I think first expansion will not have religious focus

[Haig]

With the massive(and very promising!) additions and revamps for the Religion on the Fall patch, I think Firaxis wanted to make religion "done" for the moment as the next big expansion wont have much of a religious focus.

Frankly there are so many civs with religious bonuses and buildings now, that I'd gladly see some empires with say Commercial, diplomatic or espionage bonus.

Who knows where the expansions take us, but probably religion doesn't see huge additions.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Based on the Rock Paper Shotgun interview that Ed Beach gave this summer, the expansion will probably have new diplomacy, World Congress, new Espionage, and a late-game pass.

 

[Hawke9]

I think a world congress will be added in the net expansion, Ed Beach has talked about it in some interviews.

Edit: ninja'd

 

[WillowBrook]

Yeah, seems that they're trying to get in all the tweaks to the religious game with this patch so they don't have to touch it in the expansion.

 

[darkace77450]

Based on the Rock Paper Shotgun interview that Ed Beach gave this summer, the expansion will probably have new diplomacy, World Congress, new Espionage, and a late-game pass.

Throw in a diplomatic victory and an respectable AI and Firaxis has a sale.

 

[Remmert]

Like Civ 4 and 5 first expansions, I guess the focus would be more on the early game, like adding more Medival units (swordsman > ? > musketman)

It makes more likely to add medeval governments als well, maybe some trade options, and possibly health as a yield.
Still I love to see golden ages back as well; with the right health/amenities, you could trigger a Golden Age

 

[diggerjohn111]

I watched the Firaxis live stream and liked what I saw, the Warrior Monks look amazing. I also love the South East Asia focus. The strength of Civ has always been taking you to new places and this has worked for them for decades.

 

[Vahnstad]

Yes, no early game DLC. Babylon and Mongolia will have to wait (however, i don't think the expansions are age-driven in particular). The first one will probably be about espionage, diplomacy, exploration, late game features and wonders like Himeji Castle and Grand Canyon. I also expect a lot of alternate leaders in the DLC, since they won't be featured in other DLC's (or they just did it for modding and Greece?).

almost guaranteed (+-90%):
Netherlands
Inca
Mali
Maya

likely: (+- 60%)
Portugal
Ethiopia
Ottomans
a Native American civ (i don't know enough about it)
Isabella of Spain

possible: (+-25%)
Korea
an Italian represented civ (Genoa most likely followed by Florence)
Morocco
Zulu
Joan of Arc
Sweden
Muisca / (Gran) Colombia

long shot (<5%)
Austria
Mughals
A different French leader: Napoleon or Louis XIV
Bismarck
Hungary
Mongolia
Babylon
Ashoka or a Mughal leader
A different Japanese leader
A different English leader
Swahili
South-Africa
a different Mali-like civilization (Ghana / Songhai / Benin and there was another one, but i don't remember which one, but i honestly doubt it. I can't imagine it).

other civs <1%

 

[Phoenix1595]

Given the likelihood of a diplomatic/economic/explo theme, I can imagine the xpack focusing on maritime and trade empires, like the Dutch, Portugal, Florence/Venice, Carthage/Phoenicians, Mali, etc., with New World civs (Inca, Iroquois, Maya, another NA civ) thrown in.

However, I do hope they throw us a few "legacy" civs (Zulu, Mongols, Ottomans) because it is not a Civ game without Shaka and Genghis breathing down our necks with their hordes of impi and keshiks.

 

[darko82]

It's obvious. The vanilla game contains two Civ 5 expansions. They should focus on diplomacy, though.

 

[Frostburn]

With the massive(and very promising!) additions and revamps for the Religion on the Fall patch, I think Firaxis wanted to make religion "done" for the moment as the next big expansion wont have much of a religious focus.

Frankly there are so many civs with religious bonuses and buildings now, that I'd gladly see some empires with say Commercial, diplomatic or espionage bonus.

Who knows where the expansions take us, but probably religion doesn't see huge additions.

I really hope they revamp diplomacy in the next major update and/or expansion. The World Congress is one of the features I miss most about Civ 5. Overall I prefer 6, but the diplomacy is not even close- 5's was far superior. I would also like to see a few more civs Economic/Commercial, and diplomatic bonuses. Like you said we aleady have a ton of civs with religious bonuses, and combat as well. Would be great fi they added a commerce civ like Civ 5's Venice, or a couple of less extreme ones.

 

[Phoenix1595]

I really hope they revamp diplomacy in the next major update and/or expansion. The World Congress is one of the features I miss most about Civ 5. Overall I prefer 6, but the diplomacy is not even close- 5's was far superior. I would also like to see a few more civs Economic/Commercial, and diplomatic bonuses. Like you said we aleady have a ton of civs with religious bonuses, and combat as well. Would be great fi they added a commerce civ like Civ 5's Venice, or a couple of less extreme ones.

I feel that you might get a commercial powerhouse civ in the form of an Italian city-state civ, like Civ5's Venice. Why else would they not have included major cities like Florence, Genoa, and VENICE from vanilla but for their eventual inclusion in an xpack?

Given the wide playstyle preferred in Civ6, I don't see them including a one-city civ like Venice again. Rather, we will probably get an Italian city-state civ that includes the big renaissance city-states (sans Rome with huge trade and diplomatic bonuses, and probably naval perks as well.

 

[Aussie_Lurker]

Assuming we get no new DLC between now & the next expansion, then I think we will probably get an expansion with a Mid to Late Game focus. Age of Exploration & Age of Colonization based scenarios, Civilizations (& City States) from the Americas & Africa, & new game mechanics that play into this-such as significantly improved Diplomatic & Espionage Options, & probably improvements in the quantity & distribution of strategic, bonus & luxury resources. We might see some more, very minor tweaks to religion, but only insofar as they fit in with the focus I mentioned above. My hope is that they will revisit the better elements of Civilization IV's religion system-such as the ability to change your state religion and have policies that impact State & Non-State Religions within your cities.