Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has announced the much-anticipated update 1.1.1, arriving at a critical time as the game struggles to maintain player engagement on Steam. Despite its recent release, Civilization 7's 24-hour peak player count stands at 16,921, falling short of the top 100 most-played games on the platform. In comparison, the older Civilization 5, released in 2010, boasts a peak of 17,423 players, while Civilization 6, launched in 2016, significantly outperforms with a peak of 40,676 players. Clearly, the latest installment is facing challenges in attracting and retaining the fanbase of this iconic strategy series.
In a detailed post on Steam, Firaxis outlined the key "additions and refinements" set to arrive with 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 an in-depth walkthrough of these changes in a video, pointing to the full patch notes which are expected to be released soon.
Civilization 7 Update 1.1.1 Patch Notes:
----------------------------------------One of the headline features of the update is the Quick Move functionality, which can now be toggled on in the game's menu. This feature allows units to move to their destination instantly, enhancing the game's pacing and enabling players to progress more quickly.
A significant change in map generation includes a new start position option. The default setting for single-player games has shifted to Standard, offering a more varied and less predictable continental layout reminiscent of Civilization 6. Multiplayer games retain the Balanced setting to ensure a level playing field with more consistent maps.
Players can now personalize their experience further by renaming settlements and commanders, adding a fun twist to historical accuracy. Additionally, a restart feature allows players to recreate the map with new seeds while keeping the same leader and civilization selections, much like in Civilization 6.
UI 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 introduces significant pacing changes to improve gameplay flow.
Alongside these updates, a new civilization, Bulgaria, joins the roster with Nepal and the new leader Simón Bolívar, available today, March 25, as part of the paid Crossroads of the World Collection.
Rank Every Civilization Game
Civilization 7 has stirred controversy among series veterans due to its new mechanics, and its performance on Steam reflects this struggle. 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 but remained optimistic, stating that the "legacy Civ audience" would come to appreciate the game with more playtime. He described Civilization 7's early performance as "very encouraging."
For those looking to master the game, IGN offers a comprehensive guide to achieving every victory in Civilization 7, a breakdown of the major changes from Civilization 6, and a list of 14 crucial mistakes to avoid. Additionally, explanations of all map types and difficulty settings are available to help players navigate the game's complexities.
