Firaxis has finally dropped the massive 1.1.1 patch for Civ VII, packed with new features and fixes that fans have been clamoring for. The bad news? Switch owners will have to sit tight a while longer, as the developer's confirmed the update won't hit Nintendo's platform until some unspecified "later date."

Player Numbers Not Looking Great as Firaxis Deploys Major Update

The timing of this patch couldn't be more crucial. Recent Steam stats paint a worrying picture - Civ VII is currently pulling in fewer players than both its predecessors. With a 24-hour peak of just 16,921 players, it's not even cracking Steam's top 100 games. For perspective, the ancient Civilization V (now 15 years old!) managed to attract 17,423 players in the same timeframe, while Civ VI remains the series heavyweight with 40,676 concurrent players.

Despite these somewhat alarming numbers, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick seems unfazed, recently telling IGN that Civ VII's early performance is actually "very encouraging." He's betting that longtime Civ fans will eventually warm up to the game as they spend more time with it - though Steam reviews suggest that might be an uphill battle.

Key New Features in Update 1.1.1

The update introduces several standout features that should improve the overall gameplay experience:

Quick Move Functionality

Players can now toggle a setting to disable unit movement animations, significantly speeding up gameplay. This optional feature can be enabled through the game settings menu.

Map Generation Improvements

A new "Standard" start position option has been added as the default for single-player games, offering more varied and less predictable continents similar to Civilization VI. The previous system, now labeled as "Balanced," remains the default for multiplayer and can still be selected in Advanced Setup.

Settlement and Commander Renaming

Players can now customize the names of their settlements and commanders by clicking the pen icon in the upper right corner of their respective menus—perfect for roleplayers or those who prefer more functional naming conventions.

Mount Everest Natural Wonder

The update adds Mount Everest (also known as Sagarmatha in Nepali and Chomolungma in Tibetan) as a new natural wonder. This impressive landmark provides +2 Happiness, +2 Influence, and +2 Culture to nearby settlements, while also revealing all mountain tiles on the player's continent when discovered.

Modern Age Balancing

Several changes have been implemented to extend the Modern Age, giving players more time to enjoy its unique gameplay:

• Eliminating players no longer adds Age Progress in the Modern Age
• The Age Progress from Exploration has been halved to make Domination Victories more achievable
• Modern Tech and Civic costs have increased by approximately 25%
• Railroad infrastructure costs have been significantly increased: Factory cost raised from 600 to 1400Port cost increased from 550 to 1200Rail Station cost up from 650 to 1200
• Factory cost raised from 600 to 1400
• Port cost increased from 550 to 1200
• Rail Station cost up from 650 to 1200

UI Improvements

Numerous user interface enhancements have been implemented:

• New "District Under Attack" notifications
• Improved Unit flag and health bar visibility
• Enhanced plot tooltips displaying Specialist information
• A dedicated Trade Lens for viewing trade routes
• Crisis indicators on the Age Progress wheel
• A Restart button for re-rolling maps in the early game

Extensive Balance Changes

The update includes a substantial list of balance adjustments for leaders and civilizations:

• Multiple combat bonuses reduced, including Ashoka's Devaraja ability (from +10 to +5) and Russia's General Moroz tradition (from +5 to +3)
• Lafayette's culture and happiness bonuses in settlements halved
• Rome's Legion unit combat bonus per government tradition reduced from +2 to +1
• The Maya civilization's science output nerfed with K'uh Nah reduced from +4 to +3 Science

Gameplay Improvements

Several gameplay systems have received attention:

• AI scouting and settlement behavior has been improved
• AI Commanders now gain appropriate XP bonuses based on difficulty level
• Trade Outpost towns now extend their +5 Trade range bonus to all settlements
• Various resources, buildings, and improvements now function correctly
• The Sabotage Space Program espionage action now completes as intended

DLC Content Additions

For players who own the Crossroads of the World Collection (included in Deluxe and Founders Editions), the update completes the promised content with:

• Simón Bolívar as a new leader with unique abilities focused on conquest and reducing unrest
• Two new civilizations: Bulgaria: A militaristic, expansionist civilization with unique food bonuses from pillagingNepal: A diplomatic, cultural civilization with special mountain-focused abilities and the fierce Gurkha infantry unit
• Bulgaria: A militaristic, expansionist civilization with unique food bonuses from pillaging
• Nepal: A diplomatic, cultural civilization with special mountain-focused abilities and the fierce Gurkha infantry unit

Future Updates

Firaxis is already working on Update 1.2.0, planned for April, which will introduce further UI refinements and a much-requested "One More Turn" option to continue playing after achieving victory. The developer emphasized that they're "still at the beginning of our Civilization VII journey" and are actively listening to community feedback.

Players can find the complete, extensive list of changes in the official patch notes, which address everything from narrative event triggers to platform-specific improvements for PlayStation, MacOS, Linux, and Steam Deck.