Civilization 7 Dev Firaxis Says 'There's Hope for Gandhi, Yet'

The release of *Civilization 7* has sparked curiosity among fans, particularly about the absence of a familiar face: Gandhi. A staple in every base game of the franchise since its inception in 1991, Gandhi's exclusion from *Civilization 7* has left many wondering about his fate. Known for the legendary, albeit mythical, 'Nuclear Gandhi' bug, his absence is notable.

To shed light on this, I spoke with Ed Beach, the lead designer of *Civilization 7*, who provided reassurance to Gandhi enthusiasts. "So I would say we haven't forgotten about anybody who's been in our game before," Beach stated. He acknowledged the community's concern over missing civilizations like Great Britain and England, but emphasized a broader roadmap for the game. "There's sort of a big, longer picture roadmap that we have, and some pieces fit better in the long picture roadmap than they do in the short picture one," he explained.

Beach further elaborated on the selection process for civilizations in *Civilization 7*. "One thing I always think about is, we've had the same situation where iconic civilizations haven't been in our base game before," he noted, citing examples like Mongolia and Persia in previous iterations. "So we always have to leave somebody out. There're just too many popular choices and we always want to have a few fresh ones that sound really new and exciting to people. So things are getting left behind, but we always are looking at the big picture, when we're going to bring leaders or civs into the fold. So there's hope for Gandhi, yet."

This gives fans a glimmer of hope that Gandhi could return as part of future downloadable content (DLC). In fact, upcoming DLCs such as *The Crossroads of the World Collection* set for March 2025 will introduce Carthage, Great Britain, Bulgaria, and Nepal, hinting at the potential for more additions, including Gandhi.

Meanwhile, *Civilization 7* has faced some criticism, reflected in its 'mixed' user review rating on Steam. Complaints focus on the user interface, a lack of map variety, and missing features that fans expected. In response, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, in an interview with IGN, acknowledged the negative feedback but remained optimistic, suggesting that the "legacy Civ audience" would appreciate the game more with time, describing its early performance as "very encouraging."

For those eager to master *Civilization 7*, our comprehensive guides cover everything from achieving every victory type, understanding the significant changes from *Civilization 6*, avoiding common mistakes, to exploring the various map types and difficulty settings. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the series, these resources will help you navigate the world of *Civilization 7* and beyond.