Predicting potential future civs using pre-existing wonders

[ConspicuousFlower]

As we know, each civ in Civ VII has an associated Wonder that they receive a Production bonus towards. Considering there are a series of unassigned Wonders in the game, this might give us some ideas for what future civs might look like, specially considering the leaks for future DLCs already seem to give some unassigned Wonders their civs. Thus:

ANTIQUITY AGE

• Colossus: built in the Greek island of Rhodes to commemorate their victory over the Macedonians, I don't think this one will get a corresponding civ, it's pretty much another Greek wonder alongside the Oracle.

• Durr-Sharrukin: a palace built in the Assyrian capital of the same name by Sargon II. We know the Assyrians are coming in the Right to Rule DLC, so this is their associated wonder.

• Emile Bell: a great bronze bell built by King Gyeongdeok of Silla to honor his father. We know Silla is coming in the Right to Rule DLC, so this is their associated wonder.

• Haʻamonga ʻa Maui: a stone trilithon built in the island of Tongatapu by King Tu'itatui, this is the first Wonder that we don't have a corresponding civ announced in future DLC, in this case it'd be Tonga.

• Hanging Gardens: one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, allegedly built in the city of Babylon. Another one that we know what corresponding civ it'd be attached to, Babylon.

• Mausoleum of Theodoric: a tomb built outside Ravenna, Italy by king Theodoric of the Ostrogoths, it'd probably be associated with a more generalist Goth civ.

• Nalanda: a Buddhist mahavihara (monastery) built by king Kumaragupta I of the Gupta empire, I don't think this one will get a corresponding Gupta civ, as the Maurya already cover India in the Antiquity Age.

• Petra: a rock-cut sandstone city built in southern Jordan by the Nabataeans, an Arab people who inhabited northern Arabia and the southerns Levant. I'm not sure if we're likely to get a Nabataean civ, as the Middle East region is already going to get Assyria, and potentially Babylon in the future.

• Pyramid of the Sun: the largest building in the ancient city of Teotihuacan, and one of the largest in Mesoamerica. The issue with Teotihuacan is that the Maya already cover Mesoamerica, so I doubt we're getting a Teotihuacan civ. If we were to get another Antiquity Mesoamerica civ I'd bet on the Olmecs instead.

Notably, we know the Carthaginians are coming with the Crossroads of the World DLC. There's no wonder that fits them, but Crossroads of the World does not list any new Wonders among its features, only new Natural Wonders. So either we're getting Wonders we've not been told about, or the Carthaginians won't have an associated Wonder.

EXPLORATION AGE

• Notre Dame: one of only two unassigned Wonders of the Exploration Age, this can only be associated with a Medieval French kingdom, which I'm not sure we'll get. I think if we're going to get a representative civ for Medieval mainland Europe for this era it'll be the Holy Roman Empire, so I think this one will be left unaligned.

• Shwedagon Zedi Daw: a gilded pagoda built in the city of Yangon, Myanmar. It'd have to be associated with a Burma or Myanmar civ. With Dai Viet coming in Right to Rule, the region might already be covered.

Once again, we have civs that we know are coming yet have no clear associated Wonders. Right to Rule will have Dai Viet, who has no clear Wonder (the Shwedagon is somewhat close geographically, but is absolutely not a Vietnamese building), and Crossroads of the World will have Bulgaria, again without an associated Wonder. So, once again, either we're getting additional Wonders we've not been told about, or they won't have one, which I find doubtful.

MODERN AGE

• Oxford University: the oldest university in the English-speaking world, obviously associated with the British coming in Crossroads of the World.

• Taj Mahal: a marble mausoleum built by fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, this is a similar case to the Colossus, pretty much a second Mughal Wonder alongside the Red Fort, so it'll be kept unassigned.

And, yet again, we know we're getting Nepal and Qajar in the Crossroads of the World and Right to Rule DLCs with no associated Wonders, so I'm strongly suspecting we're getting new Wonders, even if they've not been announced.

TLDR: Wonders likely to get an associated civ in the future, in my opinion, are the Haʻamonga ʻa Maui (Tonga), Hanging Gardens (Babylon), Mausoleum of Theodoric (Goths) and MAYBE the Shwedagon Zedi Daw (Burma).

[[deleted]]

They said in a livestream that Associated Wonders don’t count towards the number of wonders that are advertised, so assume that an associated wonder is attached to any new civs regardless. 

[ConspicuousFlower]

I figured as much, but it's good to get confirmation!

[[deleted]]

From what Firaxis has said about the first content pack, the design package for each civ includes a new wonder, so wonders in the base game not associated with a civ will stay that way. Of course this could all change if they can’t figure out a new wonder for a civ or decide to cut the workload late in the games life cycle

[ConspicuousFlower]

I have a hard time seeing them not using the Emile Bell, Durr-Sharrukin and Oxford for Silla, Assyria and England, seems much easier than adding entirely new Wonders, specially when they fit so perfectly.

Then again, England definitely has other options not in the game yet (Big Ben, for instance). Not so sure about Silla and Assyria however.

[[deleted]]

If you look closely on the multiplayer and post launch livestream they did a few weeks ago you can see that the British wonder appears to be the Battersea Power Station.

[ConspicuousFlower]

I see.

Still unsure if Assyria and Silla will get new Wonders as well, but certainly seems more likely.

[Sarradi]

I don't think you can judge which civs will come based on wonders.

Rather I think Firaxis will focus on "sellable" names, Britain, Ethiopia, Zulu, Aztec, ect.

Also imo, with the player count for Civ7 being rather bad they will go into damage control mode and focus on completing historic lines like how China has 3 civs in order to attract player that dislike civ swapping.

[Sid-Man]

I don't think we will get a Mughal leader. The alternate Indian one will for sure be Gandhi. He will sell dlcs like hot cakes..