"Civ 7's Crucial 1.1.1 Update Aimed at Competing with Civ 6 and Civ 5 on Steam"

Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has announced a significant update, version 1.1.1, aimed at enhancing the gameplay experience of this recently released strategy game. Despite the introduction of new features, Civilization 7 is currently experiencing lower player counts on Steam compared to its predecessors, Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

On Steam, Civilization 7's 24-hour peak concurrent player count stands at 16,921, which falls short of making it into the platform's top 100 most-played games. In contrast, Civilization 5, launched in 2010, boasts a 24-hour peak of 17,423 players, while Civilization 6, released in 2016, significantly outperforms both with a peak of 40,676 players within the same timeframe. It's evident that a majority of Civilization enthusiasts are still loyal to Civilization 6.

Firaxis has shared details about the upcoming Update 1.1.1 on Steam, highlighting key enhancements such as:

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

In a detailed video, lead designer Ed Beach elaborated on these changes and provided insights into the full patch notes, which are set to be released soon.

Civilization 7 Update 1.1.1 Patch Notes:

The Quick Move feature is now an optional setting, accessible via the game's menu, enabling units to reach their destinations instantly, thus speeding up gameplay.

A new start position option related to map generation has been introduced. The default setting for single-player games is now 'Standard', offering more varied and less predictable continents reminiscent of Civilization 6. For multiplayer, the 'Balanced' setting continues to ensure fair play across consistent maps.

Players can now rename settlements and commanders, adding a personal touch to their civilizations. Additionally, a restart feature allows players to regenerate the map with new seeds while retaining their chosen leader and civilization.

UI improvements include a persistent city and town panel during purchases, new notifications for city attacks, crisis indicators, and enhanced resource tooltips. The update also introduces significant pacing adjustments.

Coinciding with the update, the paid Crossroads of the World Collection, launching today, March 25, introduces new civilizations Bulgaria and Nepal, along with the new leader Simón Bolívar.

Civilization 7 has sparked debate among series veterans due to its new mechanics and has struggled to maintain player engagement on Steam. The game currently holds a 'mixed' user review rating on the platform and received a 7/10 from IGN. In a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the mixed reception but expressed optimism about the game's future, suggesting that the "legacy Civ audience" would eventually embrace the changes as they continue to play. He described Civilization 7's early performance as "very encouraging."

For players looking to master Civilization 7, IGN offers comprehensive guides on achieving every victory type, understanding the significant changes from Civilization 6, avoiding common mistakes, and exploring the various map types and difficulty settings to enhance your gameplay experience.