"Civ 7's 1.1.1 Update Struggles Against Civ 6 and 5 on Steam" %v

Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has announced a significant update, version 1.1.1, at a time when the newly launched strategy game is witnessing fewer players on Steam than its predecessors, Civilization 6 and the 15-year-old Civilization 5. On Valve’s platform, Civilization 7 has achieved a 24-hour peak player count of 16,921, a figure insufficient to rank within Steam's top 100 most-played games. In comparison, Civilization 5, released in 2010, boasts a 24-hour peak of 17,423 players, while Civilization 6, launched in 2016, significantly outperforms with 40,676 players over the same period. It’s evident that the majority of Civilization fans continue to prefer Civilization 6.

In a Steam post, Firaxis detailed some of the "additions and refinements" that will be included in Update 1.1.1. These enhancements encompass:

Quick Move Functionality
New Natural Wonder Mount Everest
Additional UI Updates & Polish
Settlement & Commander Renaming
And more!

Lead designer Ed Beach provided a more comprehensive overview of the changes in a video, directing players to the full patch notes, which are soon to be released.

Civilization 7 Update 1.1.1 Patch Notes:

The Quick Move feature is now an optional setting available in the game’s menu. By enabling this, units can instantly reach their destinations, allowing for a faster gameplay experience.

A significant update to map generation includes a new start position option. The default setting for single-player games is now Standard, which offers a more varied and less predictable continental layout, reminiscent of Civilization 6. In multiplayer games, the Balanced setting continues to be used to ensure a level playing field with consistent maps.

Players can now rename settlements and commanders, adding a personal touch to their game (historical accuracy aside!). A new feature allows players to restart the game with a single click, generating a new map while retaining the same leader and civilization choices, similar to the functionality in Civilization 6.

User interface improvements include a city and town panel that remains open during purchases, new notifications for cities under attack, indicators for crises, and enhanced resource tooltips. The update also brings significant changes to pacing.

Alongside the update, new civilizations Bulgaria and Nepal, along with the new leader Simón Bolívar, are being introduced as part of the paid Crossroads of the World Collection, available from March 25.

Civilization 7 has sparked controversy among series veterans due to its new mechanics and has struggled to maintain player numbers on Steam. The game currently holds a 'mixed' user review rating on the platform and received a 7/10 from IGN. In a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative feedback but expressed optimism that the "legacy Civ audience" would eventually embrace the game, describing its early performance as "very encouraging."

For players looking to master Civilization 7, our comprehensive guides cover everything from achieving every victory type, understanding the significant changes from Civilization 6, avoiding common mistakes, to exploring the various map types and difficulty settings.