Civilization VII ‘Tides Of Power Collection’ Free DLC Now Available For Switch

Civilization VII has undergone numerous enhancements since its debut earlier this year, and with Update 1.3.0, Firaxis Games has introduced the Tides of Power Collection.

This is “free to obtain” on the Switch and Switch 2 eShop until 5th January 2026 and is “yours to retain indefinitely at no expense”. After this date, you will need to buy it.

Here’s a brief overview of what you can anticipate, along with an official graphic, and below this are the comprehensive details about the DLC (as per the game’s website patch notes):

“Tides of Power Update: This is now completely claimable on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch…Beginning today, incorporate Edward Teach, Republic of Pirates, and Tonga content packs into your game, and then receive the Sayyida al Hurra, Ottomans, and Iceland content packs in-game upon their release 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.”

Civilization VII: Tides of Power Collection (4th November 2025)

Leaders

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

Edward Teach, famously known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate whose name instilled fear in the captains of the Caribbean. In 1716, he joined the fleet of Benjamin Hornigold, a chief of the Flying Gang, and rapidly acquired his own vessels. With his towering stature, his long beard (often adorned with lit fuses), and a reputation for brutality, he haunted the sea routes of the Caribbean and the nightmares of sailors. He survived the decline of the Flying Gang and shifted his operations to the Outer Banks of present-day North Carolina, where a pirate hunter, Robert Maynard, eventually caught him.

• Attributes: Militaristic, Economic
• Unique Ability – Blackbeard: All Naval Units attain the Pirate Ability, permitting them to traverse borders of other civilizations, Plunder Trade Routes from non-Allied civilizations, and assault Naval Units of non-Allied civilizations without declaring warfare. Defeating any Naval Units with your own Naval Units yields Gold equivalent 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: Enhance Relationship by a Minor Amount with Leaders that construct Naval Units. Diminish Relationship by a Minor Amount with Leaders that fail to construct Naval Units.

Civilizations

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

Wherever there is affluence, there lies avarice. The race for new world riches in the early 18th century attracted English, Spanish, French, and Dutch fleets – but the lure of quick wealth also drew pirates. These were seldom organized, however, in 1706, one group, the Flying Gang, seized control of the island of New Providence in the Bahamas and established a fleeting republic for all who sought wealth… and came with few morals.

• Attributes: Economic, Militaristic
• Unique Ability – Flying Gang: Enhanced 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 enter other civilizations’ borders without being at war or having Open Borders.
• Unique Civilian Unit – Buccaneer: Unique Commander Unit. Receives 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 generates a Treasure Convoy under your control equal to the number of Treasure Resources; this does not reset until another Treasure Convoy is accessible.
• Unique Military Unit – Sloop: Unique Naval Unit (replaces Privateer). Capable of crossing other civilizations’ borders, Pillaging Trade Routes amongst non-Allied civilizations, and assaulting Units of non-Allied civilizations without declaring war. Can move post-attack and has a set amount of Movement.
• Associated Wonder – Havana Harbor: Gold Base. This Settlement produces Treasure Convoys valued at a set amount of Treasure Fleet points in the Exploration Age (effect scales based on game speed). Enhanced Economic Attribute. Must be established in Distant Lands on Coastal Tiles adjacent to non-Lake tiles.

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

Into the vast blue, seeking new territories on scattered islands, the Polynesians navigated, settling the island of Tonga nearly three thousand years ago. Around 1000 CE, however, came another expansion, the Tu’i Tonga Empire – a contest for supremacy, tribute, and fealty throughout the Pacific. The Tongan monarchs upheld this hierarchical system over the islands until it, too, fractured.

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

Wonders

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

• Great Lighthouse – Antiquity
  • Gold Base. Grants a complimentary Merchant upon construction. +15 Water Trade Route Range in all Settlements. +1 Sight to all Naval Units. Must be constructed 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 established in an Island City on Coast adjacent to Land
• Great Blue Hole – Natural Wonder
  • +2 Science and +4 Happiness. Adjacent sea rural tiles gain +2 Culture. Positioned 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.
  • Positioned on the Coast adjacent to Cliffs.

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

Switch / Switch 2

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

You can discover more about Update 1.3.0 and what else it comprises in the update notes on the official Civilization website.

Have you experienced this game on the Switch or Switch 2? Will you be acquiring this DLC? Share your thoughts in the comments.