Civilization VII "Test of Time" update lands May 19, finally letting you play entirely as one civ

Test of Time is a huge update announced for the mixed bag that is Civilization VII, as Firaxis finally deal with the main complaints.

The free update will arrive on May 19th, and it finally lets you play as one specific civilization all the way through it, something that has been asked since the original release back in February 2025. Forcing you to change as the ages go through was quite a shocker for a lot of people. Hopefully this will make a lot of players happy. Perhaps this might finally turn around their user review score, which is currently Mixed on Steam.

The main highlights include:

• Time-Tested Civs - Start a game with any civ from any Age. During the Age transition process, players can select a new civ, or continue playing as the same civilization into the next Age. AI opponents will follow the player's lead, either remaining as a single civ or switching to a new one in corresponding fashion.
• A New Victories System - Achieving Victories have been completely reworked. This new design puts Victories front and center from the start, requiring players to establish clear, undeniable dominance in one of four categories: Military, Economy, Culture, or Science. Players can make progress toward any victory starting in the Antiquity Age, and even win as early as the Exploration Age.

• Triumphs - The team has listened to feedback and have completely removed Legacy Paths, replacing them with an entirely new system called Triumphs. Triumphs offer a wide range of optional, challenging objectives to help each game feel unique. Triumphs are tied to each of the six Attributes: Militaristic, Cultural, Scientific, Economic, Diplomatic, and Expansionist.

See the update trailer below:

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