Civilization 7 Reveal Makes Former Great Merchant a Full-Fledged Leader

With the Civilization 7 release date just a few short months away, First Look videos continue to expand the game's roster of leaders and civilizations. Each addition has also continued to highlight the strength separating leaders and civs, as prospective leaders that never would've made the cut will get featured in Civ 7.

In the latest First Look, Ibn Battuta was revealed as a leader and will return after previously being featured in two other Civilization games. There's no doubt he'll become a strong choice, as Ibn Battuta has some incredibly versatile bonuses in Civilization 7.

Ibn Battuta steps up from Great Merchant to Leader in Civ 7

Unorthodox leader choices like Confucius had already shown what might be possible in Civ 7, and Ibn Battuta is a strong choice to join the current roster of Civ 7 leaders and civilizations. Battuta is most well known today as the author of The Rihla, a detailed account of his journeys and exploration around the known Muslim world throughout the 14th century.

The sheer volume of his travel between Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Iberian Peninsula puts Battuta's full journey around 117,000 kilometers, which puts him far ahead of explorers Zheng He and Marco Polo. This isn't the first time the Civilization series has recognized his impact on history, as Ibn Battuta was featured in Civ 4 and Civ 5 as a Great Merchant.

For the first time, Battuta becomes a leader in Civilization 7 and brings with him some powerful versatility. Rather than having a very specific focus, Ibn Battuta will be a versatile wildcard leader with a slight lean towards exploration. Here's what players can expect from Battuta's unique ability:

• The Marvels of Traveling: Gains multiple Attribute points after the first Civic in every Age. Increased Sight for all Units. Gain a Unique Endeavor called Trade Maps that lets you gradually see other Leaders' explored areas.

The Civ 7 First Look at Ibn Battuta suggests pairing him with Aksum in the Antiquity Age, and that will give players a major gold boost early on to start establishing an economic powerhouse that has plenty of options later in the game. Aksum also has a unique trade ship, a naval unit that can create a naval trade route, and unique infrastructure with gold and culture bonuses.

As for the Exploration Age, the same reveal suggested Abbasid. Taking that combination into the second age would expand the dominance of Ibn Battuta's empire  by giving unique science bonuses and more culture boosts. Of course, that's just the beginning of the many options players will have in Civilization 7. If you want Ibn Battuta leading Rome then Mongolia, or Greece then Hawai'i, each combination provides a unique playstyle to embrace in Civ 7.