The much-anticipated Civilization 7 has hit the market, sparking curiosity among the series' dedicated fans about the absence of a familiar face: Indian leader Gandhi. Known for his presence in every base game of the franchise since its inception in 1991, Gandhi has become synonymous with Civilization, famously linked to the legendary, albeit mythical, 'Nuclear Gandhi' bug.

However, fans were quick to notice that Gandhi is missing from the initial lineup of Civilization 7. Seeking answers, I reached out to Ed Beach, the lead designer of Civilization 7, who offered a glimmer of hope for Gandhi enthusiasts. Beach assured that the team at Firaxis hasn't forgotten any past civilizations, including Gandhi, hinting at a potential future inclusion as DLC.

“So I would say we haven't forgotten about anybody who's been in our game before,” Beach stated. He acknowledged the current discussions around missing civilizations like Great Britain or England, and mentioned that Carthage and Great Britain will join Civ 7 as part of The Crossroads of the World Collection DLC in March 2025, followed by Bulgaria and Nepal.

Beach elaborated on Firaxis' strategy for selecting civilizations, noting that even iconic civilizations have been absent from base games in the past, such as Mongolia and Persia in either Civ 5 or Civ 6. “So we always have to leave somebody out. 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. 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,” he explained.

This leaves fans with a clear message: there’s still hope for Gandhi’s return to the Civilization series.

In the meantime, Firaxis might focus on addressing the 'mixed' user review rating on Steam for Civilization 7, which has been attributed to issues with the user interface, a lack of map variety, and the absence of certain expected features. In an interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged these criticisms but remained optimistic, suggesting that the "legacy Civ audience" would warm up to the game over time, describing its early performance as "very encouraging."

For those eager to conquer the world in Civilization 7, our comprehensive guides can help. Dive into our strategies for achieving every Civ 7 victory, understand the biggest changes from Civ 6 to Civ 7, and avoid the 14 crucial mistakes that could hinder your progress. Additionally, familiarize yourself with all the Civ 7 map types and difficulty settings to enhance your gameplay experience.