NEWS
Civilization VII Rolls Out 'Tides of Power' Update
Firaxis Games has officially released Update 1.3.0 for Civilization VII, entitled the "Tides of Power" update, delivering a substantial rework of the game’s naval combat and maritime strategy. The update, which is rolling out now across all platforms, aims to revitalize the high seas with new units, terrain, and a complete restructuring of the naval roster, alongside a comprehensive strategic balance pass for several civilizations.
The Seas Get a Strategic Overhaul
The core of the update focuses on deepening the strategic choices associated with coastal settlements and naval warfare:
● New Building: The Harbor is introduced as a new Antiquity Age Warehouse Building, unlocking with Sailing. It gives coastal settlements much-needed base Production and a bonus Production to Fishing Boats, making coastal cities more viable economic and industrial hubs.
● New Unit: The Privateer is a new Exploration Age Light Naval Unit available to all civilizations. It features the powerful Pirate ability, allowing it to cross borders, attack non-Allied Units, and plunder Trade Routes without formally declaring war. Defeating an enemy Unit with a Privateer also generates Gold.
● Naval Combat Split: All Naval Units are now categorized as either Light or Heavy.
- Light Naval Units (e.g., Privateer, Destroyer) are fast, focused on melee combat and flanking, and boast increased sight for scouting.
- Heavy Naval Units (e.g., Galleon, Battleship) are slower but transition to ranged combat in the Exploration and Modern Ages, providing devastating, non-reciprocal attacks against enemy fleets and coastal Districts.
New Resources and Terrain for Deep Water Exploration
To complement the naval updates, the oceans have been stocked with new content to encourage deep-water exploration and competition:
● New Coastal Resources: Three new water-based resources—Cowrie, Crabs, and Turtles—along with the new land-based resource Pitch, have been added to increase the variety and consistency of resource generation on the coast.
● New Terrain: Atolls are a new movement-stopping ocean terrain that provides a defensive combat bonus for naval units, introducing new positioning dynamics to sea battles.
● Workable Ocean Tiles: In the Modern Age, all civilizations can now work Ocean tiles for Food and Gold. The civilization of Hawai'i gains this ability earlier, in the Exploration Age.
Strategic Civilization Balance Pass
Update 1.3.0 also includes a significant pass on civilization balance, focusing on narrowing abilities to better reinforce each civ’s unique identity.
● Reworks: Civilizations like Egypt and Aksum received substantial buffs that now lean heavily into their core identity, such as Egypt’s bonuses being doubled for Wonders placed in Desert Terrain and Aksum’s abilities requiring Coastal Settlements.
● Tweaks: Several overperforming civilizations, including the Mississippians and Qing, have had their abilities adjusted (nerfed) to align them with the rest of the roster.
Free Content Collection & Future Teases
To celebrate the update, the Tides of Power Collection is available to claim free of charge for all Civilization VII owners until January 5, 2026. Claiming the collection grants immediate access to the Edward Teach, Republic of Pirates, and Tonga content packs, with the Sayyida al Hurra, Ottomans, and Iceland packs to be released and added automatically in December 2025.
Firaxis also teased future plans, including changes to Legacy Paths and Victories, and a new optional way to play as one civilization through all Ages of the game. Players interested in shaping these upcoming features are encouraged to apply for the invite-only Firaxis Feature Workshop program.
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