While initially absent from Civilization VII's launch roster, the possibility of Mahatma Gandhi's return as DLC has been confirmed by the developers. This article explores why Firaxis Games made the decision to omit some familiar leaders and civilizations from the base game.
Civ 7 Devs Consider Bringing Back Past Civs and Their Leaders
Hope Remains for Gandhi and Other Civ Leaders
In a February 13, 2025, interview with IGN, Civilization VII lead designer Ed Beach revealed that the door remains open for Gandhi's return, potentially as DLC. While a timeline hasn't been set, the possibility remains strong.
Beach addressed the absence of some veteran civilizations and leaders, including Great Britain and India, stating, "So I would say we haven't forgotten about anybody who's been in our game before. Certainly civilizations, there's a lot of consternation right now about where's Great Britain or England, why aren't they in our game?"
He explained the omission by citing the sheer number of popular choices. "There are just too many popular choices and we always want to have a few fresh ones that sound really new and exciting to people," Beach clarified. "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 DLC history of Civilization VI, the prospect of Gandhi's eventual inclusion in Civilization VII seems likely, though the precise release date remains unknown.
