MANILA, Philippines (Sep 2026) – Strategy gamers who love rewriting human history can soon guide their empires straight into the modern era and off the surface of the planet altogether.
At PAX West, 2K and Firaxis Games unveiled a roadmap for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII during the franchise’s 35th anniversary celebration, confirming a major free update alongside a full-fledged expansion pack slated for 2027.
Entering the Atomic Age
Launching as a major free update in 2027, Arc of Tomorrow introduces the Atomic Age as a brand-new fourth era spanning from the 1950s into the near future. This update adds modern city architecture, updated tech and civic trees, fresh narrative events, and the return of iconic leader Gandhi.
Players will gain access to expanded nuclear options with fresh offensive and defensive mechanics, alongside new empire management tools. Settlements can now be granted independence as City-States to help manage sprawling territories and citizen loyalty. Pinoy strategy buffs can also direct Film Crews to search for ideal movie locations or process raw materials into specialized resources like Enriched Uranium.
Reaching for the stars in Earthrise
Following the free update, 2K will release Sid Meier’s Civilization VII: Earthrise, the game’s first paid expansion. Centered on the space race and extra-planetary exploration, Earthrise allows players to track celestial bodies during the early Ages, conduct orbital missions in the Modern Age, and deploy space agencies across the solar system in the Atomic Age.
Beyond space travel, Earthrise introduces environmental mechanics. Players can modify terrain tiles, construct civil engineering projects to combat rising global temperatures from natural disasters, and unlock biome-specific advantages as their civilization adapts to local environments.
Real-world geography arrives this month
Before the 2027 content drops, strategy fans will get Update 1.5.0 later this month. The highlight is the long-awaited True Start Location: Earth map, allowing players to spawn where their chosen civilization originated historically.
Update 1.5.0 also enhances map generation algorithms for varied terrain, improves diplomacy with options to remain in alliances without joining unwanted conflicts, speeds up resource placement, and adds helpful UI features like a tile ruler for city planning.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, as well as Mac and Linux. Local Philippine pricing for the paid Earthrise expansion has not yet been announced.
