Gandhi Returns in Firaxis' Civilization 7

Civilization 7 has officially launched, and longtime fans of the strategy series might find themselves asking one question: where is Gandhi?

Since the franchise debuted in 1991, Indian leader Gandhi has appeared in every base game of Civilization. His presence is deeply intertwined with the series, and he’s famously associated with one of gaming’s biggest urban legends: the 'Nuclear Gandhi' bug, which ultimately turned out not to be real.

Yet Gandhi is absent from Civilization 7. So, what’s the reason? I posed that question to Civilization 7 lead designer Ed Beach, who offered Gandhi fans a glimmer of hope—Gandhi may yet return as downloadable content.

“Let me be clear—we haven’t forgotten any of the leaders or civilizations that have appeared in our past games,” Beach said. “Naturally, there’s been some concern from players asking, for instance, where Great Britain—or England—is in the current release.”

(Carthage and Great Britain are scheduled to join Civilization 7 in March 2025 as part of The Crossroads of the World Collection DLC, with Bulgaria and Nepal also on the way.)

“We have a broader, long-term roadmap for the game,” Beach continued, “and some elements fit more naturally into that extended timeline rather than being available right at launch.”

Beach elaborated on Firaxis’ decision-making process for selecting civilizations in Civilization 7. “It’s worth noting that we’ve faced similar situations before, where iconic civilizations weren’t included in a base game,” he explained. “For instance, both Mongolia and Persia were absent from the initial releases of Civilization 5 and Civilization 6—even though they were major empires that dominated large parts of Asia historically.

“With so many popular options, we inevitably have to leave some out. We also want to introduce fresh, exciting civilizations that feel new to players. That means some favorites are delayed, but we always consider the bigger picture—when and how we’ll reintroduce leaders and civilizations. So yes, there’s still hope for Gandhi.”

So there you have it—hope remains for Gandhi’s return.

In the near term, Firaxis may focus on addressing Civilization 7’s 'Mixed' user review rating on Steam. Community feedback has pointed to issues such as the user interface, limited map variety, and a sense that the game launched without several expected key features.

In an interview with IGN ahead of Take-Two's third-quarter financial report, CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the criticisms from both press and players, but expressed confidence that the “legacy Civilization audience” will warm to the game over time. He described Civilization 7’s early performance as “very encouraging.”

Looking for strategies to dominate the world? Be sure to check out our guide on how to achieve every victory type in Civilization 7, a breakdown of the key differences between Civilization 7 and Civilization 6, and the 14 common mistakes to avoid in Civilization 7. We’ve also put together detailed guides on all Civilization 7 map types and difficulty settings, so you know exactly what to expect.