"Civ 7's 1.1.1 Update Aims to Boost Competition Against Civ 6 and Civ 5 on Steam"

Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has announced a pivotal update, version 1.1.1, at a time when the game is experiencing lower player numbers on Steam compared to its predecessors, Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5. On Valve's platform, Civilization 7 has achieved a 24-hour peak concurrent player count of 16,921, which falls short of entering 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, launched in 2016, has a significantly higher 24-hour peak of 40,676 players, indicating a strong preference among fans for the earlier titles.

In a recent Steam post, Firaxis detailed several "additions and refinements" set to be introduced with Update 1.1.1, including:

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

Lead designer Ed Beach provided a comprehensive overview 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 on in the game's menu. This update allows units to move to their destinations instantly, enhancing the game's pacing.

A significant addition is the new start position option related to map generation. For single-player games, the default setting has been updated to Standard, offering a gameplay experience more akin to Civilization 6 with varied and less predictable continents. Multiplayer games will retain the Balanced setting to ensure a level playing field on more consistent maps.

Players can now rename settlements and commanders, adding a personal touch to their gameplay. Additionally, the ability to restart the game with a single click allows players to find the perfect first settlement, regenerating the map with new seeds while keeping their chosen leader and civilization.

User interface improvements include a persistent city and town panel during purchases, a new notification for cities under attack, updated indicators for crises, and enhanced resource tooltips. Pacing changes are also part of this update.

Alongside the update, new civilizations Bulgaria and Nepal, along with the new leader Simón Bolívar, will be available as part of the paid Crossroads of the World Collection, launching today, March 25.

Rank Every Civilization Game

Civilization 7 has stirred controversy among series veterans due to its new mechanics and has faced challenges on Steam, with a 'mixed' user review rating and a 7/10 score from IGN. The console player numbers remain undisclosed. In a recent IGN interview, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative feedback but remains optimistic, believing that the "legacy Civ audience" will embrace the game over time and describing its early performance as "very encouraging." He also hinted at potential future developments, including the return of fan-favorite leader Gandhi.

For those looking to conquer the world in Civilization 7, our comprehensive guides cover everything from achieving every victory type, understanding the significant changes for players transitioning from Civilization 6, and avoiding common mistakes. We also provide detailed explanations of the various map types and difficulty settings to help players navigate the game's challenges.