The concept of Barbarians in past games has been updated in and merged with the concept of City-States into a new system focused on statehood.
This system utilizes Influence, a new currency for Civilization 7 that enables diplomatic actions with opponents and Independent Powers.
Villages discovered in the Antiquity Age can be upgraded to statehood with influence and the use of specific actions to convert them.
These villages are known as Independent Powers and are strategic necessities no matter what leader or civilization the player chooses.
Independent Powers are a new concept to , though they will be familiar to players of previous games in many ways. Hostile powers are reminiscent of Barbarians from past games, and City-States functioned very similarly, providing bonuses based on category type (i.e.