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Civilization’s leaders are about as famous as the civs themselves, but how Firaxis chooses each nation’s representation has changed over the years. Read on to learn more about Civilization VII’s roster and how it redefines leadership through the years.
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Civ VII Redefines What it Means to Be a Leader
Civ Leaders have always been woven into the series’ DNA, shaping its core identity since the very first game and never once being replaced by other mechanics in the titles that followed. Each iconic figure on the world stage serves as the foundation of their civilization’s identity, making them just as crucial to a playthrough as the civ itself. Despite their firmly established role in Civ’s gameplay ecosystem, the leaders have been as diverse as real-world nations—appearing, evolving, and adapting with each new installment. Every title has introduced innovations to their design, refining what it means to be a leader and how they influence the game.
Join me as I explore Civilization’s history to see how its roster has evolved over the years, what changed with each iteration, and how Civilization VII redefines leadership with its unique lineup.
Old Civ Was a Superpowers Club Only
We begin with Sid Meier’s original 4X masterpiece, Civilization, which featured a relatively simple roster compared to later entries in the series. Nearly every global superpower of the early ‘90s and historical antiquity was represented, and their figureheads were just as predictable—barring a few exceptions.
With a smaller scope in both design and technical capabilities, the game included only 15 civilizations, featuring the likes of America, Rome, Greece, Japan, China, France, Egypt, and Russia, to name a few. Leadership was taken quite literally—every civ leader was a historical head of state in some form during their lifetime. The selection process also prioritized ubiquity, meaning the most widely recognized figures from each civilization took center stage.
This gave us names like Abraham Lincoln, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Mahatma Gandhi, and Julius Caesar—alongside more controversial picks like Mao Zedong and Joseph Stalin. At the time, Elizabeth I stood as the sole female leader. It was a straightforward, almost textbook approach to leader selection—the most clear-cut the series has ever been. Given the era in which Civilization was released, it’s hard to fault anyone for that, but the wheel of progress ever turns, and innovations came as early as Civilization II.
Civs 2 Through 5 Increase Diversity and Creativity in Increments
By the time Civ II rolled out, steps had already been taken to expand both the leader roster and the list of civilizations. Lesser powers like the Sioux made their debut alongside additional historical superpowers, such as the Spanish. Most notably, Civ II introduced a dedicated alternative roster for women, giving every civilization both male and female leaders for players to choose from.
The definition of leader
also broadened, allowing figures who weren’t necessarily heads of state—but were still pivotal to their civilization’s identity—to take the spotlight. The best examples include Sacagawea for the Sioux and Amaterasu—a literal goddess from Shinto mythology—for Japan.
Civ III took a different approach. While it removed the dedicated female roster, it instead integrated more female leaders directly into the base game, boasting six in total. Some of them even overtook historically dominant male counterparts, with Joan of Arc replacing Napoleon for France and Catherine the Great taking over Russia in place of Stalin.
By the time Civ IV and Civ V arrived, both the series’ standard roster size and its definition of leadership had expanded significantly. Leaders were no longer just heads of state—revolutionaries, generals, reformists, and even consorts became just as common. Major civilizations from antiquity and modern times saw their traditional figureheads either replaced or doubled up. The most notable examples include Wu Zetian taking over for Mao Zedong in China and both Victoria I and Elizabeth I representing England.
It became clear that Civilization wasn’t just about the story of the strong and famous, but with every new title, it became a story of all of humanity, even the ones few have heard of.
Civ 6 is When The Roster Starts to Get Spicy
Civilization VI is where characterization, diversity, and creativity flourished the most, bringing leaders to life as respectfully stylized animated caricatures. It also marked the beginning of Leader Personas—alternative versions of the same leader that emphasized different aspects of their personality or rule, offering distinct playstyles for players to explore. As technical limitations faded and the roster expanded, Civ VI welcomed lesser-known heroes from lesser-known civilizations into the fold.
Lautaro of the Mapuche stood out as a fierce symbol of resistance against Spanish conquest in Chile. Bà Triệu, a folk hero and warrior who fought against Wu occupation in Vietnam, represented her people with unyielding strength. Alongside her, Queen Gorgo of Sparta led Greece as its war mistress, standing in contrast to Pericles' more diplomatic approach.
By this point, leaders were no longer defined solely by their entire legacies, but by distinct chapters of their lives—an idea that would set the stage for Civ VII’s unique approach to leadership. The first to embody this concept was Eleanor of Aquitaine, who could lead either France or England. Kublai Khan followed, ruling as leader of either the Mongols or China. Soon after, Civ VI introduced civilizations with multiple leader options, such as America under Abraham Lincoln or Theodore Roosevelt, and China under Qin Shi Huang, Wu Zetian, or Yongle.
Curiously, the deeper integration of Leader Personas also brought even more diversity to the roster. Catherine de Medici, Theodore Roosevelt, Harald Hardrada, Suleiman, and Victoria all received alternate personas, each with subtle yet meaningful variations in play style.
Civ 7 Forgoes Series Staples for Fresh Faces and Unique Leaders
At last, we arrive at Civ VII, the latest evolution of Firaxis’ leader selection philosophy. Drawing from past innovations, Civ VII boasts the most diverse and creative roster to date, featuring unconventional leaders, multiple personas, and some of the most carefully curated picks tailored to different playstyles.
This was made possible by Civ VII’s unique mix-and-match approach to civilizations and leaders. No longer bound to a single historical nation or people, even lesser-known figures finally have a chance to take center stage. Perhaps the most notable addition is Harriet Tubman, the American abolitionist and Underground Railroad leader. In Civ VII, facing her means dealing with relentless infiltration, as her Railroad fills the spymaster niche once held by Catherine de Medici.
Other unexpected names include Niccolò Machiavelli, who—despite neither being a head of state nor widely beloved in Italy—perfectly embodies the self-serving diplomacy his works championed. Meanwhile, José Rizal of the Philippines finally joins the series as a leader centered on diplomacy, narrative events, and celebrations—an overdue upgrade from Manila’s past role as a mere city-state.
After nearly 30 years, Civilization has transformed from a game about superpowers shaping history in broad strokes to a vibrant, diverse, and imaginative collection of great minds, all telling the story of humanity. Over the decades, the definition of leadership has changed dramatically, but the significance of those who bear the title has never wavered. Come Civ VIII, we may be looking at leaders contemporary to us now, but that’s far off. For now, we can appreciate the tapestry woven by Civ’s rosters.
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