Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is far from the immediate success that developer Firaxis likely hoped it would be. A good indication that things haven't been going according to plan is the recent delay of some DLC in favor of working on updates and fixes for the content that's already out. While it's hard to argue that this wasn't the right decision, it's also a little frustrating that so much DLC was planned to begin with, given the state of the base game.

Now, it isn't exactly novel for a new Civilization game to be met with a lot of criticism right off the bat. Civ 6 and even Civ 5 had their detractors when they first came out, but eventually they found their audience. However, Civilization 7 seems to be a slightly different case than the previous games in the series. While there were similar complaints about previous games feeling a bit unfinished, neither Civ 6 nor Civ 5 felt as rough at launch as Civ 7. That's why it makes sense Firaxis would want to focus on fixes before more DLC.

Delaying Right To Rule Helps Civ 7 Focus On Fixes

Civilization 7's Next Paid DLC Is Delayed In Favor Of Updates And Fixes

According to the latest Update Check-In on promised fixes to the game's UI, though what exactly they'll be isn't specified.

It's nice to see Civilization 7's team buckling down and working on these changes, and given the largely negative reaction to the previously released Crossroads of the World Collection DLC, I'm sure players won't mind the next one being delayed in favor of fixes. That said, while this seems like a good start to getting Civilization 7 back on track, it still feels like there is a lot to be done before the game is fully ready to start focusing on new content, especially if that new content is going to cost money.

Civ 7 Still Has A Lot Of Basic Changes To Make

Civ 7 Still Has A Lot Of Issues With Its UI That Feel Fixable

It can be difficult to say which of Civilization 7's inherent flaws can be changed, and which are so baked into the base game that players will just have to learn to live with them. For instance, while I agree that Civ 7's Legacy Paths make the game feel a bit too linear, it's hard to imagine the game will be able to completely get rid of them. I think the best we can hope for is a bit more flexibility or some additional paths that can make the road to victory a bit more nuanced.

That said, issues like the game's unfriendly UI or the unfinished Civilopedia are aspects of the game that feel fixable. Aside from fixes, Civilization 7 really needs to add some more free content to the $70 base game before it starts charging players extra for DLC. The promise of new maps and map sizes in the latest Update Check-In is a good sign, and hopefully we will get a few more similar free additions to the base game. It can be frustrating to see paid DLC coming out when it already feels like you've spent too much on a game.

Launching Incomplete Games With Planned DLC Is Frustrating

It's Hard To Stomach Paying Extra For A Game When It Isn't Even Finished

To start, I want to make it clear that I'm not against the idea of paid DLC, or even having it planned ahead of a game's initial release. If a developer needs another way to monetize their game to keep the base price down, then I'd much rather they do it through an optional paid DLC than something like microtransactions or a subscription model for the game. That said, paid DLC being planned before launch can be frustrating when the game that gets released feels unfinished.

Nobody wants to pay full price for a game that isn't finished. To me, paying $70 or more should be a guarantee that I'm getting a completed game that runs smoothly, and that's not the case with Civ 7. Add to that the fact that the previous paid DLC for the game, the Crossroads of the World Collection, was pretty bare-bones, and you can understand why Civ fans weren't happy about it. Paying $30, about half the price of a full game, for two Leaders, four Civilizations, and some Natural Wonders would feel bad even if the game worked properly.

I think it's a smart move for Civilization 7's team to take a step back from releasing more paid DLC until the game works as intended. Hopefully, when said paid DLC is released, it gives us a bit more than the last pack. Otherwise, I don't think it will be worth buying any more DLC for the game, at least not until it is heavily discounted.

Source: Civilization 7