Game publisher Take-Two is making quite a few promises lately. After reassuring fans that BioShock 4 is still in development, Take-Two's CEO Straus Zelnick has moved on to assuaging fears over the difficult launch of Civilization VII. Coming out of the gate with a rocky release on PC, due in part to UI issues, bugs, and poor sales, Civ 7 currently sits on Steam with a "mixed" user score. Analytics website Steam Charts tracks the current and historical playercount of Steam games, showing that compared to prior entries Civilization VI and Civilization V, VII has a dramatically lower amount of people playing it.

Zelnick claims that despite the "slow start" of Civ 7's launch, the game will eventually reach Take-Two's sales projections. The most recent quarterly financial report for the company does not disclose the current sales total for the game as of the time of writing.

So while we were off to a slow start and while we have had to make changes — and there are more changes coming — I feel like consumer uptake is better and better and we feel really good about the title. I think over time it's going to take its place in its civilization pantheon in a very successful, credible way.

Source

 

[CMDreamer]

Take-Two also promises that regardless of poor initial sales, Civilization VII will be successful, eventually​

Things (the market) actually works the other way around.

Such comments from a CEO should worry their investors.

 

[The Catboy]

I didn’t even know Civ 7 was out

 

[eyeliner]

My mother said I will also be considered beautiful...

Eventually.

 

[Silterpy]

I didn’t even know Civ 7 was out

I thought Civ 6 was the newest game

 

[Lumpofcoal]

It's not like he can say anything else publicly. If he says that the prospects are grim, he will get a mauling from the shareholders. Internally, Firaxis could be on the chopping block.

But at the same time, this is a textbook example of a cop-out answer because it is extremely vague. What is the "sales projection"? Time frame for said sales projection? What is the definition of "successful"?. I mean, a low sales projection can be easily met given a 10 year period and multiple deep discounts over that period. But I doubt shareholders would be pleased with that.

And even if it fails to meet "sales projection", he would still be able to claim that it is "successful" by virtue of having garnering x number of players........after the game having gone on heavy discount many times. A player only willing to pay 5 bucks for your game (as opposed to the 70/80 sticker price) a decade later isn't exactly an indicator that the game is successful, especially if they make up the bulk of the players.

Without knowing where the "goalpost" is in the first place, they can just shift it later on and claim that the game has met them.

 

[Maximo101]

Rockstar didn't make this...? They should give it to Rockstar to polish and put some lipstick on...

I generally liked the Civilization series over the years. What's wrong with this, pray tell?

Is it just fatigue of the title?

 

[codezer0]

The Houser Brothers can't just sue and court order their way to sales records.

 

[x65943]

I haven't gotten into civ since 3 and 4

But honestly if I was gonna play civ right now, I would still rather play 3 and 4

 

[Exnor]

Oh there's a 7th game already? Maybe they should do some publicity no?

 

[Bladexdsl]

that explains why it's on sale now

 

[prince_h]

Release it on the wii u and ill buy it

 

[Segger]

Civ fans just aren't the type that gnash and clamour for the latest version as soon as it comes out, that's for battlefield

 

[jeremy2020]

Rockstar didn't make this...? They should give it to Rockstar to polish and put some lipstick on...

I generally liked the Civilization series over the years. What's wrong with this, pray tell?

Is it just fatigue of the title?

They made some major changes to the games that didn't work out with "eras". You only use a civilization for 1 "era" then you pick another. It was an interesting idea, but the execution and reality didn't really work out. Instead of offering variance to a game, it just feels awkward and disconnected.

This is part and parcel to the real problem though.. the developers had a way they wanted people to play and decisions and systems reinforce that way to play. Standard options for games like this are missing like game pace, control over victory conditions, etc

They were thinking about selling future dlc before making a game people wanted.

 

[yoyoyo69]

It's not like he can say anything else publicly. If he says that the prospects are grim, he will get a mauling from the shareholders. Internally, Firaxis could be on the chopping block.

But at the same time, this is a textbook example of a cop-out answer because it is extremely vague. What is the "sales projection"? Time frame for said sales projection? What is the definition of "successful"?. I mean, a low sales projection can be easily met given a 10 year period and multiple deep discounts over that period. But I doubt shareholders would be pleased with that.

And even if it fails to meet "sales projection", he would still be able to claim that it is "successful" by virtue of having garnering x number of players........after the game having gone on heavy discount many times. A player only willing to pay 5 bucks for your game (as opposed to the 70/80 sticker price) a decade later isn't exactly an indicator that the game is successful, especially if they make up the bulk of the players.

Without knowing where the "goalpost" is in the first place, they can just shift it later on and claim that the game has met them.

These tactics are often employed by Microsoft/Xbox.

Take Two are terrible, their a slightly better quality EA/Ubisoft/Activision.

They've managed to make what was once arguably the best and most talented games developer in to a joke (Rockstar), but all other top IP they own are also very poorly managed.

 

[SDA]

Take-Two is clearly on crack as of lately.

 

[YuseiFD]

It'll sell, some day, in a bundle, for a few cents, we'll blame charity for the losses....

 

[Viri]

Hey, maybe they'll start making more DLC and adding more leaders to Civ 6!

 

[AndorfRequissa]

the problem is everything is a sequel of a sequel of a sequel. thre just isnt the draw to these games unless they are doing something new and sometimes new isnt as good as the old.

ive played every civilization and wasted hours upon days upon weeks playing these games but get to a point where if a new one comes out its not really that exciting.

like im not interested at all in gta6 while the gaming industry thinks its crack and everyone wants it. gaming used to be so much more fun until these greedy ceo's just started pumping out sequels and ruining the raw creative ground up game development that used to be a dime a dozen. now u cant find many at all.

 

[LokeYourLord]

In the simplest terms: Cope