Civilization 7, developed by Firaxis, has recently introduced a significant update, version 1.1.1, aimed at enhancing gameplay and addressing player feedback. This update arrives at a challenging time for the game, as it currently has fewer players on Steam compared to its predecessors, Civilization 6 and Civilization 5.
On Steam, Civilization 7 has seen a 24-hour peak of 16,921 concurrent players, which falls short of the top 100 most-played games on the platform. In contrast, Civilization 5, despite being released in 2010, boasts a 24-hour peak of 17,423 players, while Civilization 6 from 2016 has significantly more with a peak of 40,676 players. This indicates a preference among fans for the older titles.
Firaxis has detailed the key features of Update 1.1.1 on Steam, which include:
- Quick Move Functionality
- New Natural Wonder Mount Everest
- Additional UI Updates & Polish
- Settlement & Commander Renaming
- And more!
Lead designer Ed Beach elaborated on these changes in a video, alongside the full patch notes, which are expected to be released soon.
Civilization 7 Update 1.1.1 Patch Notes:
Quick Move Functionality: This new optional setting allows players to toggle immediate unit movement, speeding up gameplay.
Map Generation: A new start position option has been introduced. The default for single-player games is now set to 'Standard,' offering more varied and less predictable continents, similar to Civilization 6. Multiplayer games will continue to use the 'Balanced' setting for consistent map generation.
Renaming Settlements and Commanders: Players can now rename their settlements and commanders, adding a personal touch to their civilizations.
Restart Feature: A new button enables players to restart the game, regenerating the map with new seeds but maintaining the same leader and civilization choices.
UI Improvements: Enhancements include a persistent city and town panel during purchases, new notifications for city attacks, indicators for crises, and improved resource tooltips. The update also brings significant pacing changes.
New Civilizations and Leaders: Alongside the update, new civilizations Bulgaria and Nepal, along with the new leader Simón Bolívar, will be available as part of the paid Crossroads of the World Collection, released on March 25.
Civilization 7 has faced criticism from series veterans due to its new mechanics, resulting in a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam and a 7/10 score from IGN. In response, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick remains optimistic, suggesting that the "legacy Civ audience" will appreciate the game more with time, and describing its early performance as "very encouraging."
For players looking to master Civilization 7, resources are available to guide you through achieving every victory type, understanding significant changes from Civilization 6, avoiding common mistakes, and exploring map types and difficulty settings.
