(Image credit: 2K)

The development and release of Civilization 7 has been a rollercoaster for both fans of the series and developer Firaxis. The most recent entry in the long-running 4X series shipped with an age-transition mechanic where players would switch between civilisations at multiple points during a game. It was a radical design shift that divided the community, received well by some players, but going down like a glass of cold sick with others.

Earlier this year, Firaxis introduced an update to Civilization 7 that made age transitions optional and reimplemented the traditional, single-civ mode of play. Yet according to Firaxis, this was not a decision the studio made easily, and was particularly tough for creative director Ed Beach.

This was revealed in an expansive oral history of Civilization by Polygon , which charts the trajectory of the series game by game.…