The launch of *Civilization 7* on Steam has been challenging, to say the least. Since its debut in February, the strategy game sequel has struggled to attract players on Valve's platform, with Steam user reviews indicating a 'mixed' reception. Despite several patches from developer Firaxis aimed at improving the game, *Civilization 7* has fewer players on Steam compared to its predecessors, *Civilization 6* and even the 15-year-old *Civilization 5*.
While *Civ 7*'s performance on Steam is concerning, it's important to consider the broader picture. The game also launched on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, with an upcoming version for the Nintendo Switch 2 that will incorporate new Joy-Con mouse controls. However, the core audience for Civilization has traditionally been on PC, where *Civ 7* is clearly facing difficulties.
In an interview with IGN ahead of Take-Two's latest financial results, CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed his enthusiasm for *Civ 7*, despite its rocky start. "I'm thrilled with *Civ 7* so far," Zelnick stated. "However, there were some issues initially, and our team at Firaxis has done a great job addressing those issues. There's more work to be done. I'm optimistic that work will be done and will suit consumers, and ultimately that we have a very successful title on our hands."
Zelnick highlighted the long sales cycle typical of the Civilization franchise, suggesting that *Civ 7* would follow a similar trajectory. "The history of all the Civilization releases is that initially some of the changes that we make cause consternation among our consumers because they love the Civilization franchise so much," he explained. "And then people realize, oh, this really is an improvement and over a long sales cycle, we do really well. I think that's what'll happen here too. But undoubtedly, we had some issues in the beginning, which we've addressed partially and continue to address."
At launch, players pointed out issues with the user interface, a lack of map variety, and the absence of expected features. Zelnick's comments on the initial nervousness of hardcore Civ players likely refer to the significant changes Firaxis introduced, such as the new Age system. In *Civilization 7*, a full campaign spans three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. During an Age Transition, players select a new civilization, choose which Legacies to retain, and witness the evolution of the game world—a feature unprecedented in previous Civilization games. Zelnick is confident that fans will grow to appreciate this innovation over time.
While Take-Two has not disclosed specific sales figures for *Civilization 7*, the company's financial report mentioned efforts to expand the game's audience. This includes the recent release of *Civilization 7 VR* for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, as well as the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 port.
