Civilization 7 Brings Back Civ 3 Leader With 2 Personas, Persian Immortals Confirmed

With each passing week, more pieces of the puzzle that will be Civilization 7 are being revealed. We've only scratched the surface with plenty more on the way for later eras, but the latest First Look has confirmed a leader not seen since Civilization 3 released in 2001. Xerxes is back, and you'll have the option to choose Persia in Civ 7 to make use of the unforgettable Persian Immortals. You can see the comparison between Civ 3 and Civ 7 Xerxes below as well as details on the strengths of each persona.

Two Xerxes Personas and Persia Confirmed for Civ 7

While not every Civ 7 leader will have multiple personas to choose from, we've now learned Xerxes will be among those that present alternate strategic paths. Xerxes' King of Kings persona (seen above on the left) relies more heavily on militaristic might, but The Achaemenid (seen above on the right) is more peaceful with a focus on producing culture and gold.

Along with this announcement, Persia was confirmed as one of the many civs players can choose in the Antiquity Age. With Civilization 7 severing the link between leaders and civilizations, players will now get to decide if the benefits of Persia fit their intended style or if another civ would be a better match.

For those who plan to enforce their combat prowess, Persia pairs well with Xerxes, King of Kings. Persia gives infantry units a combat strength boost, has a powerful unique commander unit that allows other units to move after unpacking, and brings back the infamous Persian Immortal as an infantry unit that heals after defeating each enemy.

For those who choose the King of Kings persona, all military units will have increased combat strength if attacking in neutral or enemy territory. In contrast, the Achaemenid persona's unique ability increases your trade route limit while also giving culture boosts from trade.

While Xerxes' King of Kings persona will be available in the base game, the Achaemenid persona will be part of the Deluxe Content Pack DLC. Players who purchase the Deluxe and Founders Edition of Civ 7 will automatically get that DLC, but it will need to be purchased separately for players who just get the Standard Edition.

The Abbasid and Monglian civs are natural next steps once Xerxes moves into the Exploration Age, but players could also choose unique paths like Xerxes leading the Normans or Chola India. Details about the Exploration Age have been scarce so far, but the next Civ 7 livestream on November 7 will be focused specifically on Exploration Age gameplay, features, and features another leader reveal.