The launch of *Civilization 7* on Steam has been rocky, to say the least. Since its debut in February, the strategy game has struggled to attract players on Valve's platform, garnering a 'mixed' reaction from Steam users. Despite multiple patches from developer Firaxis aimed at improving the game, *Civilization 7* has fewer players on Steam than its predecessors, *Civilization 6* and the 15-year-old *Civilization 5*.

While *Civ 7* has also been released on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch—with a forthcoming version for the Nintendo Switch 2 that will utilize the new Joy-Con mouse controls—the core audience for the Civilization series remains on PC, where *Civ 7* is evidently struggling.

Despite the challenges, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed his enthusiasm for *Civ 7* during an interview with IGN before the company's latest financial results. "I'm thrilled with *Civ 7* so far," Zelnick stated. He acknowledged initial issues but praised the Firaxis team for their efforts in addressing them. "There's more work to be done. I'm optimistic that work will be done and will suit consumers, and ultimately that we have a very successful title on our hands."

Zelnick highlighted the Civilization franchise's typical long sales cycle and his belief that *Civ 7* will follow this pattern. "The history of all the Civilization releases is that initially some of the changes that we make cause consternation among our consumers because they love the Civilization franchise so much," he explained. He believes that over time, players will appreciate the improvements and the game will perform well.

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Upon its release, *Civ 7* faced criticism for issues with the user interface, a lack of map variety, and the absence of expected franchise features. Zelnick's comments about the initial apprehension from hardcore Civ players likely refer to the significant changes Firaxis introduced, such as the new Age Transition system. In *Civilization 7*, players progress through three Ages—Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. During an Age Transition, players select a new civilization, choose Legacies to retain, and witness the game world evolve. This system is a first for the series, and Zelnick is confident that fans will grow to appreciate it.

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. This includes the recent launch of *Civilization 7 VR* for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, as well as the upcoming port for the Nintendo Switch 2.