Civ 7 Abandoning One Classic Map Type Could Have A Huge Impact

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is changing a lot about the core formula fans have enjoyed for so many years. While the basic gameplay principles remain the same, much has been changed when it comes to leaders, the various ages, and even how the maps work. There has been much discourse surrounding these changes, but one detail has gone somewhat unnoticed, despite the fact that it could have a huge impact on the series.

With reimagining the 4X genre, it can be hard to get everything right. Some fans have expressed disappointment in certain fan-favorite features being removed. However,many of the changes have been implemented to refresh the series and ensure that it doesn't grow too stale for fans. This also applies to the various map types, which, thanks to some fundamental structure changes, one is being removed.

The huge sprawling interconnected map type, Pangaea, which brought together every continent to create one supercontinent, has been removed from. This was revealed by Pixel, Polygone & Plauderei in an interview with one of producers, Dennis Shirk, at Gamescom 2024. During the interview, Shrik mentioned that, due to the focus on Ages, the Pangaea map type is no longer feasible. He stated:

«Because of the way the game works, and because of the way the oceans are locked, the only thing we don't have in Civ [7] right now, unless you do it in a single Age, is the concept of Pangaea.»

This is thanks to the brand-new Distant Lands feature, which sees players, upon entering the Exploration Age, gain access to ships that they can use to travel to other continents. This whole feature would be made redundant if the entire map was one giant landmass, rather than several separated by sea. Of course, it's worth noting that there is a single Age mode inthat allows players to focus on just one Age, something that's perfect for shorter games. Shrik implies that the Pangaea map type will still be available in that game mode.

Exploration Age is all centered around discovering the New World and players