Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has announced a significant update, version 1.1.1, which arrives at a critical time as the game sees fewer players on Steam compared to its predecessors, Civilization 6 and the 15-year-old Civilization 5. On Valve's platform, Civilization 7's 24-hour peak player count stands at 16,921, which falls short of entering the top 100 most-played games on Steam. In contrast, Civilization 5, released back in 2010, boasts a 24-hour peak of 17,423 players, while Civilization 6 from 2016 has a significantly higher peak of 40,676 players. It's clear that many fans are sticking with the earlier entries in the series.

In a detailed post on Steam, Firaxis outlined several "additions and refinements" included in Update 1.1.1:

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

Lead designer Ed Beach provided an in-depth overview of these changes in a video, alongside a comprehensive set of patch notes set to be released soon.

Civilization 7 Update 1.1.1 Patch Notes:

One of the key features in the update is the Quick Move functionality, now an optional setting that can be toggled in the game's menu. This feature allows units to move to their destination instantly, speeding up gameplay for those who prefer a faster pace.

Another major update includes a new start position option for map generation. The default setting for single-player games is now 'Standard,' offering a more varied and less predictable map setup similar to Civilization 6. For multiplayer games, the 'Balanced' setting remains in place to ensure a level playing field with more consistent maps.

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

User interface improvements include a persistent city and town panel when purchasing items, new notifications for city attacks, indicators for crises, and enhanced resource tooltips. The update also brings significant pacing changes to improve the overall flow of the game.

Alongside these updates, a new civilization, Bulgaria, joins Nepal and the new leader Simón Bolívar as part of the paid Crossroads of the World Collection, available starting March 25.

Rank Every Civilization Game

Civilization 7 has stirred controversy among series veterans due to its new mechanics, and its performance on Steam has been underwhelming. While console player numbers remain undisclosed, the game holds a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam and received a 7/10 from IGN. In a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative feedback but remained optimistic, suggesting that the "legacy Civ audience" would warm up to the game over time. He described Civilization 7's early performance as "very encouraging" and hinted at future developments, including potential updates for the beloved character Gandhi.

For those looking to master Civilization 7, IGN offers a comprehensive guide to achieving every type of victory, a breakdown of the major changes from Civilization 6, and a list of 14 crucial mistakes to avoid. Additionally, we provide detailed explanations of all map types and difficulty settings to help players navigate the game's complexities.