Civilization 7 faced a rocky launch earlier this year, attracting significant criticism regarding its gameplay decisions, feature deficiencies, and an awkward user interface. While Firaxis continues to grapple with gaining the approval of longtime fans—particularly on platforms like Steam, where feedback has been mixed—Take-Two Interactive’s CEO Strauss Zelnick remains confident that the game will ultimately meet its projected long-term value.

Released in February, Civilization 7 quickly drew negative responses, particularly from its core PC player base, despite also being available on consoles. The outcry prompted Firaxis to commit to addressing player concerns and to develop a roadmap of ongoing improvements.

Zelnick acknowledged that the game’s debut was not as strong as anticipated, describing it as a “slow start.” However, he expresses optimism about its prospects. “Civ has always been a slow burn,” he commented in a recent interview. “It’s not a title that traditionally drops quickly in popularity, and our lifetime value projections for this title are aligning with our initial expectations.”

He added, “Even though we started slowly and had to implement changes—more are on the way—I believe the player engagement is improving steadily. We feel optimistic about its future, and I anticipate it will secure its place among the notable entries in the Civilization series.”

The latest update for Civilization 7, version 1.2.3, introduced various user interface enhancements and adjustments aimed at improving the game’s contentious Age Transitions. These changes are intended to enhance continuity during Age shifts. Firaxis has indicated that more significant updates focused on gameplay systems, replayability, and player connections throughout history are in progress, although they may require additional time to finalize.