Zelnick Excited About Civilization 7 Despite Popularity of Civ 6 and 5 on Steam

Civilization 7 faced a challenging start on Steam, struggling to attract players since its release in February. According to Steam user reviews, reactions have been mixed, and despite multiple updates from developer Firaxis aimed at improving player satisfaction, the game has fewer players on Steam than both Civilization 6 and the 15-year-old Civilization 5. While Steam performance doesn’t tell the whole story—Civ 7 also launched on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch—it’s clear that the franchise’s core audience on PC has not embraced the title as expected.

Despite these challenges, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed optimism in an interview with IGN. He acknowledged initial issues but praised Firaxis for their efforts to resolve them. “I’m thrilled with Civ 7 so far,” Zelnick stated. “There’s more work to be done, but I’m confident it will meet consumer expectations and become a successful title.”

Zelnick highlighted Civilization’s historical trend of strong long-term sales, suggesting that initial concerns over changes to the formula would subside as players adapted. He noted that past releases saw similar pushback from loyal fans but eventually flourished over time.

At launch, players criticized Civ 7 for its user interface, limited map variety, and missing features typical of the series. Zelnick indirectly referenced these concerns when discussing the franchise’s dedicated fanbase, who often react cautiously to significant changes.

One major adjustment in Civ 7 involves a new age-based progression system, where players advance through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages collectively. This mechanic marks a departure from previous titles and could polarize the community, though Zelnick remains hopeful fans will embrace it.

Take-Two hasn’t disclosed Civ 7’s sales figures but mentioned expanding the audience through recent VR releases for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, along with an upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 port featuring Joy-Con mouse controls.