Civilization 7 has faced a challenging start on Steam since its release in February. The strategy sequel has seen lukewarm reception from players, reflected in the "mixed" user reviews on Valve’s platform. Despite multiple patches rolled out by developer Firaxis to improve player sentiment, Civ 7 currently holds fewer active Steam players than both Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

While the game launched across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC, it's the Steam performance that raises eyebrows. Given that Civilization's core audience resides on PC, the current numbers suggest a rocky transition for the latest installment.

That said, parent company Take-Two Interactive remains optimistic. In an interview with IGN ahead of the company’s latest financial report, CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed confidence in the title’s future: “I'm thrilled with Civ 7 so far,” he stated. “There were some issues initially, but our team at Firaxis has done a great job addressing them. There's more work to be done, but I’m optimistic it will suit consumers—and ultimately, we have a very successful title on our hands.”

Zelnick also highlighted the long-term sales pattern typical of the Civilization series—titles that may face early criticism often find their stride over time. “The history of all the Civilization releases is that some changes cause consternation among our fans because they love the franchise so much,” he explained. “Then people realize this really is an improvement, and over a long sales cycle, we do really well. I think that’s what’ll happen here too.”

At launch, players pointed to several concerns, including UI inconsistencies, limited map variety, and the absence of features previously considered standard in the series. These criticisms likely stem from the significant gameplay overhaul introduced in Civ 7, particularly the new Age Transition system.

In Civ 7, a full campaign spans three distinct Ages—Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. Upon completing each Age, all players (including AI) undergo a synchronized Age Transition. During this phase, players select a new civilization for the upcoming Age, choose which Legacies to carry forward, and witness the world evolve accordingly. This systemic shift marks a bold departure from past entries, one that Zelnick believes fans will grow to appreciate.

Although Take-Two hasn’t disclosed specific sales figures for Civilization 7 yet, the publisher is actively exploring ways to broaden its reach. Recent initiatives include the launch of Civilization 7 VR for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, as well as plans for a Nintendo Switch 2 port that will take advantage of the new Joy-Con mouse controls.