In the world of video games, few franchises inspire as much passion and dedication as Sid Meier's Civilization. The series has captivated players for decades, with each new installment promising a grand adventure through history. However, with great power comes great responsibility, and the latest entry, Civilization VII, has faced a unique challenge: balancing the needs of longtime fans with the desire to innovate and evolve the series. Enter Ed Beach, Creative Director of Civilization VII, who has been at the forefront of this delicate dance, ensuring that the game remains true to its roots while also pushing boundaries. In this exclusive interview, we delve into the mind of Beach, exploring the decisions that have shaped Civilization VII and the future of the franchise.
A New Era for Civilization
One of the most talked-about features of Civilization VII is the introduction of Time-Tested civilizations. These allow players to stick with a single civilization throughout the entire campaign, providing a sense of continuity and immersion that was previously lacking. But was this feature always part of the plan, or was it a response to player feedback? Beach reveals that while it wasn't initially scheduled, the team recognized the need to be flexible and responsive to the community. "We knew we were going to have to be responsive to the fans," he explains. "Once we got three or four months in after release, we saw there was a cohort who had probably been left behind by the changes in Civ VII and really still wanted to continue playing as one civilization."
The challenge was to balance the Time-Tested civilizations with the traditional civ-switching approach without making one approach objectively stronger. Beach and his team conducted extensive testing, gathering feedback from thousands of players to fine-tune the power levels of the Time-Tested civilizations. "We looked at that quite a bit," he says. "As you probably know, we’ve just concluded a big initiative we’ve been calling the Firaxis Feature Workshop, where we brought in thousands of Civ VII players and got them to test it alongside the dev team."
The result is a sandbox experience that offers players unprecedented flexibility. The framework remains the same, but the number of pathways through the game has expanded dramatically. "The framework was strong enough to support this whole new way of playing," Beach notes. "Either of those ways through the game is equally viable and probably very close in power level."
Emotional Attachment and History
One of the most intriguing aspects of Civilization VII is its approach to emotional attachment and historical immersion. Beach acknowledges that some players prefer to stick with a single civilization throughout history, while others enjoy the freedom to switch and explore different cultures. "We absolutely heard exactly what you said from plenty of fans," he says. "There were people who chose their civ at the start of the game and, by God, that was the experience they wanted to have."
However, Beach also shares a personal perspective on the matter. "To me, it was actually more immersive to play through history in that fashion than it was in previous games, where Britain starts at 4000 BC, long before the British Empire was ever really a thing. I didn’t feel like I had much identity in terms of who I was at that point in the game."
The key, Beach believes, is to cater to both types of players and mindsets. "If we can set the game up to cater to both those types of players and both those mindsets in equally good fashion, then that gets us to the best place," he says.
Learning from Humankind
The Civilization VII team was also influenced by other games, notably Humankind. Beach reveals that the team started working on Civilization VII before the pandemic, and the game's civ-switching system was a key selling point. However, the team discovered Humankind just before a crucial pitch meeting. "It was an awkward moment," Beach recalls. "I had to think, ‘Do we keep this pitch? Do we double down on it? Or do we pivot?’"
Despite the initial inspiration, Beach emphasizes that Civilization VII's approach to civ-switching is unique. "We were looking for historical trends where there were breaks in history where empires were facing challenges and had to reformulate themselves," he explains. "That’s when we decided our Ages should switch."
Advisors and Strategic Doctrine
Another significant change in Civilization VII is the new Advisor framing, which feels more like selecting a strategic doctrine than simply choosing a victory condition. Beach explains that the Legacy Paths, which were structural supports for the old advisor system, have been removed. "Previously, advisors were trying to get you from one milestone on those Legacy Paths to another," he says. "That was helpful for teaching the game to new players, but we found experienced players wouldn’t break away from the advisers and start playing in a more open-ended fashion."
The new Advisor system provides a support system without dictating the player's next step. "Now you can pick an adviser to follow, and they’ll keep returning with advice around scientific or cultural playstyles," Beach says. "But if you feel like you’re falling behind somewhere else, there’s also a new Advisor Council screen where you can get that information as needed."
Data-Driven Design
The Test of Time update was heavily informed by telemetry and data, with Beach's team analyzing player behavior and gathering feedback from forums and reviews. "We have more telemetry and data with Civ VII than we’ve ever had before," he says. "We have a bigger data team helping us analyze things, and we’ve even been able to mine reviews being left on forums and across the internet to identify significant trends."
However, Beach emphasizes that relying entirely on telemetry is not the right strategy. "You still need basic instincts as a game designer," he notes. "What was really critical here was that our team found a way to refresh the game and bring in these new Time-Tested civs without structurally changing the game itself."
A Future with Australia
As we conclude the interview, Beach leaves Australian Civilization fans with a tantalizing tease. "Quick bit of trivia: Back on Civ VI, I did a lot of the design work to bring Australia into the game," he says. "I was the lead designer for the Outback Tycoon scenario, so I absolutely loved researching Australia and deep-diving into its history."
While there are no announcements about when Australia might make it to Civilization VII, Beach assures fans that it's always on the list for strong consideration. "[I have] no announcements about when Australia might make it to Civ VII," he says, "but it’s always a culture and civilization that we have on our list for strong consideration."
So, dear somebody at 2K Games, do provide whatever funding or rubber stamps that are needed to greenlight the above. Don’t make us send the emus again.
