Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has announced a significant update, version 1.1.1, at a time when the game is experiencing lower player counts on Steam compared to its predecessors, Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5. On Valve's platform, Civilization 7 has a 24-hour peak player count of 16,921, which falls short of entering the top 100 most-played games. In contrast, Civilization 5, released in 2010, achieved a 24-hour peak of 17,423, while Civilization 6, released in 2016, saw a peak of 40,676 players, indicating that many fans are sticking with the older titles.

In a detailed post on Steam, Firaxis outlined the "additions and refinements" coming with Update 1.1.1, which include:

• 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 video walkthrough of the changes and directed players to 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 that players can toggle on in the game's menu, allowing units to move to their destinations immediately, speeding up gameplay.

A significant update involves the new start position option related to map generation. The default setting for single-player games has been set to Standard, which offers more varied and less predictable continents, similar to Civilization 6. For multiplayer games, the Balanced setting is maintained to ensure a level playing field with consistent maps.

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

UI improvements include the city and town panel remaining open during purchases, new notifications for cities under attack, indicators for crises, and enhanced resource tooltips. The update also brings significant pacing changes to enhance the overall experience.

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

Rank Every Civilization Game

Civilization 7 has sparked controversy among series veterans due to its new mechanics and has struggled on Steam, with console player numbers undisclosed. The game has received a 'mixed' user review rating on Valve's platform and a 7/10 from IGN's review.

In a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative feedback from press and players but remains optimistic, stating that the "legacy Civ audience" will warm up to the game with more playtime, describing Civilization 7's early performance as "very encouraging." He also hinted at potential future updates, including the possibility of reintroducing fan-favorite elements like Gandhi.

For those looking to master Civilization 7, IGN offers comprehensive guides on achieving every victory type, understanding the significant changes from Civilization 6, and avoiding common mistakes. Additionally, detailed explanations of all map types and difficulty settings are available to help players navigate the game more effectively.