The developers of Civilization 7 have sparked excitement among fans by hinting at the potential return of Gandhi, the iconic Indian leader, as a downloadable content (DLC) addition. Dive deeper to understand why Firaxis Games chose to exclude Gandhi from the initial lineup of leaders in the game.
Civ 7 Devs Consider Bringing Back Past Civilizations and Their Leaders
Hope remains alive for fans eager to see Gandhi lead once more in Civilization 7. This possibility was discussed in an IGN interview with the game's lead designer, Ed Beach, on February 13, 2025. Beach suggested that while Gandhi's return might not be immediate, it could happen through future DLC.
During the interview, Beach elaborated on the decision to omit certain civilizations and their leaders from the initial release of Civ 7. "We haven't forgotten about anybody who's been in our game before," Beach stated. He highlighted the challenge of balancing popular choices with the desire to introduce fresh and exciting civilizations. "There's a lot of consternation right now about where's Great Britain or England, why aren't they in our game?" he added.
The exclusion of Britain and India from the base game was a strategic choice, according to Beach. "There're just too many popular choices and we always want to have a few fresh ones that sound really new and exciting to people," he explained. "So things are getting left behind, but we always are looking at the big picture, when we're going to bring leaders or civs into the fold. So there's hope for Gandhi, yet."
Given the extensive history of DLC releases in Civilization 6, it's reasonable to anticipate that Gandhi will eventually make his way into Civilization 7. However, the precise timeline for his return remains uncertain at this point.
