Their strategy game is struggling, and they’ve made a bold decision. Fixing Civilization 7 is the top priority, while events take a back seat. Firaxis has announced the postponement of its first in-game event, as well as the release dates for two major updates.
While the Civilization series is widely regarded as the queen of 4X strategy games, the launch of Civilization 7 has fallen short of Firaxis’ expectations. Despite earning positive reviews worldwide, the 2K Games title debuted on Steam with alarmingly low ratings. Although this has improved slightly, reaching a 50% positive rating, that’s still far from acceptable for a game of this scale. In response, Firaxis has opted to suspend new content temporarily and shift its full focus toward fixing the game’s issues.
The first major patch, Update 1.1.0, set for release on March 4, will bring significant UI improvements, addressing one of the community’s biggest complaints. Additionally, gameplay adjustments will be implemented, including changes to the Modern Era Cultural Legacy victory condition and improvements to leader AI, enabling them to secure Cultural Victories more effectively.
Firaxis Prioritizes Fixing the Game
However, these improvements come at a cost. Firaxis has decided to delay the first in-game event, Natural Wonder Battle, originally planned to launch alongside the March 4 update. The studio explained that this decision allows them to focus entirely on quality-of-life improvements. No new date has been announced, but Firaxis has promised to share updates as soon as possible.
Following this, the first installment of the Crossroads of the World DLC will introduce Ada Lovelace as a leader, along with new civilizations such as Britain and Carthage. Four Natural Wonders—Machapuchare, Mount Fuji, Vihren, and Vinicunca—will also be added. This small paid content expansion remains on track for one key reason: to help alleviate the lack of content, one of the most criticized aspects of the game.
The roadmap continues with Update 1.1.1, arriving on March 25, which will further refine the UI and implement additional gameplay changes. Firaxis has assured players that this is only part of a larger, long-term plan aimed at optimizing the game experience over the coming months. Additionally, the studio is working on major new features such as larger map sizes, additional resource types, multiplayer team support, and the One More Turn option, allowing players to continue past the Modern Era’s conclusion.
While Civilization 7 is not a bad game, its reception has been lukewarm. On Steam, user reviews remain mixed, and many players have opted to stick with Civilization 6 rather than make the leap to the new installment. Firaxis has a lot of work ahead if it hopes to elevate its latest title to the same legendary status as its predecessors.
Source: 3djuegos
