Strauss Zelnick 'Thrilled' with Civilization 7 Despite High Playership of Civ 6 and 5 on Steam

Civilization 7 has faced a challenging start on Steam since its release in February. The latest installment in the beloved strategy series has struggled to attract players, reflected in its "mixed" user reviews on Valve’s platform. Despite multiple patches from developer Firaxis aimed at improving the game's reputation, the title currently draws fewer Steam players than both Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

Of course, Steam isn't the only platform where Civilization 7 is available. It also launched on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, with an upcoming version for the Nintendo Switch 2 featuring enhanced Joy-Con mouse controls. However, PC remains the core audience for the franchise — and it's here that Civ 7 is clearly underperforming.

Given these rocky beginnings, you might assume Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick would be concerned. But during an interview with IGN ahead of the company's recent financial report, he expressed confidence in the title’s future.

“I’m thrilled with Civ 7 so far,” Zelnick stated. “There were some issues initially, but our team at Firaxis has done a great job addressing them. There’s more work to do, but I'm optimistic we’ll deliver improvements that satisfy consumers. Ultimately, this will be a very successful title.”

Zelnick also emphasized the long-term success pattern typical of the Civilization franchise, which often sees slower initial adoption followed by strong sustained sales — a trend he believes Civ 7 will follow.

“The history of all Civilization releases shows that early changes can cause concern among fans who are deeply invested in the franchise,” he explained. “But eventually, players realize that each new entry truly brings meaningful improvements, and over time, the game finds its audience. I believe that’s exactly what will happen here too.”

Still, when Civ 7 launched, players pointed out several pain points: a confusing user interface, limited map variety, and the absence of features many had come to expect from previous titles. These concerns likely stem from the major gameplay overhaul introduced in Civ 7.

One of the most notable changes is the introduction of three distinct Ages — Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern — replacing the continuous progression seen in earlier games. At the end of each Age, all players (including AI opponents) undergo a synchronized Age Transition. During this phase, players choose a new civilization for the next era, select Legacies to carry forward, and witness the world evolve around them. This system is entirely new to the series, and while it may have unsettled longtime fans at launch, Zelnick remains confident they will embrace it over time.

Take-Two has not yet disclosed specific sales figures for Civilization 7. However, the company noted in its recent financial report that it is actively exploring ways to grow the game's audience. This includes the recent release of *Civilization 7 VR* for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, as well as the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 port.