Civilization VII’s Arc of Tomorrow Adds Atomic Age; Earthrise Expansion Set for 2027

Firaxis Games and 2K have outlined the next phase of Sid Meier’s Civilization VII. The free Arc of Tomorrow update will add a fourth Atomic Age in 2027, while the game’s first paid expansion, Earthrise, is planned for later that year. Before either arrives, Update 1.5.0 will launch later in September 2026 with the long-requested True Start Location: Earth map.

The announcements were made during a PAX West panel celebrating Civilization’s 35th anniversary. Creative director Ed Beach detailed the roadmap in an official Civilization VII development update, noting that the 2027 content remains early in production and may change as work continues.

Arc of Tomorrow introduces Civilization VII’s Atomic Age

Arc of Tomorrow extends a campaign from roughly the 1950s into the 2050s. Players will be able to progress into the new Age through a full campaign or begin there using Advanced Start. The update will bring its own buildings, units, visuals, technologies, civics, social policies, narrative events, civilizations, and leaders, with Gandhi confirmed to return.

Firaxis is building new systems around the politics and pressures of the period. Nuclear warfare will gain additional offensive and defensive choices, while multilateral agreements will let leaders respond collectively to growing weapons stockpiles. Proxy conflicts and expanded City-State interactions are intended to create alternatives to direct empire-versus-empire war.

Empire management will also change. Settlements can be granted independence and converted into City-States, giving players another way to manage loyalty and settlement limits. Other planned mechanics include Film Crews that create Great Works based on genre and location, plus Manufactured Goods made by combining commodities into stronger resources such as enriched uranium.

Arc of Tomorrow will be free for all Civilization VII owners. Firaxis plans to begin community playtesting through the Firaxis Feature Workshop later in 2026, with the feedback expected to influence features before release.

Earthrise connects the space race to every Age

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII: Earthrise will be a separately sold expansion that builds a campaign-wide theme around space exploration and environmental adaptation. During the Antiquity and Exploration Ages, civilizations will chart the night sky and name celestial bodies. The Modern Age advances into early orbital missions, followed by solar-system exploration through a player-created space agency in the Atomic Age.

Successful missions will uncover planetary features and resources that strengthen the civilization back on Earth. Firaxis is also developing terrain-altering unit abilities, new technologies, and civil engineering projects designed to counter worsening natural disasters. Players may even be able to reverse global warming, while experience in particular biomes can unlock additional advantages.

Earthrise is due after Arc of Tomorrow in 2027. Firaxis has not yet announced exact release dates or the expansion’s full roster of civilizations and leaders.

Update 1.5.0 arrives first

Update 1.5.0 is scheduled for later in September. Its True Start Location: Earth map places each civilization near its real-world point of origin while varying the selection of natural wonders between games. Terra Incognita and Shuffle maps are also receiving updated generation, alongside faster map loading and more varied resource placement.

The patch will add a diplomacy option that lets players spend Influence to remain in an alliance without entering an ally’s war. Firaxis is also preparing changes to plot tooltips, settlement banners, game setup, and a new tile ruler for planning cities and towns.