Firaxis: Test of Time update was personally challenging for Beach
Ed Beach said single-civilization play was never part of Civilization 7's original vision, as Firaxis works on an update tied to the Earthrise DLC.
Firaxis creative director Ed Beach said the Test of Time update for Civilization 7 was personally challenging to make because a single-civilization play style was not part of the original vision for the game, according to an oral history reported by pcgamer.com.
The Test of Time update made age transitions optional and restored traditional single-civilization play, giving players the option to stay with one civilization for a full game.
Firaxis used several public workshops with fan feedback while developing the update. Executive producer Dennis Shirk said the original design of Civilization 7 went a step too far for some players.
Firaxis is now working on a new update planned to coincide with the launch of the game's first DLC, Earthrise.
Civilization 7 shipped with an age-transition mechanic in which players switch civilizations at several points in a game, a change that divided the community. Earlier in 2026, Firaxis released the Test of Time update adding optional age transitions and a traditional single-civ mode. Sid Meier, creator of the series, said he had long been frustrated that civilizations in the series had unique abilities only for one period of time.
Steam reviews for Civilization 7 remain mixed.
Quick answers
What did the Test of Time update change in Civilization 7?
It made age transitions optional and brought back traditional single-civilization play.
What is the next Civilization 7 update tied to?
Firaxis is working on a new update planned to coincide with the launch of the first DLC, Earthrise.
Why was the Test of Time update challenging for Ed Beach?
He said a single-civ play style was not part of the original vision for Civilization 7.