Civ VII 1.5.0: the True Start Location Earth map arrives in September
Credit: 2K

Civ VII 1.5.0: the True Start Location Earth map arrives in September

Alexandre Alexandre Jollier v1.5.0
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In brief

Civilization VII's 1.5.0 update arrives in September with the long-awaited True Start Location: Earth map, which generates the globe's true geography with historically coherent starting points for each civilization. Also on the menu: a Voronoi algorithm for more natural continents, an Influence system for alliances without forced war participation, and various interface adjustments.

The 1.5.0 update for Sid Meier's Civilization VII will arrive later this month, and the addition generating the most buzz since the announcement is the True Start Location: Earth map. Requested since the game's launch by a good portion of the community used to the older entries, it finally generates the real topography of the globe, with a historically consistent starting point for each civilization.

Concretely, every game keeps a familiar map - the planet - but redistributes natural wonders on each launch. Gone is the feeling of replaying the same score: for players who love historical roleplay, this is probably the most anticipated change since the game's launch.

On the technical side, the Terra Incognita and Shuffle map types switch to a Voronoi generation algorithm, meant to produce more natural continents and fewer repetitive patterns. Resource placement has been reworked and map loading sped up, two points that regularly came up in criticism since launch.

For competitive players or those just touchy about diplomacy, the update adds Influence management allowing players to stay in an alliance without being dragged into their allies' messy wars - a real fix for a known friction point in the diplomatic system. The interface also benefits from improved tile tooltips, reworked settlement banners, and a new tile rule for planning cities more precisely.

For upcoming content news with "Arc of Tomorrow" and the "Earthrise" expansion, head over to our dedicated articles on these announcements.

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Does the True Start Location: Earth map make you want to start a new Civ VII game?

Frequently asked questions

Does the Earth map change with each game or is it always the same?
The globe's topography remains identical from one game to the next, but natural wonders and resources are redistributed with each launch. You get your planet back, but never quite the same configuration.
What exactly is the Influence system for alliances?
Instead of being automatically dragged into your allies' wars, you can now stay in an alliance while remaining diplomatically neutral. It's a solid fix to avoid situations where the AI ruins your game with its conflicts.
Why switch to Voronoi for map generation?
The Voronoi algorithm creates more natural and less repetitive continents and zones than the old method. It also fixes the loading issues that kept cropping up since launch.
When exactly does the 1.5.0 update arrive?
It releases later in September 2026. The big stuff like the Earthrise expansion and the Arc of Tomorrow update arrive in 2027.

Key takeaways

  • The True Start Location: Earth map finally places each civilization at its true historical position with faithful world topography
  • The Terra Incognita and Shuffle generation algorithms switch to Voronoi for less repetitive and more believable continents
  • New diplomatic Influence system: stay allied without being dragged into your partners' foolish wars
  • Improved tooltips and tile ruler to fine-tune city placement without frustration

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