Civilization 7's 1.1.1 Update: Struggling Against Civ 6 and Civ 5 on Steam

Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has recently announced the critical Update 1.1.1 for the game, which comes at a pivotal moment. Despite the recent launch, Civilization 7 is currently experiencing lower player numbers on Steam compared to its predecessors, Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

On Valve’s platform, Civilization 7 has achieved a 24-hour peak of 16,921 concurrent players, which falls short of entering Steam's top 100 most-played games. In contrast, Civilization 5, released back in 2010, had a 24-hour peak of 17,423 players, while Civilization 6 from 2016 significantly outperformed both with a peak of 40,676 players. This indicates that many fans of the series are continuing to prefer Civilization 6 over the latest installment.

In an effort to address player feedback and enhance the gaming experience, Firaxis has detailed some of the key "additions and refinements" in Update 1.1.1 on Steam. These 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 detailed video, referencing the full patch notes, which are expected to be released soon.

Civilization 7 Update 1.1.1 Patch Notes:

The Quick Move feature is now an optional setting that players can toggle in the game’s menu, allowing for immediate unit movement to their destinations, thereby speeding up gameplay.

A significant update includes a new start position option for map generation. The default setting for single-player games is now "Standard," which offers varied and less predictable continents, reminiscent of Civilization 6. Multiplayer games will continue to use the "Balanced" setting to ensure a level playing field with consistent maps.

Players can now rename their settlements and commanders, adding a personal touch to their civilizations. Additionally, a new feature allows players to restart the game with the click of a button, regenerating the map with new seeds while retaining their chosen leader and civilization.

User Interface improvements include keeping the city and town panel open during purchases, a new notification for cities under attack, new indicators for crises, and enhanced resource tooltips. The update also brings significant pacing changes to enhance the overall gameplay experience.

Alongside these updates, a new civilization, Bulgaria, will be introduced with Nepal and new leader Simón Bolívar as part of the paid Crossroads of the World Collection, available starting March 25.

Despite these efforts, Civilization 7 has stirred controversy among series veterans due to its new mechanics and has struggled to maintain player numbers on Steam. It currently holds a 'mixed' user review rating on the platform and received a 7/10 from IGN's review.

In a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative reviews but expressed optimism, believing that the "legacy Civ audience" will eventually embrace the game. He described Civilization 7's early performance as "very encouraging."

For players looking to improve their gameplay, there are numerous resources available. Guides on achieving every victory type in Civilization 7, understanding the biggest changes from Civilization 6, avoiding crucial mistakes, and learning about the various map types and difficulty settings can be found to help players conquer the world in this new installment of the beloved strategy series.