"Firaxis: Hope Remains for Gandhi in Civilization 7"

The much-anticipated release of Civilization 7 has left many veteran fans of the strategy series with a burning question: where is Gandhi? As a staple character since the franchise's inception in 1991, Indian leader Gandhi has become synonymous with Civilization, famously linked to the legendary (though debunked) 'Nuclear Gandhi' bug. However, fans were surprised to find that Gandhi does not appear in the base game of Civilization 7. This absence prompted a direct inquiry to Civilization 7's lead designer, Ed Beach, who provided a hopeful response for Gandhi enthusiasts.

In an exclusive interview, Beach reassured fans, stating, "So I would say we haven't forgotten about anybody who's been in our game before. Certainly civilizations, there's a lot of consternation right now about where's Great Britain or England, why aren't they in our game?" He highlighted that Carthage and Great Britain are set to join Civilization 7 as part of The Crossroads of the World Collection DLC in March 2025, followed by Bulgaria and Nepal. Beach further elaborated on Firaxis' strategic approach to selecting civilizations, noting, "But there's sort of a big, longer picture roadmap that we have, and some pieces fit better in the long picture roadmap they do in the short picture one."

Beach explained the challenging decisions behind choosing which civilizations to include in the base game, referencing past instances where iconic civilizations like Mongolia and Persia were omitted from earlier titles. "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 statement offers a glimmer of hope for fans eagerly awaiting Gandhi's return, suggesting that he could be introduced in future DLC. The promise of a broader roadmap indicates that Firaxis is committed to expanding the game's roster over time.

In the short term, Firaxis may focus on addressing some of the community's concerns, as reflected in Civilization 7's 'mixed' user review rating on Steam. Complaints have centered around the user interface, a lack of map variety, and the absence of several features fans have come to expect. In response, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, in an interview with IGN, acknowledged the negative feedback but remained optimistic about the game's future, emphasizing that the "legacy Civ audience" would warm to the game as they play more, describing Civilization 7's early performance as "very encouraging."

For those looking to conquer the world in Civilization 7, we offer comprehensive guides to help you succeed. Check out our guide on achieving every Civ 7 victory, our analysis of the biggest Civ 7 changes for Civ 6 players, and a list of the 14 crucial Civ 7 mistakes to avoid. Additionally, we provide detailed explanations of all Civ 7 map types and difficulty settings to ensure you're well-prepared for your journey through history.