• Image: 2K*

Civilization VII has received multiple updates since it launched earlier this year and alongside ‘Update 1.3.0’, Firaxis Games has now released the Tides of Power Collection.

This is “free to claim” on the Switch and Switch 2 eShop until 5th January 2026 and is “yours to keep permanently at no cost”. After this date, you’ll be required to purchase it.

Here’s a quick rundown about what you can expect, along with an official graphic, and below this are the full details about the DLC (via the game’s website patch notes):

“Tides of Power Update: This is now fully claimable on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch...Starting today, add Edward Teach, Republic of Pirates, and Tonga content packs to your game, and then receive the Sayyida al Hurra, Ottomans, and Iceland content packs in-game when they’re released in December 2025. If you successfully claim this content by January 5, 2026 at 6:59AM PT, it’s yours to keep; otherwise it will be available for individual purchase starting January 5, 2026.”

• Image: 2K*

Tides of Power - Part 1 (4th November 2025)

Leaders

(Tides of Power DLC**) Added new leader Edward Teach.

Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate whose name sparked dread in the captains of the Caribbean. In 1716, he joined the crew of Benjamin Hornigold, a leader of the Flying Gang, and quickly gained his own ships. With his impressive height, his long beard (decorated with, at times, lit fuses), and reputation for violence, he stalked the sea-lanes of the Caribbean and the nightmares of sailors. He outlived the Flying Gang and moved his operation to the Outer Banks of present-day North Carolina, where a pirate hunter, Robert Maynard, finally caught up with him.

• Attributes: Militaristic, Economic
• Unique Ability – Blackbeard: All Naval Units gain the Pirate Ability, allowing them to cross borders of other civilizations, Plunder Trade Routes from non-Allied civilizations, and attack Naval Units of non-Allied civilizations without declaring war. Defeating any Naval Units with your own Naval Units provides Gold equal to a set percentage of its Combat Strength and captures that Unit. Increased Gold maintenance costs for all Naval Units.
• Agenda – Queen Anne’s Revenge: Increase Relationship by a Small Amount with Leaders that build Naval Units. Decrease Relationship by a Small Amount with Leaders that neglect to build Naval Units.

Civilizations

(Tides of Power DLC**) Added a new Exploration Age civilization Republic of Pirates.

Where there is wealth, there is greed. The scramble for new world riches in the early 18th century brought English, Spanish, French, and Dutch fleets – but the prospect of quick riches also brought pirates. These were rarely organized, but in 1706, one band, the Flying Gang, took over the island of New Providence in the Bahamas and set up a short-lived republic for all who sought fortune... and came with few scruples.

• Attributes: Economic, Militaristic

• Unique Ability – Flying Gang: Increased Yields from Pillaging and Coastal Raiding with Naval Units. Settler Units cannot be trained or purchased, but you can capture other civilizations’ Settlers. Naval Units, Treasure Convoys, and Buccaneer Units can move into other civilizations’ borders without being at war or having Open Borders.

• Unique Civilian Unit – Buccaneer: Unique Commander Unit. Gains a set number of charges to use the ‘Raiding Party’ Action every set number of Promotions.

• Action - Raiding Party: Targets an adjacent Treasure Resource. This Settlement instantly spawns a Treasure Convoy under your control equal to the number of Treasure Resources; this does not reset until another Treasure Convoy is available.

• Unique Military Unit – Sloop: Unique Naval Unit (replaces Privateer). Can cross other civilizations’ borders, Pillage Trade Routes between non-Allied civilizations, and attack Units of non-Allied civilizations without going to war. Can move after attacking and has a set amount of Movement.

• Associated Wonder – Havana Harbor: Gold Base. This Settlement generates Treasure Convoys worth a set amount of Treasure Fleet points in the Exploration Age (effect scales based on game speed). Increased Economic Attribute. Must be built in Distant Lands on Coastal Tiles adjacent to non-Lake tiles.

(Tides of Power DLC**) Added a new Antiquity Age civilization Tonga.

Into the endless blue, in search of new lands on scattered islands, the Polynesians sailed, settling the island of Tonga nearly three thousand years ago. Around 1000 CE, though, came another expansion, the Tu’i Tonga Empire – a struggle for dominance, tribute, and fealty over the Pacific. The Tongan kings maintained this system of hierarchical lordship over the islands until it, too, splintered.

• Attributes: Expansionist, Diplomatic
• Unique Ability – Lords of the South: Increased Influence on City Halls and the Palace if adjacent to Coast tiles. Cannot incorporate City-States.
• Unique Civilian Unit – Tehina: Unique Scout Unit. Can enter Ocean tiles (without taking damage) and embark at the start of the Age. Cannot disembark in Distant Lands, but can use Coastal Raid on adjacent Discoveries.
• Unique Military Unit – Kalia: Increased Combat Strength against Districts.

Wonders

(Tides of Power DLC**) Added four new Wonders:

• Great Lighthouse – Antiquity

• Gold Base. Grants a free Merchant when built. +15 Water Trade Route Range in all Settlements. +1 Sight to all Naval Units. Must be built on a Coast tile adjacent to Land.

• Nan Madol – Exploration

• Provides +3 Culture, +3 Production, and +3 Happiness on the Palace and City Hall on Islands (a landmass with a maximum of 15 tiles). Must be built in an Island City on Coast adjacent to Land

• Great Blue Hole – Natural Wonder

• +2 Science and +4 Happiness. Adjacent sea rural tiles receive +2 Culture. Placed on the Coast adjacent to 6 coast tiles.

• Mapu’a Vaea Blowholes – Natural Wonder

• +2 Production and +4 Happiness. +2 Culture to all Coastal land tiles in this Settlement. Impassable.

• Placed on the Coast adjacent to Cliffs.

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Firaxis has also included some platform-specific updates tied to the Switch and Switch 2 in Update 1.3.0. This includes the following:

Switch / Switch 2

• HDR options now appear when undocking Switch.
• Addressed a reported issue where the last character entered with the virtual keyboard would appear incorrectly.

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You can find out more about Update 1.3.0 and what else it includes in the official update notes on the official Civilization website.

Have you tried out this game on the Switch or Switch 2? Will you be downloading this DLC? Let us know in the comments.