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

Civilization 7 has encountered a challenging launch on Steam, evident since its release in February. The strategy game has struggled to attract players on Valve's platform, with Steam user reviews indicating a 'mixed' reaction. Despite numerous patches from developer Firaxis aimed at improving the game, Civilization 7 still has fewer players on Steam compared to its predecessors, Civilization 6 and the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

While the game's performance on Steam is telling, it's important to note that Civilization 7 also launched on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, with an upcoming version for the Nintendo Switch 2 that will utilize the new Joy-Con mouse controls. However, the franchise's core audience remains on PC, where Civilization 7 is clearly underperforming.

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, expressing optimism about future improvements and the game's long-term success.

Zelnick highlighted the Civilization franchise's history of a prolonged sales cycle, suggesting that Civilization 7 would follow a similar trajectory. He noted that initial changes often cause concern among fans due to their deep attachment to the series, but over time, these changes are usually appreciated, leading to strong sales performance.

At launch, players of Civilization 7 voiced concerns about the user interface, a lack of map variety, and the absence of expected features. Zelnick's comments on the initial nervousness among hardcore Civ players likely refer to the significant changes introduced in Civilization 7, such as the new Age Transition system. This system, unique to Civilization 7, involves progressing through three Ages—Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern—with each Age Transition allowing players to select a new civilization, retain Legacies, and witness the evolution of the game world.

Although Take-Two has not disclosed specific sales figures for Civilization 7, the company's financial report mentioned efforts to expand the game's audience, including the recent launch of Civilization 7 VR for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 port.