The text below was published on the game’s official site.

Update 1.2.4 for Civilization VII is now available on all platforms! We’re currently preparing major changes and new features. While those are underway, this patch delivers important improvements: enhancements to Era Transitions, Wonder balancing, usability adjustments, and general fixes.

A few quick notes before you dive into the details:

• We aim to maintain save game compatibility whenever possible. However, certain new effects and abilities can only activate when starting a new game or advancing to the next campaign Era. For the optimal experience, we recommend choosing one of these options.
• If new errors emerge, try disabling mods as some may be incompatible with the latest update.
• For Steam players preferring to finish their current game on a previous version, use the legacy beta available on the platform.

See the full notes below!

Wonder Balancing

Wonders have long been a community favorite topic. It’s always entertaining to track tier lists and see ability, unlock, and placement comparisons. This engagement makes Wonder balancing even more enjoyable as we work to address fan suggestions!

With update 1.2.4, all Eras received Wonder adjustments. Some were moved earlier to improve game pacing (like Erdene Zuu), while others were repositioned to avoid conflicts—such as the Colossus and Monk’s Mount, previously on the same civic branch. New placement possibilities also opened up: Pyramids no longer require Deserts, and Machu Picchu can now be built on Grassland Mountains.

When a Wonder becomes mandatory in nearly every playthrough, it’s time for adjustments. This applies to the Gate of All Nations and House of Wisdom, which had their power reduced. However, we also significantly buffed several other Wonders, expanding their utility and appeal. Standouts include terrain-interacting Wonders like Petra, which now retains its effects even when built on enhanced terrain.

See all Wonder changes below!

Gameplay

Advisors

• (★ – community-inspired) Advisor notifications received multiple adjustments:
  • “Falling Behind in Technologies” and “Falling Behind in Civics” notifications no longer appear at Sovereign difficulty or higher.
  • The “Competing Wonder” notification was updated:
    • It now appears in all Eras, not just Antiquity;
    • Clicking “Take me there” will direct you to the rival player’s Wonder construction site when possible.
  • New advisor notification added: “Codex Has Possible Home But Not Assigned.” This is a variant of the existing “No Home For Codex” alert.

Era Transition Improvements

• (★) Alliances are now maintained during Era Transition when playing with Continuity enabled.
• (★) More Gold/Influence is preserved when playing with Continuity.
  • Dev Team Note: we recognize that balance issues remain around Continuity and are already evaluating adjustments across the game to create a more balanced experience.

AI

• AI trades no longer fail due to assignment of an available resource.
• AI now prioritizes converting Independent forces into city-states more consistently.
• AI logic in the Peace Deal menu was improved for better rationality.
• At higher difficulties, AI no longer builds duplicate functional walls on the same tile when capturing new settlements.
• AI leaders no longer accept alliances they’d need to break immediately (e.g., when already at war with an ally).
• Independent force AI no longer remains idle until provoked.
• AI players now actively pursue final victory projects and Wonders after completing Legacy Paths.
• AI now properly prioritizes coastal tiles for ocean navigation to avoid ship damage.

Era Transition

• Spain now correctly unlocks with La Fayette when advancing to the Exploration Era.
• Mongolia now properly unlocks post-Era Transition when playing as one of the civilization’s recommended leaders.
• [Right to Rule DLC] During Advanced Start, Genghis Khan no longer receives policies from Han and Ming civilizations (as non-recommended).

Camera Improvements

• (★) Added edge-scrolling support for mouse-enabled platforms.
  • Dev Team Note: we heard players preferring edge-scrolling over click-dragging or keyboard navigation, so this feature returns. Keep the feedback coming!
• Camera controls were reworked for smoother tile selection and motion, especially over long distances.

Diplomacy

• Civilopedia updated to clarify that war weariness effect doesn’t stack unhappiness penalties from multiple wars.
• Independent forces can only pillage a tile within unit range, without nearby enemies, and with defenses fully destroyed.
• Leaders now receive the correct war support amount during surprise declarations.

Economy

• Brihadisvara Temple now correctly grants happiness bonus when building near a navigable river in the Modern Era.
• Tiles no longer lose appeal-based happiness from improvement placements.
• Smithy building moved to Military Training technology.

Military

• Players no longer need to select a target when clicking the perimeter defense button in commander view.
• Ranged units using concentrated fire no longer queue movement to target tiles next turn.
• Units reinforcing a commander during Era Transition now complete immediately; defeated players’ units are fully removed.
• Commander promotion “Zeal” now specifies its +5% bonus excludes happiness gains.
• Commanders gain corresponding abilities when Shipbuilding/Cartography complete during reappearance.
• Auto-explore is usable when Scouts are within range of a “ruin” in Modern Era.
• Heroic Charge ability now correctly deals 50 damage to enemy units when used by standard army commanders.
• Army commander “Scorched Earth” ability is no longer available with nothing to pillage.
• In multiplayer, Scout unit vision no longer lost when using “Lookout” during turn progress “Waiting…” if movement remains.
• Ranged infantry units no longer take damage when army commanders use concentrated fire.
• “Invasion” can no longer ignore cliff movement restrictions without mobility promotion.
• Ranged units can’t target invalid locations during army commander concentrated fire.
• Fixed a rare issue where a defeated/unmet leader could reappear post-Era Transition, causing repeated first-contact prompts and blocking progress.

Miscellaneous

• Shipbuilding technology now states that support/civilian units can cross oceans without damage.
• Countdown messages no longer repeat; they appear once per turn advance.
• Restart confirmation window now appears properly when selecting “restart” in advanced options menu.
• Era unlock info no longer missing for some leaders in new games.

Religion & Ideology

• Icons added to leader ribbons after founding a religion (Exploration Era) or adopting an ideology (Modern Era).
  • Other leaders’ ideology icons now appear green/red to indicate alignment.
    • Dev Team Note: this helps visualize ideological alignment—key when choosing ideologies or targeting leaders for settlements/ideology Legacy Path progression.
  • Religion icons now match your chosen name/graphic (including custom names).

Wonder Balancing

• Antiquity Wonders
  • [World Crossroads DLC] Birsa
    • Moved to Engineering technology.
  • Colossus
    • Production cost changed: 450 → 375.
    • Moved to Currency technology.
  • Dur-Sarruquim
    • Added “+1 Science from Fortifications in this settlement.”
    • Combat bonus increased: +3 → +5.
  • Divine Bell
    • Added base 2 Influence yield.
    • Ginseng Agreement now affects both players’ cities, not just capitals.
    • Increased Ginseng Agreement relation gains: 10 (accept) → 25 (support).
    • Production cost changed: 275 → 375.
    • Moved to Citizenship civic.
  • Gate of All Nations
    • Added base 2 Happiness yield.
    • War support reduced: 2 → 1.
  • Great Stela
    • Added base 2 Production yield.
    • Effect now applies to Wonders in any settlement.
    • Text adjusted to clarify gold scales per Era.
    • Moved to Mysticism civic mastery.
  • Ha’amonga ‘a Maui
    • Location restriction changed to allow any biome.
  • [Right to Rule DLC] Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
    • Added base 3 Production yield.
    • Production cost increased: 275 → 450.
    • Moved to Ironworking technology.
  • Lost World
    • Effect changed to: “+1 Science from improvements and +1 Happiness from districts on Jungle terrain in this settlement.”
    • Production cost increased: 275 → 375.
    • Moved to Code of Laws civic mastery.
  • Oracle
    • Narrative event Culture bonus increased: 10 → 20 per Era.
    • Added 1 base policy attribute point.
    • New plans coming for this Wonder—stay tuned!
  • Petra
    • Effect changed to: “+1 Production from improvements and +1 Gold from districts on Desert terrain in this settlement.”
  • Pyramids
    • Effect changed to: “+1 Gold and Production in improvements and districts on Minor River and Major River tiles in this settlement.”
    • Location restriction changed to allow any biome except Tundra.
  • Erdene Zuu
    • Production cost changed: 375 → 450.
    • Moved to Trading Expertise civic.
  • Weiyang Palace
    • Moved to Citizenship civic mastery.
• Exploration Era Wonders
  • Borobudur
    • Ability now affects only that settlement’s neighborhoods.
  • Erdene Zuu
    • Base Culture reduced: 4 → 2.
    • Location restriction changed to allow any biome.
    • Production cost reduced: 550 → 400.
    • Moved to Authority civic mastery.
  • Forbidden City
    • Base Culture increased: 2 → 4.
    • Culture/Gold from fortifications reduced: 2 → 1, but now applies to all settlements.
    • Production cost increased: 400 → 550.
    • Moved to Imperialism civic mastery.
  • Hale o Keawe
    • Changed from “Building on Coastal terrain grants Culture equal to 50% of its cost” to “+1 Culture from Aquatic Buildings.”
  • House of Wisdom
    • Relics granted reduced: 3 → 1.
  • Machu Picchu
    • Removed: “+2 Resource capacity in this settlement.”
    • Changed from “+4 Culture and Gold to all districts adjacent to this Wonder” to “Districts receive +1 Culture/Gold adjacency from Mountains.”
    • Location restriction changed to allow Grassland biome.
• Modern Era Wonders
  • [World Crossroads DLC] Boudhanath
    • Base Influence increased: 4 → 6.
    • Location restriction changed to allow Grassland biome.
  • Brandenburg Gate
    • Changed from “This settlement ignores war weariness unhappiness. +5 Happiness in conquered settlements” to “+1 War support in all wars. +1 Settlement limit.”
  • Eiffel Tower
    • Culture/Happiness from districts increased: 2 → 3.
  • Hermitage
    • Changed from “+10% Culture in cities housing a Great Work” to “+5 Culture in cities housing a Great Work.”
  • Muzibu Azaala Mpanga
    • Changed from “+2 Food on all Lake tiles. +2 Culture and Happiness on Lake tiles in this settlement” to “+4 Culture and Food from improvements/districts on Lake tiles.”
  • Palacio de Bellas Artes
    • Removed “+10% Happiness in this city.”
    • Happiness from Great Works increased: 2 → 3.
    • Added “Gain 1 Artifact.”
  • Red Fort
    • Added 4 Production to base yield.

Leaders & Civilizations

Leaders

• Himiko, High Shaman Personality
  • Himiko’s High Shaman ability now correctly applies to Guildhall, Opera House, and Inn buildings.

User Interface

Alignment & Spacing

• Fixed an issue where players couldn’t select all leaders in the diplomacy menu at 1280 x 720 resolution.

Civilopedia

• City capture entry updated with accurate city center health info.
• Trung Nhi’s unique army commander Civilopedia page now displays correct in-game functionality.

Controller-Specific

• Multiple command issues fixed: missing back/proceed buttons, removal of non-functional prompts, incorrect prompt corrections.
• Enhanced menu navigation with controller: scrollbars function correctly, LT/RT no longer break scrolling, pop-ups receive proper focus.
• LT/RT buttons no longer show “?” when opening pause menu with city info menu active.
• L2/R2 commands now switch between settlements (instead of zooming) after editing settlement names.
• No more UI/functionality issues when opening civic tree with controller post-civic completion.
• “Add Support” button remains functional when switching from friendship progress bar to leader screen.
• Non-functional LB/RB prompts no longer appear when disabling all Legacy Paths in Era Progress menu.
• Promotion menu can now be closed with main menu back button.
• Camera can be moved after placing settlements in Advanced Start.
• “Attributes” tutorial can now be minimized when triggered via leader attribute menu.

General

• Added art to “Next Turn” button in multiplayer.
• Leader portrait resolution improved on victory/defeat screen.
• Assyria now has unique loading art when starting in Antiquity.
• Gray square behind arrow button near leader ribbons no longer appears.
• Fixed Far Lands treasure resource display showing as Homeland resource in trade lens.
• Right-click now returns to main menu in multiplayer menu.
• Fixed crash when selecting “Expand City” notification after force-end turn action.
• “Relations: Agendas” tutorial no longer triggers out-of-order during first AI leader contact in Antiquity.
• Tutorial turns now display correctly after closing production panel with “keep production panel open” enabled.
• “Establish Airbase” and “Assign New Aircraft Base” actions now cancel when selecting another unit’s tile.

Text Refinements

• Modern Era Factory description now correctly states “purchasable in Small Towns.”
• Project Flight Prerequisites no longer missing when viewing rocket construction in Tech Tree/Technology menu.
• Improved camel unit description accuracy.
• Multiple text fixes and improvements implemented.

Tooltips

• Yield icons no longer misaligned when viewing tiles with >5 yields of same type.
• Correct text appears on “under production” tooltips during city project construction.
• Inconsistent text fixed for settler lens tooltips near flood-risk tiles adjacent to volcanoes.
• “Wonder Construction” description resized to fit tooltip frame in multiplayer.

Narrative

• Fixed issues preventing certain events from triggering.
• Adjusted tutorial text/icons in narrative events.
• Investigation discovery descriptions updated in Civilopedia’s “Discoveries” entry.
• Events with yield costs now clarify possible penalties/maintenance causing negative yields.
• Fixed narrative event UI appearing without button prompt.
• The Gunner: Reward tooltip now correctly reflects received bonus.
• Ashes: Rewards changed to grant Culture and Gold.
• Bodhisattva: Event now completable.
• Doctor’s Orders: Healing bonus now applies in friendly territory.
• Echoes of History: Second reward option now grants Scout training Production bonus.
• Form and Deformity: Reward tooltip now correctly states “+1 Policy slot.”
• If Need Be: Mission now completable.
• The Unseen World: Now triggers only for Chola or Majapahit; second option text corrected.
• Invitation to War: Option reward tooltip text adjusted.
• Obstinacy: First option yield cost icon fixed.
• Rise of Burghers: Now has a second reward option.
• Royal Procession: Now completable with unique units replacing Throwing Unit.
• A Bundle of Arrows: Second option now grants “+2 Happiness from Armory.”
• Hunting Categories: Rewards now apply only to Palace.
• Waste of Time: Mission progress now displays correctly.
• Golden Tide: Now references Treasure Convoy units instead of Treasure Fleet.
• That’s Life: Second option reward description adjusted.

Audio

• Fixed multiple audio localization issues.
• Improved usability across leader/narrator vocalizations.
• Enhanced UI audio usability.
• Added sound effects for narrative rewards, settlement captures, and raze/keep settlement actions.
• Added notification sound when players complete milestones.
• Fixed multiple reported audio issues.