Last year, Firaxis surprised fans when it announced thatSid Meier’s Civilization 6would be getting a fresh round of DLC. This DLC would come in the form oftheCivilization 6Leader Pass, featuring multiple waves of content for players to enjoy. The final wave just released, and all eyes are now on the upcomingSid Meier’s Civilization 7. While not much is known about the project, Firaxis could use this opportunity to expand upon the Leader Pass concept.
Sid Meier’s Civilization 6’sLeader Pass functioned like a classic season pass that was free for most players. It was nice to get extra bits of content every couple of months, and each leader brought something exciting to the table.Civilization 7could replicate that same steady stream of content in the form of a battle pass, albeit with a few changes to avoid the pitfalls of other game’s systems.
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Civilization 6’s Leader Pass Explained
Most players believed thatCivilization 6’sNew Frontier Passwould be the last batch of content, but Firaxis' Leader Pass featured six different waves of additional leaders. Anyone who owned all theCivilization 6DLC prior could get this pass for free, whereas players who did not own all the DLC could purchase the Leader Pass for $19.99. The waves were not sold separately, so it was all or nothing.
Each wave had a central theme that represented the included leaders. The “Great Negotiators” pack included leaders who were known for their diplomatic skills, the “Rulers of China” pack featured leaders from throughout Chinese history, the “Great Builders” pack added leaders that helped build better worlds, andthe “Rulers of England” packoffered prominent leaders from England’s history. Each pack includes three characters, with some being alternate personas for base game leaders alongside brand-new additions toCivilization 6. While not every pack was great, each one helped expand the game’s offeringsand gave players a reason to keep coming back.
Civilization 7’s Leader Pass Could Take Things to the Next Level
Civilization 6’s Leader Pass was a nice idea, but Firaxis should take an entirely different approach withCivilization 7’s Leader Pass. There are loads of leaders from throughout history that have not made theirCivdebut yet, andthere are manyCivilizationleaderswho have been left to gather dust in older titles. A consistent stream of post-launch content updates could add a slew of leaders, and the best way to do that may be through a battle pass-like system.
Every post-launch season could feature new leaders forCivilizationplayers to mess around with. It could simply come in the form of yearly Leader Passes that have multiple waves of DLC leaders, or it could be a battle pass-like structure akin to games likeFortnite. Battle pass season one could featurepopular leaders fromSid Meier’s Civilization, season two could include leaders fromCiv 2, season three could haveCiv 3leaders, and so on. These leaders could be purchasable DLC, or players might actually have to unlock them by playing the game.
If Firaxis provides a steady stream of content, players would have more of a reason to keep jumping back on. The entireCivilization 7meta could change every couple of months, and veteran players would never know what to expect. It could become theSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateof theCivilizationseries, as long as Firaxis ensures that the content stays consistent and reasonably priced.
Sid Meier’s Civilization 7is currently in development.
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