Not a demo for Civilization 7: Firaxis has just wasted a huge opportunity

With release imminent, many Civilization fans are skeptical about Civilization 7. A very old trick would help a lot against this.

Civilization 7 has the same problem as people waiting for Civilization 7: Firaxis’ new turn-based strategy game is not playable before release.But that would be necessary to dispel some of the doubts plaguing many fans of the series:

• About the change of civilization
• About the three ages and the soft-reboot after each change
• About artificial intelligence and gameplay

It could be so easy:Civilization 7 needs a demo.But whether and when it will be released is anyone’s guess. What a missed opportunity!

Play it yourself instead of complaining

Demos like the ones for Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition or the C&C alternative Tempest Rising put me in a highly nostalgic mood: When there were still demo versions on DVD covers of magazines, we old farts could often try out new games weeks or even months before release.

In the best case, this increased our anticipation and gave us a good impression of the game: “Is this something for me?” With Civilization 7, I think that a check like this would take away the skepticism of many people. Whenever I talk to our testers about Civilization 7, I hear a lot of positive things.

On YouTube, the mood looks quite different than some of the comments would have you believe: strategy experts like , despite minor criticisms, praises the basic gameplay in the highest terms.

In his preview, author Reiner Hauser also makes it clear that the changes in the new Civ may initially sound like a major departure from the series’ traditions. But – and this is the key – when you play it yourself, Civilization 7 is just as addictive as it used to be:

Note: Civilization 7 may seem like a problem game from a distance, but when you experience it yourself, many of these alleged criticisms vanish. This is exactly where a demo could help to allay the fears of players who are already looking for alternatives to the Civilization series.

History repeats itself

Already… Civilization 6had to endure a lot of criticism before its 2016 release, at the time it was mainly about the graphic style. Later, the trouble with the opponent AI was added.

Nevertheless, according to SteamSpy, the game has sold over ten million copies, and even today, between 50,000 and 80,000 people play it simultaneously on Steam at any given time.

The chances that the critical comments will turn out to be a storm in a teacup once Civilization 7 is released are not bad at all. Nevertheless, in my opinion, Firaxis and 2K Games are missing out on a great opportunity by not releasing a demo version

With a full price of 70 euros (and various even more expensive special editions), Civilization 7 is not a game you just buy to try out. Especially since the right of return on Steam only applies to a limited extent here. In the maximum allowed playing time of two hours, you probably just chose your leader and founded your second settlement in a Civ.