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

Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has announced a pivotal update, version 1.1.1, amidst the game's struggle to retain players on Steam. The latest installment in the renowned strategy series has seen a 24-hour peak of only 16,921 concurrent players, falling short of making it into Steam's top 100 most-played games. This figure is notably lower than Civilization 6's 24-hour peak of 40,676 and even trails behind the 15-year-old Civilization 5, which recently hit a peak of 17,423 players. It appears that many fans are sticking with the more familiar Civilization 6.

In an effort to address player feedback and enhance the gaming experience, Firaxis has detailed several key updates coming with version 1.1.1. The patch notes, which were shared in a post on Steam, 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, promising comprehensive patch notes soon.

Civilization 7 Update 1.1.1 Patch Notes:

The Quick Move feature is now an optional setting, allowing players to toggle it on for faster unit movement and a quicker gameplay experience.

A significant update to map generation introduces a new start position option. The default setting for single-player games is now 'Standard,' offering a more varied and unpredictable continental layout reminiscent of Civilization 6. For multiplayer, the 'Balanced' setting remains, ensuring consistent maps for all players.

Players can now rename settlements and commanders, adding a personal touch to their civilization. Additionally, the game can be restarted with a single click to generate a new map while retaining the same leader and civilization selections.

User interface improvements include a persistent city and town panel when making purchases, new notifications for cities under attack, indicators for crises, and enhanced resource tooltips. The update also brings significant pacing changes to the game.

Alongside the update, a new paid expansion, the Crossroads of the World Collection, introduces Bulgaria as a playable civilization, alongside Nepal and the new leader Simón Bolívar, available from March 25.

Community and Reception

Civilization 7 has sparked debate among series veterans due to its new mechanics, reflected in its 'mixed' user review rating on Steam and a 7/10 score from IGN. In a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative feedback but expressed optimism, suggesting that the game's performance is "very encouraging" and that the core Civilization audience will appreciate it more with time.

For players looking to master Civilization 7, IGN offers a range of guides, including strategies for achieving every victory type, understanding the significant changes from Civilization 6, avoiding common mistakes, and exploring the various map types and difficulty settings.