"Firaxis Hints at Gandhi's Return in Civilization 7"

The release of *Civilization 7* has sparked curiosity among fans of the iconic strategy series, especially about the absence of a beloved character: Indian leader Gandhi. Known for his presence in every base game of the franchise since its inception in 1991, Gandhi has become synonymous with *Civilization*. He's even famously associated with the 'Nuclear Gandhi' bug, which, despite being a myth, has become legendary in gaming lore.

However, fans were surprised to find Gandhi missing from the initial lineup of *Civilization 7*. To shed light on this, I reached out to Ed Beach, the lead designer of *Civilization 7*, who provided reassurance to Gandhi enthusiasts. Beach hinted at the possibility of Gandhi returning as downloadable content (DLC).

Sounds like Gandhi is upcoming DLC for Civ 7. Image credit: Firaxis.

“So I would say we haven't forgotten about anybody who's been in our game before,” Beach stated. He emphasized that the absence of certain civilizations, like Great Britain or England, is part of a larger strategy. “There's sort of a big, longer picture roadmap that we have, and some pieces fit better in the long picture roadmap than they do in the short picture one,” he explained.

Beach further elaborated on the selection process for civilizations in *Civilization 7*. “One thing I always think about is, we've had the same situation where iconic civilizations haven't been in our base game before,” he noted. He referenced the absence of Mongolia and Persia in previous base games, both significant historical powers. “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 from Beach offers a glimmer of hope for Gandhi's eventual inclusion in *Civilization 7*.

In the meantime, Firaxis is likely to focus on addressing the 'mixed' user review ratings on Steam for *Civilization 7*. The community has voiced concerns about the user interface, a lack of map variety, and missing features that 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. He believes the "legacy Civ audience" will grow to appreciate the game over time, describing its early performance as "very encouraging."

For players eager to conquer the world in *Civilization 7*, our comprehensive guides are here to help. Explore strategies for achieving every Civ 7 victory, understand the biggest changes from Civ 6 to Civ 7, and avoid the 14 crucial Civ 7 mistakes. Additionally, familiarize yourself with all the Civ 7 map types and difficulty settings to enhance your gameplay experience.