While the initial Civilization 7 Steam launch has been a bit rocky owing to some pretty damning user reviews, Firaxis’ new 4X game still has every chance to be a huge success. The XCOM developer has already promised that it will support Civ 7 for years and assured that fixes for the widely derided UI are currently its top priority. But what about new material? For almost ten years, Civilization 6 was expanded and overhauled with fresh leaders, DLC, and myriad improvements and additions. It seems almost certain that Civilization 7 will get the same treatment – and based on some very intriguing files buried in the game’s code, we now have a clearer idea of what Civilization 7 DLC may look like.
There are dozens of familiar Civilization 7 leaders. At the same time, the new Civilization 7 Ages system represents a huge reimagining of how the 4X game works, and how players should strategize in terms of wars and the economy. As it stands, you advance through the Antiquity Age, into the Exploration Age, finally arriving in the Modern Age. But a deep dive into the backend files of Civilization 7 reveals something very mysterious.
Inside the base game depots for Civ 7 is a small .ENV file called ‘AssetCloud’. This was originally noted by Reddit user ‘ManByTheRiver,’ who explained that a “person in [their] country’s community” had found the .ENV and explored its contents. Within the AssetCloud file there is mention of historical figures including Edward Teach, Sayyida-al-Hurra, and Whina Cooper. Various civilizations and societies are also name-checked: the Ottomans, the Maori, Tonga, Iceland, and the pirate republic. None of these appear in the Civilization 7 base game.
Most significantly, however, there are repeated mentions of ‘age-Atomic,’ perhaps hinting that a fourth Age could eventually arrive in Civilization 7 in some form. The Atomic Age is mentioned six times in the .ENV file, and is seemingly connected to some placeholder names for configuration files. You can see for yourself in the screenshot below:
As well as the first Civilization 7 update, it appears there is already a lot in store for the future of the strategy game. Check out our own Civilization 7 review to find out if Firaxis’ latest is truly worth your time.
You should also get all the info on Civilization 7 mods and find out how Civilization 7 specialists work.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or join our community Discord to stay in the know.