Zelnick Excited About Civilization 7 Despite High Play Rates of Civ 6 and 5 on Steam

The launch of Civilization 7 on Steam has been challenging, to say the least. Since its debut in February, the strategy game has seen a struggle to attract players on Valve's platform, evidenced by the 'mixed' reaction from Steam user reviews. Despite numerous patches from developer Firaxis aimed at improving the game, Civilization 7 has fewer players on Steam than both Civilization 6 and the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

While the game's performance on Steam is a significant concern, it's important to note that Civilization 7 also launched on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. An upcoming version for the Nintendo Switch 2, utilizing the new Joy-Con mouse controls, is set to release soon. However, given that the franchise's core audience is on PC, the struggles on Steam are particularly notable.

Despite these challenges, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed enthusiasm about Civilization 7 in an interview with IGN. "I'm thrilled with Civ 7 so far," Zelnick stated, acknowledging initial issues but praising Firaxis for their efforts in addressing them. He remains optimistic about the game's future, believing that ongoing improvements will meet consumer expectations and lead to a successful title.

Zelnick highlighted the long sales cycle typical of the Civilization franchise, suggesting that initial resistance to changes often gives way to acceptance and appreciation over time. "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, expressing confidence that Civilization 7 will follow this pattern.

Rank every Civilization Game

At launch, players pointed out several issues with Civilization 7, including problems with the user interface, a lack of map variety, and the absence of expected franchise features. Zelnick's comments about initial nervousness among hardcore Civ players likely refer to the significant changes introduced in this installment.

One of the major innovations in Civilization 7 is the full campaign structure, which spans three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. During an Age Transition, players select a new civilization for their empire, choose which Legacies to carry forward, and witness the evolution of the game world. This system, unprecedented in previous Civilization games, is something Zelnick believes fans will grow to appreciate over time.

Although Take-Two has not disclosed specific sales figures for Civilization 7, the company's financial report indicates efforts to expand the game's audience. This includes the recent launch of Civilization 7 VR for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, as well as the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 port.