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

Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has announced the crucial Update 1.1.1, which arrives at a time when the game is seeing fewer players on Steam compared to its predecessors, Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5. On Valve's platform, Civilization 7 has recorded a 24-hour peak player count of 16,921, a number that falls short of making it into Steam's top 100 most-played games. In contrast, Civilization 5, released in 2010, boasts a 24-hour peak of 17,423 players, while Civilization 6 from 2016 has significantly higher engagement with a peak of 40,676 players. This suggests that many fans of the series are continuing to favor the older entries in the franchise.

In a detailed post on Steam, Firaxis outlined the "additions and refinements" that will be introduced with Update 1.1.1. These include:

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

In an accompanying video, lead designer Ed Beach provided a thorough walkthrough of the upcoming changes, while the full patch notes 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 enable 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. The default setting for single-player games is now set to 'Standard', mimicking the feel of Civilization 6 with more varied and less predictable continents. For multiplayer games, the 'Balanced' setting remains in place to ensure a level playing field with consistent maps.

Players can now rename settlements and commanders, adding a personal touch to their game. A new restart feature allows players to recreate the map with new seeds but retain their chosen leader and civilization, much like in Civilization 6.

UI improvements include the city and town panel remaining open during purchases, new notifications for cities under attack, indicators for crises, and enhanced resource tooltips. Additionally, there are significant changes to the game's pacing.

Alongside Update 1.1.1, a new civilization, Bulgaria, will be introduced as part of the paid Crossroads of the World Collection, along with Nepal and the new leader Simón Bolívar, available from March 25.

Rank every Civilization Game

Civilization 7 has stirred controversy among series veterans due to its new mechanics, and its struggle on Steam has been notable, though console player numbers remain undisclosed. The game holds a 'mixed' user review rating on Valve’s platform and received a 7/10 from IGN's review.

In a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative feedback from both press and players but remained optimistic, suggesting that the "legacy Civ audience" would eventually embrace the game as they spend more time with it. He described Civilization 7’s early performance as "very encouraging." Additionally, there's ongoing speculation about the future of beloved characters like Gandhi.

For those looking to master Civilization 7, our comprehensive guides cover everything from achieving every Civ 7 victory, understanding the biggest Civ 7 changes for Civ 6 players, and avoiding the 14 crucial Civ 7 mistakes. We also provide detailed explanations of Civ 7 map types and difficulty settings to help you strategize effectively.