Civilization 7 has hit the market, but its launch has garnered a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam. Despite this, Take-Two's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, remains optimistic, believing that the game's dedicated fanbase will grow to appreciate it over time.
The game, developed by Firaxis, is currently accessible to those who opted for advanced access, primarily the more hardcore fans of the Civilization series. These fans have been vocal about their concerns on Steam, pointing out issues with the user interface, a lack of map variety, and the absence of expected features at launch.
In response, Firaxis has committed to addressing these concerns. They've promised enhancements to the UI, the introduction of team-based multiplayer modes for cooperative play, and an expansion of map types, among other improvements.
In an interview with IGN, Zelnick acknowledged the mixed reviews, including a notably low 2/5 from Eurogamer. However, he highlighted the game's solid Metacritic score of 81 and noted that over 20 press reviews scored it above 90. Zelnick expressed confidence that as players spend more time with Civilization 7, their sentiment will improve. He pointed out that with each new Civilization release, the team introduces innovative changes that initially make the legacy audience cautious, but they eventually embrace the new elements.
"We feel really, really good about it," Zelnick stated. "We know we have a couple of issues. We have a bit of an issue with the UI, for example. We'll address that. So I wouldn't say the early access release is perfect in every way. I think it's very, very encouraging and I think the areas that are concerning are areas that we can and will address, and as you can tell, we're quite mindful of them."
Zelnick's comments about the initial nervousness of hardcore Civ players likely refer to the significant changes introduced in Civilization 7. The game features a unique Age system, where players progress through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages. At each Age Transition, players select a new civilization, choose which Legacies to carry forward, and witness the evolution of the game world. This system is a first for the Civilization series, and Zelnick is confident that fans will come to appreciate it.
In the immediate future, Firaxis faces the challenge of improving sentiment on Steam, where user reviews play a critical role in a game's success. A game's Steam user review rating not only reflects the community's opinion but also impacts its visibility on the platform.
