Civilization VII's most‑requested feature arrives May 19

Civilization VII fans will finally be able to play through an entire campaign without switching their faction soon.

The fan reception to Civilization VII since its release in early 2025 has slowly been souring, with user reviews on platforms like Steam showing no improvement in the mixed ratings it has received. It's the title's forced civilization-changing feature, a new addition to the series, that is causing the division. Today, developer Firaxis announced a release date to the overhaul update it has been teasing, finally letting players choose to play how they want.

Sid Meier's Civilization VII - Test of Time is coming out on May 19, an update that's being called "a comprehensive update to the core" experience, all based on community feedback.

Calling it the most requested addition by the community, the new Time-Tested feature lets players take one civilization and take it through an entire campaign without switching, just like in the previous games in the long-running franchise.

"While you'll still have the option to evolve your empire into a different civilization during Age Transitions, the ability to play as one civ across the span of history is something many players hold dear as a core component of the Civ experience," says Firaxis, explaining the return. "When playing as these Time-Tested civs, the new Syncretism mechanic will allow you to create all-new builds by adopting the Unique Units or Infrastructure from another civilization that's currently in its Apex Age, or double-down on what makes your civ unique with Affirmation."

At the same time, the victory system is being reworked with more diverse paths to winning games while also rewarding players' strategic choices. The studio also outlined these as other features incoming with the update: