Firaxis Games and 2K released the highly anticipated Test of Time update for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII today, May 19. It’s the most substantial update the 4X strategy game has received since its February launch, reworking how Civilization functions and how victories are achieved in ways that radically change the game.
When Civilization 7 came out, one way it radically differed from previous games in the series was that it had players pick a new Civilization each time they entered a new age. This change was a contentious one within the franchise’s community, and the Test of Times update backtracks by introducing “Time-Tested Civs” that withstand age transitions.
Instead of changing civilizations, players will be able to add specific units or infrastructure from other civilizations to their repertoire. Each civilization will also have an “apex age” where it’s the most powerful. You can still switch if you want, but I suspect that Time-Tested Civs will quickly become the preferred way to play for many.
In addition to Time-Tested Civs, this update scraps the Legacy Path system and, in turn, how victories work. Previously, Legacy Paths focused players down one of four paths–cultural, military, scientific, or economic–to progress through ages. Now, players have to complete Triumphs across six attributes–cultural, diplomatic, economic, expansionist, militaristic, and scientific–to progress, giving a bit more freedom in what to pursue.
Victories are also mostly decoupled from the Triumphs system. It’s now possible to pursue military, cultural, economic, and scientific victories as early as the Exploration era, depending on how far ahead you are of your opponents in achieving said victory. Together, Time-Tested Civs, Triumphs, and the reworked victory conditions fundamentally change how Civilization VII works and should go a long way toward winning back fans of the older games who didn’t like its changes.
There’s even more to this update, including the addition of Alexander the Great as a leader, the Fractal Continent map, new dedicated Commerce and Advisor Council screens, and updates to game balance, map generation, and narrative events. This certainly feels like the best time since launch to try the game out.
If you want to do that, the updated version of Civilization VII is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. A mobile version of the game is also available on Apple Arcade.