Civilization 7's reviews are still divided, and Firaxis wants us to remember: this is just the start.

If you’re one of the many players who bounced off Civilization 7 since its February launch, you’re not alone. The latest in the long-running 4X strategy series is sitting at a rough 48% positive rating on Steam, and that hasn’t changed much since launch week. Some players praise the streamlined mechanics and faster pace. Others call it bland, stripped-down, and say it lacks the depth that made past Civ games so replayable.

Still, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick doesn’t seem too worried. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, he basically chalked the backlash up to tradition.

"Every time we've come out with a new platform iteration of Civilization, there's been some consternation on the part of consumers who love the franchise and are beholden to its prior iteration."

Zelnick admits that “we probably have a bit more work to do,” but insists that Civilization 7 is doing fine financially. “Sales are strong,” he said, adding that the devs have a track record of post-launch recovery. The playbook is simple: release the game, patch in missing features or fan-requested fixes, and let time do the rest.

"Then, we will occasionally do updates, make changes, address concerns, and the sales cycle ends up being very long, and people—once again—fall in love with it."

That’s the theory, anyway. But the numbers aren’t exactly supporting it yet. At the time of writing, Civ 7 has fewer players on Steam than Civ 5 and Civ 6. Way fewer. Civ 6 still commands over 43,000 players. Civ 7? Under 10,000. Not great for a new release less than four months old.

And while it’s true that past Civilization games also got early hate (Civ V was heavily criticised until expansions redeemed it), the trajectory this time feels slower. The first major patch added some UI tweaks and minor mechanical changes, but it didn’t flip opinions. The positive review score has crept up only 4% since February.

But Firaxis wants you to know they’re listening. Multiple developers have asked fans and media to remember that more updates are on the way, and that the team is actively working on quality-of-life fixes and deeper mechanical revisions. They specifically asked that this note be included in coverage about the game’s mixed reviews, which followed the Civ right after launch. More patches this Summer.

The good news for Firaxis is that commercial success can buy time. Analyst Mat Piscatella says Civ 7 is currently the 8th best-selling game of 2025 in the U.S., which is impressive considering the genre. That explains why Zelnick is staying optimistic, even if engagement numbers paint a different picture.

There’s also a segment of the fanbase that’s enjoying the new format. In our launch review, Robert Zak highlighted the accessibility and multiplayer pacing:

"It's the most streamlined and pared-back the series has been in a long time, which certainly helps with accessibility and pacing, particularly in multiplayer, but may leave some yearning for the depth and mechanical diversity of its predecessors."

That sums it up. If you’re a newcomer or someone who wants a lighter Civ experience, Civ 7 probably feels more playable than ever. If you’re a veteran, especially someone who stuck around through Civ 4, 5, and 6, then 7 might feel like a downgrade.

There’s one other thing: the timing of Civ 7’s release didn’t help either. Dropping during a packed Q1 window alongside several high-profile RPGs and live-service updates, it didn’t get the breathing room it probably needed to grow organically. Now, Firaxis has to fight to win back attention, and they’ll need more than minor patches to do it.

Zelnick seems confident that a comeback is inevitable. It could happen. But for that to work, the updates can’t just tweak numbers. They’ll need to prove to longtime fans that Civ 7 can offer the kind of strategic depth that defines the franchise.

For now, it’s a wait-and-see situation.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth buying Civ 7 today, the answer depends on what kind of Civ player you are. For casuals or folks who mostly play multiplayer, it’s already in decent shape. For hardcore single-player strategists, it’s probably better to wait until Firaxis puts out at least one major content drop or expansion.

The game isn’t dead. But it is on trial in the court of public opinion—and that verdict’s still a long way off.