Civ 7 Won't Have Gandhi to Go Nuclear, But Did He Ever?

The "Nuclear Gandhi" myth: A Civilization legend debunked

The infamous "Nuclear Gandhi" bug from the original Civilization game is a well-known gaming legend. But was this tale of a pacifist leader unleashing nuclear devastation a reality, or just a fabrication? Let's explore the history and truth behind this enduring myth.

The Legend: The story claims that in the original Civilization, leaders had an aggression value (1-10, or sometimes 1-12). Gandhi, being a pacifist, started at 1. Upon adopting Democracy, his aggression supposedly dropped by 2, resulting in -1. This negative value, according to the legend, caused an 8-bit integer overflow, boosting his aggression to 255 – making him incredibly aggressive and prone to nuclear attacks.

The Spread: The Nuclear Gandhi myth gained traction in the mid-2010s, long after the original Civilization's release. Verification was difficult, and the game's age made the glitch seem plausible due to potential coding limitations.

The Debunking: Sid Meier himself, the game's creator, declared the myth "impossible" in 2020. He pointed out two key flaws: integer variables were signed (not unsigned), preventing the overflow; and government types didn't affect aggression levels. Brian Reynolds, Civilization II's lead designer, corroborated this, stating the original game only had three aggression levels.

The Reality: The legend likely originated from a combination of factors, including a misunderstanding of the game's mechanics and the inherent irony of a pacifist leader becoming a nuclear warmonger. While the original game didn't have a Nuclear Gandhi bug, Civilization V intentionally coded Gandhi with a high preference for nuclear weapons, fueling the myth's persistence.

The Legacy: Despite being debunked, Nuclear Gandhi remains iconic. Civilization VI even acknowledged the myth. However, with Gandhi absent from Civilization VII, the legend might finally rest.

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