Civilization VII received a long-awaited update on June 22 meant to address early complaints surrounding UI, performance, and gameplay balance. But more than two weeks later, the patch has done little to shift public opinion. The fan base continues to flock back to Civilization VI, or turn to community modding tools to address issues that remain unresolved by developer Firaxis.

The update included AI tuning, UI refinements, and civ-specific balance adjustments. (As with most Civilization titles, there is the all-devouring meta and then everything else) These were important fixes and core features Firaxis had emphasized as part of its ongoing post-launch support. But, despite these changes, the game’s overall reception has not improved. According to Steam’s user review metrics, Civilization VII holds an overall rating of 48% positive, with recent reviews from the past 30 days sitting even lower at 41% positive.

Players have continued to report familiar frustrations: unresponsive or inconsistent diplomacy systems, performance hiccups, and an era progression model that some feel lacks cohesion. A common criticism of the game is that none of the civilizations feel unique. That the legacy system has each nation pin-balling around like a child on three cups of espresso. While the patch may have improved some quality of life elements, the fans have made it clear that the update hasn’t addressed the more foundational gameplay issues.

Player activity reflects this discontent. According to data from SteamDB, Civilization VII currently sees between 5,000 and 7,500 active concurrent players. By contrast, Civilization VI, which launched in 2016, continues to draw between 30,000 and 45,000 players daily, a figure that has actually grown slightly since Civilization VII’s release.

Many players are gravitating toward Civilization VI not only for its stability, but also for its extensive and well-supported modding community. Mods such as CQUI, Real Strategy, and Community Patch remain staples of the experience, offering deep customization and improvements that often outpace official support. By comparison, Civilization VII’s modding tools are still in early stages. While some community members have begun releasing basic tweaks and UI enhancements, creators say they’re limited by a lack of documentation, integration tools, and direct engagement from Firaxis. The studio has yet to outline a full roadmap for mod support.

For now, Civilization VII’s future remains uncertain. While the June update was a step toward improving the game’s state, its underwhelming impact highlights the growing role of community tools and older titles in maintaining interest within the franchise. Civilization VII might be a misstep, so far, but one has to admit that the franchise has been wildly successful. So, perhaps Firaxis still has a trick or two up their sleeve and can win back the hearts of their fanbase.