Civilization 7 Dev Recommends Even Experts Stick With the Tutorial for Their First Full Campaign — Here’s Why

Firaxis Games' creative director, Ed Beach, urges even veteran Civilization players to utilize the tutorial for their first Civilization 7 campaign. His Steam post highlights the game's significant departures from previous iterations, particularly the new Ages system (Antiquity, Exploration, Modern) and its accompanying Age Transitions. These transitions involve selecting a new civilization, choosing which Legacies to carry over, and witnessing a global evolution – a unique feature in the series.

Beach explains the rationale behind the default "Small" map size. While seasoned players often prefer larger maps, the smaller size facilitates learning the intricacies of Civ 7, especially the new Diplomacy system. Managing relationships with a limited number of opponents simplifies mastering Diplomatic Influence. He recommends the "Continents Plus" map type for its helpful introduction to ocean exploration, a pivotal aspect of the Exploration Age.

The tutorial is automatically enabled for initial gameplay and is strongly recommended, even for experienced players. It provides timely tips and explanations for new mechanics. The game features four Advisors, each guiding players through specific game aspects via quests. Beach suggests focusing on one Advisor at a time to avoid information overload. Even after mastering core systems, he advises switching to the "Only Warnings" setting, which alerts players to potential setbacks – a practice even the Firaxis development team employs.

Firaxis also revealed Civilization 7's post-launch content roadmap during a livestream event (note: Great Britain is DLC). Civilization 7 launches on PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on February 11th, with Deluxe Edition access beginning February 6th.