Civilization 7 Update 1.1.1 Enhances Gameplay to Rival Steam Competitors

Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization 7, has detailed the game's pivotal 1.1.1 update, arriving as the new strategy title struggles to surpass the Steam player counts of Civilization 6 and the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

On Steam, Civilization 7 recorded a 24-hour peak of 16,921 concurrent players, falling short of the top 100 most-played games. In contrast, Civilization 5, launched in 2010, hit a 24-hour peak of 17,423, while 2016’s Civilization 6 led with 40,676 players.

Firaxis shared a Steam post highlighting “additions and refinements” in Update 1.1.1, such as:

In a detailed video, lead designer Ed Beach reviewed the changes, with full patch notes expected soon.

Civilization 7 Update 1.1.1 Patch Notes:

Quick Move is now a toggleable option in the game menu, allowing units to reach destinations instantly for faster gameplay.

A key update introduces a new map generation start position. Single-player games now default to Standard, offering varied and unpredictable continents similar to Civilization 6. Multiplayer games retain the Balanced setting for fairer, consistent maps.

Players can now rename settlements and commanders, prioritizing flexibility over historical accuracy. A restart button recreates the map with new seeds while keeping your chosen leader and civilization.

UI enhancements include a city and town panel that remains open during purchases, a new alert for cities under attack, crisis indicators, and improved resource tooltips. Significant pacing adjustments are also included.

Bulgaria joins as a new civilization alongside Nepal and leader Simón Bolívar, launching today, March 25, in the paid Crossroads of the World Collection.

Civilization 7 has sparked debate among longtime fans due to its new mechanics, reflected in its ‘mixed’ Steam user review rating and a 7/10 from IGN’s review.

In a recent IGN interview, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed negative feedback from critics and players, expressing confidence that dedicated Civilization fans will warm to the game over time, describing its early performance as “very promising.” He also hinted at Gandhi’s potential return.

Need strategies for global domination? Explore our guides on achieving every Civ 7 victory condition, the key Civ 7 changes for Civ 6 veterans, and 14 critical Civ 7 mistakes to avoid. We also cover all Civ 7 map types and difficulty settings to prepare you for the challenge.