armor? Shred it. Full cover? Destroy it. Group of enemies? Grenade them. Every squad needs at least one
Recommended build: Blast Padding → Shredder → Holo Targeting → Chain Shot → Hail of Bullets → Rupture

Specialist

Role: Support, healing, hacking
Key abilities: Medical Protocol (remote heal), Aid Protocol (defense buff), Guardian (multiple overwatch shots), Capacitor Discharge (AOE hack)
Strategy: Medic build for Ironman (soldiers are precious), Combat Hacker build for regular play. Guardian is one of the best skills in the game
Recommended build: Medical Protocol → Field Medic → Guardian → Threat Assessment → Ever Vigilant → Restoration

Sharpshooter

Role: Long-range sniper or pistol gunslinger
Key abilities: Squadsight (shoot beyond visual range), Serial (free action on kill), Fan Fire (3 pistol shots)
Strategy: Sniper build dominates open maps. Gunslinger build is more versatile for close quarters. Serial is the single most powerful ability in the game for cleanup missions
Recommended build (Sniper): Long Watch → Deadeye → Kill Zone → Aim → Steady Hands → Serial

Psi Operative

Role: Psionic abilities, crowd control, damage
Key abilities: Domination (mind control), Null Lance (line AOE), Void Rift (area psionic damage)
Strategy: Trained in the Psi Lab, not through combat. Takes time but becomes the most powerful class. Domination turns the strongest enemy into your ally
Training priority: Inspire → Stasis → Domination → Null Lance → Void Rift

War of the Chosen hero classes

Reaper

Specialty: Stealth, scouting, precision damage
Key ability: Shadow — superior concealment that doesn’t break on most actions
Role: Your permanent scout. Reveals the entire map while remaining hidden. Claymore mines provide explosive utility

Skirmisher

Specialty: Mobility, multiple actions
Key ability: Grapple — hookshot to any elevated position for free
Role: Most mobile class. Can shoot + move + grapple in one turn. Justice (pull enemy to you) and Wrath (grapple to enemy, shoot) provide incredible flexibility

Templar

Specialty: Psionic melee, focus management
Key ability: Rend — melee attack that generates Focus, powering stronger abilities
Role: High-risk, high-reward melee fighter. Parry makes them surprisingly tanky. At max Focus, they deal massive damage

Strategic layer guide

Base building priority

Guerrilla Tactics School — Squad Size upgrades are non-negotiable
Resistance Ring (WOTC) — Covert Ops for faction influence and Chosen intel
Power Relay — enables further construction
Proving Grounds — experimental ammo and grenades
Psi Lab — start training Psi Operatives mid-game
Shadow Chamber — required for story progression, reveals enemy counts on missions

Research priority

Priority	Research	Why
1	Alien Biotech + Sectoid Autopsy	Unlocks Mindshield (critical vs. psionic enemies)
2	Modular Weapons	Weapon attachments boost accuracy and damage
3	Magnetic Weapons	Massive damage increase, essential for mid-game
4	Plated Armor	Survivability jump keeps soldiers alive
5	Gauss Weapons	Endgame weapons, prepare for final missions
6	Powered Armor	W.A.R. Suit and Wraith Suit are transformative

Managing the Avatar Project

The doom clock creates strategic urgency:

Don’t panic at 8-10 blocks — you have time
Panic at 11 blocks — have a facility assault or story mission ready
Always keep one facility lead in reserve — insurance against doom timer pressure
Contact new regions to discover more facilities to assault
Story missions reduce Avatar progress significantly

Tactical combat masterclass

The golden rules

Never move a soldier into unknown territory without overwatch coverage
Full cover is mandatory — half cover is a death sentence on Commander+
Kill or disable every active enemy before your turn ends — leaving wounded enemies alive gets soldiers killed
Grenades are not a last resort — they’re your primary tool for destroying cover and shredding armor
Concealment is your greatest weapon — set up ambushes, don’t break concealment early

Engagement protocol

The ideal engagement sequence:

Scout with Reaper/Phantom Ranger to locate enemies
Position your squad in elevated full cover with flanking angles
Break concealment with your highest-damage soldier or a grenade
Focus fire — kill the most dangerous enemy first (Sectopod > Codex > Muton > Trooper)
Overwatch trap any survivors — they’ll trigger overwatch running for cover

Enemy priority list

Threat Level	Enemy	Why
Critical	Sectopod, Gatekeeper	Massive damage, high HP, can wipe squads
High	Codex, Chosen, Spectre	Disruptive abilities, clone/shadow mechanics
Medium	Muton, MEC, Archon	Strong damage dealers, need to be eliminated quickly
Low	ADVENT Trooper, Stun Lancer	Manageable but Stun Lancers can one-shot wounded soldiers

Ironman survival tips

Save your grenades for emergencies — but don’t hoard them either
Build 12-16 soldiers — injuries and fatigue will bench your A-team regularly
Accept losses — losing a Corporal hurts less than losing a Colonel trying to save them
Evac is not failure — pulling out of a bad mission saves your squad for future fights
Flash grenades are underrated — disoriented enemies have terrible aim and can’t use abilities

Best XCOM 2 mods (2026)

Total conversions

Long War 2 — the definitive XCOM 2 overhaul. More classes, more enemies, longer campaign, deeper strategy. Essentially a new game
Long War of the Chosen — combines Long War 2 with WOTC mechanics. The ultimate XCOM 2 experience for veterans

Gameplay mods

A Better ADVENT — adds new enemy types for variety
Musashi’s RPG Overhaul — expanded class trees, RPG-like progression
Tactical UI Killzone — shows hit chances from any tile before moving (quality-of-life essential)
Evac All — evacuate all soldiers with one click (saves time)
Stop Wasting My Time — removes unnecessary pauses and animations

Cosmetic mods

Unrestricted Customization — mix and match armor cosmetics freely
More Nationalities — adds hundreds of real-world names and flags
Capnbubs Accessories — tactical gear cosmetics (helmets, glasses, scarves)

The XCOM 2 modding community remains one of the most active in strategy gaming, with new mods still being created in 2026.

Difficulty breakdown

Difficulty	Description	Recommended for
Rookie	Very forgiving aim bonuses, low enemy count	First-time strategy players
Veteran	Balanced, fair challenge	First XCOM 2 playthrough
Commander	Tighter economy, smarter AI, more enemies	Experienced tactical players
Legend	Punishing. Longer research, fewer resources, deadly enemies	XCOM veterans only
Ironman	No save-scumming, one save file	Any difficulty (adds tension)

Recommended first run: Veteran difficulty, no Ironman. Learn the systems, then replay on Commander Ironman for the “real” XCOM experience.

XCOM 2 vs. other tactical games

Feature	XCOM 2	Into the Breach	Fire Emblem	Phoenix Point
Randomness	High (hit chances)	None	Low	Medium
Permadeath	Yes	No (timeline reset)	Optional	Yes
Base management	Deep	None	Camp management	Deep
Squad size	4-6	3	10-15	4-8
Mod support	Excellent	None	None	Limited

For a contrasting tactical experience with zero randomness, see our Into the Breach guide.

Conclusion

XCOM 2 with War of the Chosen is the greatest turn-based tactical game ever made — a bold claim, but one supported by its mechanical depth, emotional weight and staggering replayability. The combination of tense tactical combat, meaningful strategic decisions and soldier permadeath creates stories that stay with you long after the campaign ends. Every missed 95% shot, every clutch grenade, every soldier lost — they all matter.

In 2026, with thousands of mods available and a passionate community still playing, there has never been a better time to liberate Earth from ADVENT. Commander, the resistance needs you.

For more tactical strategy content, explore our Civilization 7 guide, our Age of Wonders 4 guide and our top 10 PC strategy games 2026.

Sources

Best PC Strategy Games 2026: Top 10 Ultimate Ranking

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In 2026, the PC strategy games genre has never been richer. Between historical titans (Paradox, Creative Assembly), 4X renaissances (Civilization VII), and RTS revivals (Tempest Rising), here’s our top 10 best PC strategy games in 2026.

Watch the trailer for our #1, Crusader Kings III:

1. Crusader Kings III (Paradox)

The king of dynastic grand strategy. Play any noble from the Middle Ages (867-1453). Assassinations, political marriages, wars, heresies, character traits. Unmatched emergent narrative. Recent expansions (Royal Court, Tours and Tournaments, Legacy of Persia, Roads to Power) significantly enriched the content.

Why #1: no other game generates so many memorable stories. Every game is unique.

CK3 console commands guide · Best CK3 mods

2. Total War: Warhammer 3 (Creative Assembly)

The best grand-scale tactical experience. With Immortal Empires (free DLC merging all 3 TW Warhammer games), the map is gigantic: 80+ playable factions, Chaos Undivided, Elves, Dwarves, Lizardmen, Khornate, Empire, Bretonnia. Spectacular battles with 10k+ units.

Why #2: the most complete TW ever made + Warhammer setting = perfect fusion.

3. Stellaris (Paradox)

The ultimate space opera sandbox. Explore a procedural galaxy, contact alien civilizations, challenge apocalyptic crises (Extradimensionals, Contingency, Scourge). Recent DLCs (Machine Age, Season 09) deeply enriched psionic and machine mechanics.

Stellaris console commands · Top Stellaris mods

4. Civilization VII (Firaxis)

The modern and accessible 4X. Civilization VII redefined the formula with era transitions (each era changes civ + leader), universal leaders, and an economic overhaul. Perfect for 4X beginners.

5. Hearts of Iron IV (Paradox)

The WW2 grand strategy reference. Manage your nation from 1936 to 1948: military industry, political focuses, land/naval/air battles. Mythic mods (Kaiserreich, TNO, Road to 56).

HOI4 console commands · Best HOI4 mods

6. Age of Empires IV (Relic/World’s Edge)

The classic historical RTS modernized. AoE IV resurrected the franchise after 16 years with modern graphics while keeping the AoE DNA. Solid multiplayer modes, growing esports, excellent narrative campaigns.

7. Europa Universalis IV (Paradox)

The deepest historical grand strategy. 1444-1821, 500+ playable nations, crazy economic/diplomatic depth. 12 years after release, still alive with regular patches.

EU4 cheat codes guide · Best EU4 mods

8. Victoria 3 (Paradox)

The unique industrial grand strategy. 1836-1936. Manage a pop-based economy, industrialize, face socialist revolutions, colonialism. Experience different from any other Paradox game.

Victoria 3 console commands

9. Tempest Rising (Slipgate Ironworks)

The RTS renaissance. Released in 2024, Tempest Rising is an old-school RTS (Command & Conquer style) with modern graphics. 3 factions, solo campaigns, competitive multi. The long-awaited classic RTS return.

10. XCOM 2 + War of the Chosen (Firaxis)

The reference turn-based tactical. XCOM 2 remains the best squad-based tactical experience. With War of the Chosen, replayability is infinite thanks to resistances and Chosen. Long War 2 mods for masochists.

Honorable mentions

Europa Universalis V — next-gen Paradox, still settling in in 2026
Old World — super-tactical historical 4X
Age of Wonders 4 — fantasy 4X with insane customization
Homeworld 3 — 3D space RTS
Anno 1800 — industrial-era city-builder strategy
Manor Lords — medieval strategy in Banished + Total War style

Conclusion

In 2026, PC remains the absolute platform for strategy games. Whether you want deep grand strategy (Paradox), tactical battles (Total War), 4X (Civ, Stellaris), or classic RTS (AoE IV, Tempest Rising), there’s a masterpiece for every taste.

To go deeper, see our guides on EU4 console commands, best HOI4 mods, and the complete Napoleon Total War guide.

Sources

Civilization VII Debug Menu: Test a Run Without Ruining It

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Civilization VII is not a Paradox game with a universal string of console commands. On PC, its debug panels are a more useful way to inspect a test run when they are enabled for single-player. The distinction matters: a copied save can answer one question about an Age, an economy or a position without erasing the campaign you actually want to finish.

Start with a separate single-player save

Duplicate the run and name the copy after the question, such as Rome-exploration-test. Note the current Age, treasury, settlement count and the decision you want to compare. What matters is the difference after the test, not how spectacular the debug result looks.

Civilization VII debug panels, not a generic cheat console

Unlike Paradox games (EU4, HOI4, CK3) with native consoles, Civilization VII works differently. Cheats go through:

Debug panels enabled for a single-player test.
A keybind that opens the menu when those panels are available.
A save you can abandon after observing the result.

Enable panels carefully on PC

Close the game fully
Back up AppOptions.txt in the local Firaxis Civilization VII folder.
Look for the current debug-panels setting; community documentation identifies EnableDebugPanels.
Set the enabled value only for the test, then save and restart.
Use the keybind in a single-player save; 2K’s patch notes confirm this route when panels are enabled.

A debug menu appears in-game, accessible via a keyboard shortcut or dedicated button.

Do not assume an old guide’s shortcut, mod name or achievement claim still applies. Patch behaviour changes; check the in-game result on a disposable save.

When the panel does not appear

Start by restoring the backed-up AppOptions.txt file, then confirm that the active file is the one in the local Firaxis Civilization VII folder rather than an old Documents folder from another Civilization game. Close the game before editing it. A line beginning with a semicolon is a comment, so compare the current spelling with the community documentation rather than changing several unrelated settings at once. Change the panel setting only; leave graphics, account and accessibility values untouched.

Load a new single-player test after restarting. If the keybind still does nothing, stop there: do not assume that a random command string will activate a hidden console. Note the game version, platform and the exact setting you tried. That gives you a useful starting point for current patch notes or support, while preserving the campaign save.

Three useful tests

Does the Age transition change the plan?

Copy the save before an Age change. Compare one civic choice, settlement plan or military commitment, then reload. Test the same leader, the same civilization path and the same map position so the Age decision is the only deliberate difference. The useful result may be that the real run needs one more town, a different legacy path or a delayed war.

Make the comparison concrete. Before the transition, write down the number of settlements, the commander positions, the most important production queue and the milestone you are trying to reach. On the test save, change only the choice you want to evaluate. Finish a small number of turns and compare the same notes. A useful result is not simply that one outcome looks stronger; it is that you can explain why it gives you a better route through Exploration or Modern.

Is the economy short of gold or short of priorities?

Test a narrow economic change, observe the production queue and let a few turns pass. If the pressure returns immediately, the constraint is likely maintenance, expansion pace or a bad allocation rather than one missing resource.

For example, a city that cannot complete a key building may be suffering from more than its current yield. Look at whether another settlement is consuming the same priority, whether an army is parked in an expensive place, and whether the next Age objective pulls production in another direction. The debug test should narrow the suspect list. When you return to the original run, make one normal change and see whether the diagnosis holds.

Is the map position actually lost?

Use a copied run to inspect a difficult frontier, then return to the clean save. Compare the threatened settlement’s production turns, nearby commander movement and the approach tiles before committing. A defensive town, a different commander route or a postponed conflict may be the answer; restarting is not always necessary.

Count turns, not only units. A frontier can feel doomed because an opponent has the immediate advantage, while the real question is whether your settlement can finish its walls, whether a commander can arrive, or whether terrain buys time. On the copy, test one defensive response and record the first enemy move it changes. That observation is actionable in the original campaign; a broad debug victory is not.

A small test protocol for Civ VII

Use the same five steps for every experiment. First, name the test save after the question. Second, note the turn, Age, treasury, settlements and immediate threat. Third, enable or inspect only the panel behaviour needed for the question. Fourth, let a limited number of turns pass. Finally, reload the clean save and make a normal decision based on the difference.

This approach works for an Age transition, a frontier city, a commander route or a strained economy. It also prevents a common mistake: changing a resource, a unit, a map state and an Age at the same time, then concluding that a vague “cheat” fixed the campaign. Civilization is a chain of interacting choices. Your test needs to be small enough to read and repeat after a reload.

What a good result looks like

A good result is a sentence you can act on without opening the debug menu again. Delaying a war until a commander covers a river crossing is a useful conclusion. Building production before another settlement is another. Securing a weak frontier before an Age transition is a third. Each conclusion names a next action, a location and a timing decision.

By contrast, “everything works when I give myself everything” is not a strategy finding. It only proves that constraints matter, which the original campaign already knew. The real value of a debug panel is clarity under controlled conditions.

Keep the experiment smaller than the campaign

Avoid changing every resource and map variable at once. That produces a sandbox, not evidence. A good test has one question, one change and one observation. Write down the turn, the Age and the visible consequence; then restore the unmodified save.

For broader context, our best PC strategy games guide situates Civilization VII beside its grand-strategy and 4X peers.

Conclusion

Civilization VII debug panels are most useful as a workshop for a difficult decision. Keep them in a copied single-player run, verify the current setting and keybind, then take only the lesson back to the campaign.

For more strategy game coverage, see our top 10 best PC strategy games 2026.

Sources

XCOM: Chimera Squad — the spin-off that breaks the turn order

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

XCOM: Chimera Squad breaks the turn order

Alternating initiative: the turn order becomes a queue to manipulate.
Breach phase: every encounter starts with entry points to choose from.
Fixed agents: a written squad with precise synergies, not anonymous recruits.
No death for main agents: they cannot die for good, which lowers the pressure.
A compact campaign: shorter encounters and a more directed structure than XCOM 2.

For players of XCOM 2, a mistake often brews for a whole turn. You move your squad, trigger a patrol at the wrong moment, then watch the enemy exploit the gap. Chimera Squad refuses this tempo. After each agent can come an opponent, then another team member: the turn order becomes a queue to manipulate rather than an alternation of two armies.

This change alone explains why the Firaxis spin-off divides opinion. It speeds up clashes and creates very readable emergencies. It also removes part of the freedom that let players build a full turn before the counterattack. What changes is the tempo itself: urgency replaces setup.

Alternating initiative changes the question asked of the player

The official 2K FAQ describes an automatic order where agents and enemies occupy individual positions in the battle. The visible timeline shows who will act next.

The priority is therefore no longer just about maximizing damage before the end of the turn. You have to identify the opponent able to act before the next agent. A modest enemy placed immediately in the queue can become more dangerous than a powerful unit scheduled much later.

Several abilities move or delay characters in this order. Initiative control becomes a tactical resource in its own right. Neutralizing a target, advancing an ally’s turn, or delaying an enemy are three different answers to the same danger.

This system produces short, tense decisions. In practice, it reduces the ability to prepare the whole squad before revealing its plan. Chimera Squad prefers reaction over building a full turn.

Breach turns the entry into combat

Each tactical encounter starts with a breach phase. Several entry points offer different advantages and risks. The player distributes their agents, chooses their order, then launches the assault. If you play XCOM 2, the difference is immediate: entry becomes a decision, not a formality.

The official 2K FAQ distinguishes three states during a Breach. A surprised opponent does not react. An alerted enemy can move or use an ability without attacking. An aggressive profile can counterattack after the agents’ entry actions. This combat phase therefore determines the initial position, the first damage, and the threat to handle before the first normal turn.

Missions are split into several encounters. The same operation can thus chain an entry, a brief battle, then a new breach with the remaining abilities and wounds. This structure keeps a sustained rhythm, but it closes the maps more than the vast operations of XCOM 2.

Fixed agents instead of anonymous soldiers

The story takes place five years after XCOM 2, in City 31. Humans and former alien soldiers try to build a common society there. Chimera Squad brings together agents from several species to fight the groups threatening this balance. What matters here is the squad: fixed characters with their own identity.

These agents are not interchangeable recruits. Each has an identity, a voice, and its own abilities. Team selection looks more like assembling a team composition of heroes than managing a barracks.

This decision allows precise synergies. One agent can move a target into a partner’s line of fire; another controls initiative or secures a zone. It does reduce the emergent attachment that grew from a soldier created, named, and shaped over a campaign.

The old article talked about deep customization and team game modes. That was misleading. Progression exists, but it applies to defined characters, and Chimera Squad is a solo experience.

More accessible does not mean without compromise

Shorter encounters, localized objectives, and the fact that main agents cannot die for good make the game less punishing than XCOM 2. The campaign is also more compact and more directed. The risk is a smaller strategic space, but the rhythm stays readable.

This accessibility serves the rhythm: it is possible to quickly understand why a situation has tipped. But it reduces the long-term strategic space. The management of City 31, research, and operations between missions do not have the same scope as the global war of XCOM 2.

The game therefore works better when you consider it a laboratory. Firaxis tests initiative, breaches, and a written squad there without having to transform the main series immediately.

To find a more open experience, the XCOM 2 tactical guide goes back over cover, classes, and campaign management.

Does the spin-off still deserve a place?

Chimera Squad is neither a miniature XCOM 2 nor a draft of XCOM 3. Its tighter format lets it push an idea the main series would have struggled to adopt without resistance: breaking team turns. The real tension sits between urgency and freedom.

The result loses in global freedom what it gains in local urgency. Each turn in the timeline tells an immediate problem, and each Breach forces you to commit before fully knowing the room.

This compromise will not suit all veterans. It still gives the game a stronger identity than vague praise about its narrative or its accessibility. The spin-off remains interesting because Chimera Squad accepts disturbing XCOM habits, not because it reproduces them on a smaller scale.

Firaxis — After Strategy

Civilization 7 best Mementos by goal and Age (2026 guide)

How Mementos work

Which Mementos to pick for your goal

In Antiquity: the attribute point, without consensus

For expansion: Corona Civica, on one condition

For war: check the unit type

For Science, Culture and Gold

What changed: advice to stop following

How to unlock Mementos

Mistakes to avoid

Going further

Civilization 7 Update 1.5.1: Liberation, Donut Map and a Great People Rework

Liberation: giving a city back becomes a diplomatic choice

Randomized Earth and Donut: two maps built for replayability

Great People: goodbye, production queue

What to watch for the week of November 9

Going further

Civilization 7: how to capture a city, step by step (2026)

The steps to capture a city

Town or City: the difficulty varies widely

Which units to bring

Why your city will not fall

Keep or raze the settlement

War Weariness: watch your Happiness

What has aged in online guides

Going further

Civilization 7: how to increase your settlement limit (2026)

How the settlement limit works

Every way to increase the limit

What one settlement too many costs

Should you go over the limit?

What has aged in online guides

Going further

Civilization VII 1.5.0: The True Start Location Earth Map Arrives, but Only on Huge and in Antiquity

A long-awaited map, shipped with its own rules

What 1.5.0 brings around the map

How the map places civilizations

Huge only, Antiquity only: Firaxis’s reasons

Three landmasses, one ocean to cross

What the map changes in practice

Choosing a civilization with its position in mind

The September 30 hotfix: what it fixes

What to watch from here

Going further

Civilization VII Announces Arc of Tomorrow and Earthrise: Atomic Age and Space in 2027

Two announcements, one tension

Arc of Tomorrow: a free fourth Age

Earthrise: the space race across the whole campaign

Patch 1.5.0 comes first

What to watch now

Going further

Civilization VII 1.4.1: Does the Government Overhaul Actually Change Your Strategy?

A government is no longer just a menu of celebrations

What 1.4.1 adds to every government

Classical Republic: happiness as a yield condition

Despotism: rewarding conquest, punishing unrest

Theocracy: an economy that follows your religion

Five happiness stages, with hard numbers

Celebrations: shorter and harder to earn

Traditions to unlock, then to keep

The rest of the list at a glance

What Firaxis fixed since launch

What to watch from here

Going further

Civilization VII: Yi Sun-sin, Goryeo and Joseon are worth watching

Korea is the hook, but naval pressure is the real test

Yi Sun-sin needs more than historical prestige

Goryeo and Joseon could support two Korean rhythms

The wonders also need a job

What needs confirmation

Sources to verify before publication

See also

Civilization VII 1.4.1: Hotseat Multiplayer, Government Overhaul, and the Brush & Blade Japan DLC

Civ VII Accelerates: Hotseat, Feudal Japan, and Reworked Governments

What 1.4.1 Delivers Free to All Players

Brush & Blade Part 1: Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Feudal Japan

Part 2 Arrives Later This Summer

The Bottom Line

Sources