Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has announced the crucial update 1.1.1, which comes at a pivotal moment for the recently released strategy game. Despite its launch, Civilization 7 is currently seeing fewer players on Steam compared to its predecessors, Civilization 6 and the 15-year-old Civilization 5.
On Valve's platform, Civilization 7 has recorded a 24-hour peak of 16,921 concurrent players, which falls short of making it into Steam's top 100 most-played games. In contrast, Civilization 5, launched in 2010, boasts a 24-hour peak of 17,423 players. Meanwhile, Civilization 6 from 2016 significantly outperforms both with a 24-hour peak of 40,676 players, indicating that many fans of the franchise are sticking with the earlier installment.
In a recent Steam post, Firaxis detailed some of the enhancements and refinements included in Update 1.1.1. These include:
- Quick Move Functionality
- New Natural Wonder Mount Everest
- Additional UI Updates & Polish
- Settlement & Commander Renaming
- And more!
Lead designer Ed Beach provided a comprehensive walkthrough of these changes in a 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 units to reach their destinations instantly for a faster gameplay experience.
A significant update includes a new start position option for map generation. For single-player games, the default setting is now 'Standard,' which mirrors the more varied and less predictable continents of Civilization 6. In multiplayer, the 'Balanced' setting continues to be used to ensure a level playing field with consistent map layouts.
Players can now rename their settlements and commanders, offering a more personalized touch to the game. Additionally, a restart feature allows players to regenerate the map with new seeds while retaining their chosen leader and civilization.
UI enhancements include a persistent city and town panel during purchases, new notifications for cities under attack, indicators for crises, and improved resource tooltips. The update also introduces significant pacing adjustments.
Alongside these updates, the paid Crossroads of the World Collection, released on March 25, introduces new civilizations Bulgaria and Nepal, along with the new leader Simón Bolívar.
Rank every Civilization Game
Rank every Civilization Game
Civilization 7 has stirred debate among series veterans due to its new mechanics and has faced challenges on Steam, where player numbers are public. The game holds a 'mixed' user review rating on the platform and received a 7/10 from IGN. In an interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative feedback but remains optimistic, suggesting that the "legacy Civ audience" will warm to the game over time and describing its early performance as "very encouraging." He also hinted at future developments, including the potential return of the iconic leader Gandhi.
For those looking to master Civilization 7, IGN offers a range of guides, including strategies for achieving every victory type, a breakdown of major changes for players transitioning from Civilization 6, and a list of common mistakes to avoid. Additionally, there are detailed explanations of the game's various map types and difficulty settings to help players navigate their world conquest.