Civilization VII is getting pirates, and the most famous one is leading the charge. Firaxis revealed Edward Teach, the legendary Blackbeard himself, in a First Look trailer on October 27, 2025. He’s part of the Tides of Power Collection launching November 4, and here’s the best part – he’s completely free to claim for two months. But if you sleep on this and miss the January 5, 2026 deadline, you’ll have to pay for what everyone else got for nothing.
The Dread Pirate Legend
Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate whose name sparked genuine fear in Caribbean captains during the early 1700s. In 1716, he joined Benjamin Hornigold’s crew as part of the Flying Gang and quickly earned his own ships. With his impressive height, long beard decorated with lit fuses, and reputation for violence, Teach became the nightmare that haunted sea lanes and sailors’ dreams alike.
Firaxis isn’t just adding Blackbeard as a naval-focused leader. They’re giving him abilities that fundamentally break Civilization’s normal rules about borders and warfare. His unique ability, appropriately named Blackbeard, turns all naval units into pirates with special privileges. Your ships can cross into other civilizations’ borders without permission, plunder trade routes from non-allied nations, and attack enemy naval units without formally declaring war.
Capture and Profit
Here’s where it gets interesting. When Teach’s naval units defeat enemy ships, they don’t just sink them. They capture them. Every naval victory provides gold equal to a percentage of the defeated unit’s combat strength, and that unit joins your fleet. This snowball mechanic means a successful early naval campaign can spiral into total maritime dominance as you build an armada from captured enemy vessels.
The trade-off is increased gold maintenance costs for all naval units. You’re running a pirate operation, not a national navy. Crews need to be paid, and they expect more than standard military wages. This balances the capturing mechanic by preventing you from maintaining infinitely large fleets without economic consequences. You’ll need to balance aggressive expansion with fiscal responsibility, which feels thematically perfect for a pirate leader.
Build Your Pirate Empire
Teach’s attributes are Militaristic and Economic, reflecting how pirates operated as both military forces and economic enterprises. His agenda, Queen Anne’s Revenge (named after his flagship), increases relationship with leaders who build naval units and decreases relationship with those who don’t. Basically, Teach respects maritime power and disdains landlubbers who ignore the seas.
The trailer specifically highlights pairing Teach with the Republic of Pirates civilization in the Exploration Age. This infamous pirate republic existed in Nassau, Bahamas from 1706 to 1718, serving as a democratic haven for pirates who elected their own leaders and shared plunder. The synergy between Teach’s pirate abilities and a civilization literally built around piracy should create devastatingly effective naval strategies.
Naval Warfare Overhaul
Teach arrives alongside update 1.3.0, which introduces sweeping changes to naval combat. The Harbor becomes a new water-based warehouse building. The Privateer joins as a new Light Naval Unit described as the ultimate naval raider. Naval combat mechanics are being reworked, though Firaxis hasn’t detailed exact changes yet. New resources and terrain types specific to maritime gameplay are also coming.
These naval updates transform water from background terrain into a primary theater of warfare and economic competition. For players who traditionally ignored navies in previous Civilization games, this update combined with Teach’s abilities might finally make maritime strategies competitive with land-based expansion.
The Tides of Power Collection
Edward Teach is the headline act, but he’s not alone. The Tides of Power Collection launches in two waves. Part one arrives November 4 with Teach, the Tonga civilization, and the Republic of Pirates. Part two drops in December with Sayyida al Hurra, the legendary pirate queen of the Mediterranean, plus the Ottomans and Iceland civilizations.
The entire collection is free to claim from November 4, 2025 through January 5, 2026 at 6:59 AM Pacific Time. Once you claim it, you own it permanently. But after January 5, Firaxis will start charging for Tides of Power. The price hasn’t been announced, but based on typical Civilization DLC pricing, expect somewhere between 15 to 25 dollars for the complete collection.
Claim It or Pay Later
This limited-time giveaway is smart business from Firaxis. It drives engagement with Civilization VII two months after launch when initial hype might be cooling. It rewards early adopters and active players with free content. And it creates urgency – claim it now or pay later. The two-month window is generous enough that nobody can reasonably complain they missed it, but short enough to create legitimate scarcity.
Continuous Civilization Coming
Beyond pirates and naval warfare, Firaxis dropped major news about Civilization VII’s future. The studio is internally playtesting one of the most requested features from players – the ability to play as one civilization continuously through all three ages. This would fundamentally alter Civ VII’s defining mechanic, which forces players to switch civilizations at age transitions.
The age system divides history into Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern eras, with each civilization locked to specific ages matching their historical prominence. Egypt dominates Antiquity, England thrives in Exploration, America rules Modern. This structure has been controversial since announcement, with longtime Civ fans complaining it breaks immersion and prevents them from guiding their chosen civilization from ancient times to the space age.
Firaxis Feature Workshop
To test continuous civilization play and other dramatic changes to Legacy Paths and Victories, Firaxis is launching the Firaxis Feature Workshop. This initiative invites small numbers of community members to play features still in development and provide feedback on what’s working, what’s not, and what’s missing. Details on how to apply will be shared through the Civilization VII Discord server.
This community-driven approach to development is smart. Rather than guessing what players want or making changes in a vacuum, Firaxis is opening the door earlier and letting players shape mechanics before they’re finalized. It’s the kind of transparency and collaboration that builds goodwill and ensures controversial changes get proper testing before going live.
Platform and Availability
Civilization VII is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. The game also supports Mac and Linux on Steam. The Tides of Power Collection will be available across all platforms starting November 4.
Cross-platform cloud saves mean you can claim Tides of Power on one platform and access it on another if you own multiple versions. This matters for people who might play on PC at home but Switch while traveling, or Xbox at a friend’s house but PlayStation at home.
Why Blackbeard Matters
Edward Teach represents something Civilization has always excelled at – taking historical figures and letting players reshape history through them. The real Blackbeard terrorized the Caribbean for barely two years before being killed by pirate hunter Robert Maynard in 1718. His legend far outlived his actual career, becoming the archetype all fictional pirates are measured against.
In Civilization VII, players can take that legend and build something far greater. What if Blackbeard hadn’t died young? What if he’d united pirates into a lasting maritime power? What if pirate democracies had become the dominant geopolitical force? Civ lets you answer those questions, and Teach’s abilities encourage the kind of aggressive naval expansion that could make those alternate histories real.
FAQs
When can I get Edward Teach in Civilization VII?
Edward Teach launches as part of the Tides of Power Collection on November 4, 2025. He’s free to claim until January 5, 2026 at 6:59 AM Pacific Time. After that deadline, you’ll need to purchase the DLC.
What makes Blackbeard unique as a leader?
His Blackbeard ability turns all naval units into pirates that can cross borders freely, plunder trade routes, and attack ships without declaring war. Defeating enemy naval units captures them and awards gold, creating a snowball effect as your fleet grows through conquest.
Do I need the base game to claim Tides of Power?
Yes, you need to own Civilization VII to claim and play the Tides of Power Collection. The DLC is free during the promotional period, but requires the base game.
What else comes with Tides of Power?
Part one includes Edward Teach, Tonga civilization, and Republic of Pirates civilization. Part two in December adds leader Sayyida al Hurra, Ottomans civilization, and Iceland civilization. The collection also includes four new Wonders.
What is the Republic of Pirates?
The Republic of Pirates is a new Exploration Age civilization representing the democratic pirate haven that existed in Nassau, Bahamas from 1706 to 1718. It pairs perfectly with Edward Teach’s abilities for maritime dominance strategies.
Can I still play the old way in Civilization VII?
Firaxis is internally testing a way to play one civilization continuously through all three ages instead of switching at age transitions. This feature is not available yet but is being developed based on player feedback.
How much will Tides of Power cost after January 5?
Firaxis hasn’t announced the price yet. Based on typical Civilization DLC pricing, expect somewhere between 15 to 25 dollars for the complete collection.
What platforms is Civilization VII available on?
The game is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Steam version supports Mac and Linux.
What are the naval warfare changes in update 1.3.0?
Update 1.3.0 introduces the Harbor water-based building, the Privateer naval raider unit, reworked naval combat mechanics, and new maritime resources and terrain. Full details will be revealed closer to the November 4 launch.
Conclusion
Edward Teach’s arrival in Civilization VII represents exactly the kind of asymmetric gameplay that makes the series special. Every leader should feel distinct with unique strategies and playstyles that encourage different approaches to victory. Blackbeard delivers on that promise with pirate mechanics that fundamentally change how naval warfare works, turning oceans from barriers into highways for plunder and conquest. The two-month free window is generous, but don’t get complacent. Mark your calendar for November 4 to claim Tides of Power, because paying for something everyone else got free would sting worse than walking the plank. The seas are calling, matey. Time to hoist the black flag, light those fuses in your beard, and show the world what happens when a legend gets to rewrite history. Just remember what the trailer said. Build something you believe in. Even if what you believe in is an empire built on captured ships, plundered trade routes, and the terror your name inspires in every captain foolish enough to sail within cannon range.