Take-Two CEO Zelnick Praises Civ 7 Despite Civ 6, Civ 5 Popularity

Civilization 7's Steam debut hasn't been smooth sailing — that much is evident. The strategy sequel has faced player retention challenges on Valve's platform since its February launch. Steam user reviews currently reflect a 'mixed' reception. Despite multiple patches from developer Firaxis aiming to improve player sentiment, Civ 7 finds itself in a surprising position — attracting fewer concurrent Steam players than both Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

While Steam numbers don't tell the complete story (the game also launched on PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch, with a Switch 2 version utilizing new Joy-Con mouse controls coming soon), PC has traditionally been Civilization's primary platform, where Civ 7 is clearly underperforming.

Given these challenges, one might expect disappointment from parent company Take-Two. Yet in an exclusive IGN interview prior to their latest earnings report, CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed enthusiasm about Civ 7's performance.

"I'm actually thrilled with Civ 7's progress so far," Zelnick shared. "While we did encounter some initial hurdles, our Firaxis team has made excellent progress addressing them. There's still room for improvement, but I'm confident we'll refine the experience to meet player expectations — ultimately delivering a highly successful title."

The CEO highlighted Civilization's history of extended sales cycles compared to other franchises, predicting Civ 7 will follow this pattern: "Every Civilization release initially sparks some community concern because fans are so passionate about the series. Eventually players recognize the improvements, leading to strong long-term performance. I expect this pattern to repeat here."

He acknowledged the ongoing development efforts: "We absolutely faced some launch challenges that we've partially resolved, with more improvements coming."

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Post-launch feedback highlighted several pain points including UI concerns, limited map diversity, and perceived missing franchise staples. Zelnick's comments about veteran players' initial apprehension likely reference Firaxis' bold design changes.

Civ 7 introduces a revolutionary three-Age system (Antiquity, Exploration, Modern) where all players simultaneously transition between eras. During these pivotal moments, players select new civilizations, retain legacy bonuses, and witness world evolution — mechanics unprecedented in the series' history.

While Take-Two hasn't released specific sales figures, their financial report mentions expanding Civ 7's reach through recent VR support (Meta Quest 3/3S) and the upcoming Switch 2 version.