Civilization 7 Dev Firaxis Says 'There's Hope for Gandhi, Yet'

Civilization 7's launch has left many veteran players questioning the absence of a familiar face: Mahatma Gandhi. A staple of the series since its inception in 1991, Gandhi's omission is notable, especially given his association with the infamous (and ultimately mythical) "Nuclear Gandhi" bug.

Lead designer Ed Beach addressed this concern, offering reassurance to fans. While acknowledging the community's disappointment regarding missing civilizations like Great Britain (later confirmed for DLC alongside Carthage in March 2025, followed by Bulgaria and Nepal), Beach emphasized a long-term roadmap for DLC content. He explained that some iconic civilizations, like Mongolia and Persia, were also absent from previous base games (Civ 5 and Civ 6), highlighting the necessity of making difficult choices due to the sheer number of popular options and the desire to include fresh, exciting additions. Beach explicitly stated that there's "hope for Gandhi" in future DLC.

Beyond Gandhi's absence, Civilization 7's launch has received a "mixed" reception on Steam, with criticism focused on the user interface, limited map variety, and missing features. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged this negative feedback but expressed confidence that the core fanbase will eventually embrace the game, citing "very encouraging" early performance.

For those seeking to conquer the world in Civ 7, resources are available to guide your gameplay. Guides cover achieving all victory types, highlighting key differences for Civ 6 players, and outlining crucial mistakes to avoid. Further resources explain map types and difficulty settings.