At launch, Sid Meier’s Civilization VII organized civilizations into three Age-specific rosters: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. A January 20, 2025 guide listed 31 civilization entries across those Ages, including Shawnee, which the publisher identified as pre-order pack content—not a civilization included in every base-game edition. This is a launch-era list, not the game’s current complete roster.
How Civilization VII’s civilization roster works
Unlike earlier games in which a civilization is typically chosen at the start and represents the empire throughout the match, Civilization VII separates leader selection from civilization selection. Your leader remains the same as your empire changes civilizations between the Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages. Civilizations are Age-specific, while some gameplay elements carry forward according to your previous civilization and accomplishments. The game’s support guide explains the changes from Civilization VI in more detail: Civilization VII: Changes from Civilization VI.
That structure means the lists below are choices for different stages of a game, not 31 factions from which you select one permanent civilization at the outset.
Antiquity civilizations
The January 2025 day-one guide listed these 10 Antiquity civilizations:
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- BUILD AN EMPIRE THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME - Lead your empire through distinct Ages of human history. Each Age is its own rich, nuanced journey, with unique playable civilizations, available resources, explorable land, and even entire gameplay systems, creating a deep, historically immersive strategy experience. Strive to accomplish significant scientific, cultural, militaristic, and economic milestones within each Age to unlock impactful advantages in the next!
- EVOLVE YOUR EMPIRE AS EACH NEW AGE DAWNS - To build a legacy that truly stands the test of time, you must adapt. Forge your own path through history as you reshape your empire at the start of each Age, selecting from a pool of new Age-relevant civilization options determined by your prior gameplay accomplishments. Evolving your empire unlocks fresh gameplay bonuses and unique units, so your current civilization is always at the height of its power.
- PLAY AS VISIONARY LEADERS OF PROGRESS - Embody an illustrious leader with one of Civilization's most diverse rosters yet, from traditional heads of state known for their militaristic might or political prowess, to visionary leaders who made everlasting impacts in philosophy, science, human rights, and more!
- TEST YOUR STRATEGIC METTLE IN MULTIPLAYER - Compete against other players online and prove your prowess as a great leader.** Multiplayer matches can be epic multi-Age campaigns, or take place in a single Age so you can enjoy an entire game in a single session. Cross-play is supported, so you can play together with friends wherever they are.
- Aksumite
- Egyptian
- Greek
- Han
- Khmer
- Mauryan
- Maya
- Mississippian
- Persian
- Roman
Exploration civilizations
The guide listed these 11 Exploration civilizations:
- Abbasid
- Chola
- Hawaiian
- Inca
- Majapahit
- Ming
- Mongolian
- Norman
- Shawnee
- Songhai
- Spanish
Is Shawnee included in the base game?
Not in every base-game edition. The publisher’s launch announcement identified the Tecumseh and Shawnee Pack as a pre-order bonus. Shawnee appears in the January 2025 guide’s Exploration list, so its total of 31 entries includes pack content; it should not be read as 31 civilizations available to every base-game owner. See the publisher’s Civilization VII launch announcement for the launch-era content details.
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- TECUMSEH AND SHAWNEE PACK - This content pack adds the leader Tecumseh and the Shawnee civilization to Civilization VII! Tecumseh specializes in diplomacy and defense.
- CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD COLLECTION - Explore new possibilities for your personalized empire with the post-launch add-on content of the Crossroads of the World Collection! Embody two new leaders: Simón Bolívar and Ada Lovelace. Lead four new civilizations: Carthage, Great Britain, Bulgaria, and Nepal. Discover the majesty of four new Natural Wonders: Machapuchare, Mount Fuji, Vihren, and Vinicunca. And expand your experience with a cosmetic bonus.
- RIGHT TO RULE COLLECTION - Explore new possibilities for your personalized empire with the post-launch add-on content of the Right to Rule Collection! Embody two new leaders: Genghis Khan and Lakshmibai. Lead four new civilizations: Assyria, Dai Viet, Qajar, and Silla. Discover the majesty of four new Wonders: Grand Bazaar, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Ubudiah Mosque, and Wat Xieng Thong. And expand your experience with a cosmetic bonus.
- 4 LEADER PERSONAS - Enjoy alternate Personas for four of Civilization VII's leaders, including Ashoka (World Conqueror), Friedrich (Baroque), Himiko (High Shaman), and Xerxes (The Achaemenid)! Each persona includes a unique outfit and background for the respective leader, plus a new Unique Ability and Agenda that reflect a different side of their personality!
Modern civilizations
The guide listed these 10 Modern civilizations:
- American
- Buganda
- Imperial French
- Meiji Japanese
- Mexican
- Mughal
- Prussian
- Qing
- Russian
- Siamese
What the day-one count does—and does not—mean
The January 20, 2025 guide groups 10 Antiquity, 11 Exploration, and 10 Modern entries, for 31 listed entries in all. Because Shawnee was tied to the Tecumseh and Shawnee pre-order pack, that figure is not a base-game-only count. Nor is it a current total: the game’s roster grew after launch.
Civilization VII launched on February 11, 2025. Its launch announcement listed PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store, and Mac and Linux through Steam. Platform and edition availability can vary, so consult the publisher’s announcement for the launch-era platform list rather than treating it as a current store listing.
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- Expand the strategic horizons of your empire and enjoy more options for your reign with Sid Meier's Civilization VII Deluxe Edition!
- Deluxe Edition includes: Full base game, Early Access, the Tecumseh and Shawnee Pack, the Crossroads of the World Collection, and the Deluxe Content Pack.
- BUILD AN EMPIRE THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME - Lead your empire through distinct Ages of human history. Each Age is its own rich, nuanced journey, with unique playable civilizations, available resources, explorable land, and even entire gameplay systems, creating a deep, historically immersive strategy experience. Strive to accomplish significant scientific, cultural, militaristic, and economic milestones within each Age to unlock impactful advantages in the next!
- EVOLVE YOUR EMPIRE AS EACH NEW AGE DAWNS - To build a legacy that truly stands the test of time, you must adapt. Forge your own path through history as you reshape your empire at the start of each Age, selecting from a pool of new Age-relevant civilization options determined by your prior gameplay accomplishments. Evolving your empire unlocks fresh gameplay bonuses and unique units, so your current civilization is always at the height of its power.
- PLAY AS VISIONARY LEADERS OF PROGRESS - Embody an illustrious leader with one of Civilization's most diverse rosters yet, from traditional heads of state known for their militaristic might or political prowess, to visionary leaders who made everlasting impacts in philosophy, science, human rights, and more!
How the roster changed after launch
In November 2025 patch notes, the publisher documented Tonga and Republic of Pirates as additions through Tides of Power. The notes described the second part as adding the Ottomans and Iceland as well. They also stated that a free claim period for the content ended January 5, 2026; that window has passed. The November 4, 2025 patch notes are the relevant source for those additions and the claim-period dates.
Accordingly, this is a historical launch-era roster guide. It does not enumerate every civilization available in the expanded game today.
Quick Recap
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- BUILD YOUR CIVILIZATION: Engage in the art of civilization-building and diplomacy as you construct your empire's legacy.
- RACE TO SUPREMACY: Be the first to excel in any field, whether military, cultural, or scientific, and etch your name in history.
- DIPLOMATIC STRATEGY: Form temporary alliances with fellow players to thwart the leading contender and reshape the course of history.
- EFFICIENT DESIGN: Experience the essence of a civilization-building game distilled into a concise set of 104 cards.
- QUICK TO LEARN, ENDLESS STRATEGY: Master the game in just 5 minutes, yet uncover layers of deep strategy that will captivate players of all skill levels.
Sources
- Insider Gaming, “Here is All Civilization 7 Civilizations Coming Day One – Factions Guide,” January 20, 2025.
- Civilization Support / 2K, “Civilization VII: Changes from Civilization VI,” published January 14 and updated January 22, 2025.
- Take-Two Interactive / 2K / Firaxis Games, “Sid Meier’s Civilization VII Launching Worldwide on February 11, 2025,” August 20, 2024.
- Civilization Support / 2K, “Civilization VII: Patch Notes – November 4, 2025”.
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