Civ 6’s New Frontier Pass Feels Like a Test for the Future

Summary

Sid Meier's Civilization may be adopting a new approach to post-launch content with more "New Frontier Passes" like those seen in Civilization 6.
The New Frontier Pass and Leader Pass in Civilization 6 were successful in providing consistent and engaging content for players, which may influence the future development of the series.
There is a possibility that Civ 7 will follow a season pass model for its DLC, including expansion packs, to make post-launch content more accessible and enjoyable for players.

Post-launch DLC has always been a major part of the Sid Meier's Civilization series, but Civ 6's New Frontier Pass did it a bit differently. Firaxis tends to release multiple DLC packs of various sizes that add to the strategy game considerably throughout its tenure. This has been the approach for years, but now it seems like the studio is testing the waters for a whole new type of post-launch content stream. While nothing has been confirmed yet, the future of Sid Meier's Civilization could involve a lot more New Frontier Passes.

The New Frontier Pass was a fantastic way for Civilization 6 players to get a consistent stream of content. While the content varied in quality immensely, it was still a nice change of pace from the standard expansion packs that Firaxis liked to release. The studio repeated the model with the recent Leader Pass, and there is a strong possibility it repeats it again when Sid Meier's Civilization 7 finally hits store shelves. It may take some getting used to, but this new season pass model may be here to stay.

Civilization's Future Could Be in New Frontier Passes

Firaxis usually releases new civilizations and expansion packs to keep a Civilization game alive for years after its initial release date. Expansions tend to overhaul many features while the civilization packs give players new factions to control with new powers to utilize. Sid Meier's Civilization 6 got a lot of DLC like this, but then Firaxis changed its approach with the game's final two rounds of DLC. The New Frontier Pass and Leader Pass were unlike anything the franchise had seen before, and the studio may never go back to the basics again.

Civilization 6's New Frontier Pass operated much like a season pass that other games like to include. For $39.99, players were able to get six waves of DLC delivered over the course of the year. Each wave gave players new civilizations, new leaders, a new optional game mode, and various other additions. Firaxis would also release free updates in-between these waves that would add even more optional content to the game. While these packs were not as substantial as expansion packs, they still gave players a reason to keep coming back for more.

The New Frontier Pass must have been a success because Firaxis released another season pass-like DLC at the end of 2022. The Leader Pass gave players six waves of additional leaders for $19.99 or for free if they previously owned all of Sid Meier's Civilization 6's DLC. These waves simply added three new leaders that served as alternate leaders for the game's many civilizations. This was far less content than the New Frontier Pass, but it was still a welcome treat for fans of the strategy game.

The New Frontier Pass and Leader Pass are new types of Civilization DLC, and there is a strong chance they were simply tests for the future of the series. While Firaxis has yet to officially reveal Civilization 7, it has announced that the next chapter of the franchise is in development. Since the studio seemed to like the season pass model, it will likely use that same model for the next game's post-launch content stream. This could simply mean more New Frontier Pass and Leader Pass waves, or Firaxis may want to take it a step further by releasing the game's future expansion packs through a similar system.

Throwing Civ 7's DLC into a season pass-like structure would be a drastic shift, but it would make sense after the success of the last two iterations. It could help make the post-launch content more accessible and welcoming, but that all depends on the price point. Only time will tell what Firaxis wants to do, and hopefully whatever it chooses is the best choice for the series' longevity.