Strauss 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 rocky, to say the least. Since its release in February, the strategy game has struggled to attract players on Valve's platform. Steam user reviews have been mixed, and despite numerous patches from developer Firaxis aimed at improving the game, Civilization 7 has fewer players than its predecessors, Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

While the Steam performance is a significant indicator, it's worth noting that Civilization 7 also launched on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. A version for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, featuring innovative Joy-Con mouse controls, is also on the horizon. However, given that the franchise's core audience is on PC, Civilization 7's struggles on this platform are particularly concerning.

Despite the challenges, Take-Two's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, expressed optimism during an interview with IGN ahead of the company's latest financial results. "I'm thrilled with Civ 7 so far," Zelnick stated. He acknowledged initial issues but praised Firaxis for their efforts in addressing them. "There's more work to be done," he added, expressing confidence that the game would ultimately be successful.

Zelnick also highlighted the Civilization franchise's typical long sales cycle, suggesting that Civilization 7 would follow a similar trajectory. "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. He believes that over time, players will appreciate the improvements and the game will perform well.

At launch, players criticized Civilization 7 for issues with the user interface, a lack of map variety, and the absence of expected features. Zelnick's comments about the initial nervousness of hardcore fans likely refer to the significant changes introduced in Civilization 7. A notable new feature is the Age Transition system, which spans three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. During an Age Transition, players select a new civilization, choose which Legacies to retain, and witness the evolution of the game world—a first for the franchise.

While Take-Two has not yet disclosed sales figures for Civilization 7, the company is actively seeking 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.