Guide: All Dark Age and Golden Age Effects and How To Get Them in Civilization 7

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Among the mechanics that Civilization 7 has taken over from its immediate predecessor is the ability to get Dark or Golden Ages when transitioning into the next phase of the game — though Firaxis has made some changes to adapt the system to the game’s new structure.

Instead of earning Era Points to chase after a Golden Age, the mechanic has been combined with Civilization 7‘s Legacy Paths, which guide players across all epochs towards the Military Victory, Science Victory, Culture Victory, or Economic Victory.

Find out how to get Dark Ages and Golden Ages in Civilization 7 and what their effects are below.

How To Earn Dark Ages and Golden Ages in Civ 7

To get a Golden Age in Civilization 7, all you have to do is completing any Legacy Path during the Antiquity Age or Exploration Age. This will unlock a Golden Age Legacy for the following Age with its effects corresponding to the Legacy Path in which you earned the Golden Age.

Getting a Dark Age happens the opposite way: If you manage to not make any progress in one of the Legacy Paths during the Antiquity Age or Exploration Age, you unlock the corresponding Dark Age Legacy for the next Age.

It’s important to note that even if you unlock a Dark Age or Golden Age Legacy, you’re not forced to actually activate it when you go through the Age Transition.

Antiquity Age — All Dark Age and Golden Age Effects in Civ 7

Culture:

• Dark Age: +1 Charges and Movement for Missionaries, but -3 Happiness in all settlements after founding a Religion and -6 Happiness in all settlements not following your Religion.
• Golden Age: Amphitheaters retain their yields, effects, and adjacency bonuses in the Exploration Age.

Military:

• Dark Age: Lose all your existing armies and settlements aside from your Capital, but start out with three full armies consisting of cavalry and siege units.
• Golden Age: Gain an infantry unit in every settlement you’ve conquered in the previous Age.

Science:

• Dark Age: Gain a random technology boost every five turns, but -50% Science.
• Golden Age: Academies retain their yields, effects, and adjacency bonuses in the Exploration Age.

Economic:

• Dark Age: Naval Commanders gain a Charge to create settlements every two levels, but Settlers have +100% Production cost.
• Golden Age: All of your Cities from the previous Age remain Cities.

Exploration Age — All Dark Age and Golden Age Effects in Civ 7

Culture:

• Dark Age: +1 Movement and +50% Excavation Speed for Explorers, but -50% Influence.
• Golden Age: Keep your Religious Founder Beliefs.

Military:

• Dark Age: Gain two levels on all Commanders and new Commanders start out with two levels, but +25% Production cost for all military units.
• Golden Age: Gain an infantry unit and ranged unit in all your Distant Land settlements.

Science:

• Dark Age: Flight is unlocked with Combustion, but +50% Production cost for all airplanes.
• Golden Age: Universities retain their yields, effects, and adjacency bonuses in the Exploration Age.

Economic:

• Dark Age: +100% Production and Gold towards building or purchasing Rail Stations and Ports as well as +1 Resource Capacity in all settlements, but -25% Culture.
• Golden Age: All of your Cities from the previous Age remain Cities and all Cities in the Distant Lands gain +2 Population.

For more insights on the game, read our interview with the Civilization 7 developers.