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

Civilization 7's launch on Steam has been turbulent, to say the least. Since its debut in February, the strategy game has been struggling to attract players on Valve's platform, with Steam user reviews reflecting a 'mixed' reaction. Despite multiple patches released by developer Firaxis aimed at improving the game, Civilization 7 still has fewer players on Steam than both Civilization 6 and the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

While the game's performance on Steam tells only part of the story, it's important to note that Civilization 7 also launched on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. A version for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, utilizing the new Joy-Con mouse controls, is on the horizon. However, given that the PC platform has historically been the core audience for the Civilization series, the struggles on Steam are particularly noteworthy.

In an interview with IGN ahead of Take-Two's latest financial results, CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed his enthusiasm for Civilization 7, stating, "I'm thrilled with Civ 7 so far." He acknowledged initial issues but praised the efforts of the Firaxis team in addressing them. "There's more work to be done," Zelnick admitted, expressing optimism that further improvements would satisfy consumers and lead to the game's success.

Zelnick highlighted the long sales cycle typical of the Civilization franchise, suggesting that Civilization 7 would follow a similar trajectory. He noted, "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. 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."

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At the time of Civilization 7's launch, players voiced concerns about the user interface, a lack of map variety, and the absence of expected franchise features. Zelnick's comments about the initial nervousness of hardcore Civ players likely refer to significant changes introduced by Firaxis, such as the new Age Transition system. In Civilization 7, players progress through three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. During an Age Transition, players select a new civilization, choose Legacies to carry forward, and witness the game world evolve. This system is unprecedented in the series, and Zelnick believes it will be appreciated by fans 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 port for the Nintendo Switch 2.