Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has announced a significant update, version 1.1.1, at a time when the game is experiencing lower player counts on Steam compared to its predecessors, Civilization 6 and the 15-year-old Civilization 5. On Valve's platform, Civilization 7 has seen a 24-hour peak of 16,921 concurrent players, which falls short of making it into Steam's top 100 most-played games. In contrast, Civilization 5, released in 2010, achieved a 24-hour peak of 17,423 players, while Civilization 6, released in 2016, boasted a peak of 40,676 players, indicating that many fans are still loyal to the older titles.

In a Steam post, Firaxis detailed the "additions and refinements" included in Update 1.1.1, which encompass:

• Quick Move Functionality
• New Natural Wonder Mount Everest
• Additional UI Updates & Polish
• Settlement & Commander Renaming
• And more!

Lead designer Ed Beach provided a comprehensive overview of these changes in a video, with full patch notes expected soon.

Civilization 7 Update 1.1.1 Patch Notes:

The Quick Move feature is now an optional setting that can be toggled in the game's menu, allowing units to reach their destinations instantly for a faster gameplay experience.

A new start position option related to map generation has been introduced. The default setting for single-player games is now Standard, which offers more varied and less predictable continents, reminiscent of Civilization 6. For multiplayer games, the Balanced setting remains in place to ensure a level playing field with consistent maps.

Players can now rename settlements and commanders, adding a personal touch to their gameplay. Additionally, a restart button allows players to regenerate the map with new seeds while retaining their chosen leader and civilization.

UI improvements include a city and town panel that remains open during purchases, new notifications for cities under attack, indicators for crises, and enhanced resource tooltips. The update also brings significant pacing changes to enhance the overall experience.

Alongside the update, the paid Crossroads of the World Collection introduces new civilizations Bulgaria and Nepal, as well as a new leader, Simón Bolívar, available starting March 25.

Rank Every Civilization Game

Civilization 7 has sparked controversy among series veterans due to its new mechanics and has struggled to attract players on Steam, where it holds a 'mixed' user review rating and received a 7/10 from IGN. In a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative feedback but expressed optimism that the "legacy Civ audience" would eventually embrace the game, describing its early performance as "very encouraging." There's also hope for the return of fan-favorite leader Gandhi.

For those looking to master Civilization 7, our comprehensive guides cover everything from achieving every victory type, understanding the significant changes from Civilization 6, avoiding common mistakes, to exploring the various map types and difficulty settings.