Of all the third-party games being upgraded for the Nintendo Switch 2, Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is among the most promising and important. Though this latest entry in the long-running Civilization franchise has released to a less-than-stellar public reception, it's still the face of grand strategy games for many, with even those unfamiliar with the genre having at least a cursory understanding of the series.
Civilization 7 is currently available on the original Switch, but like with so many of its other releases, it has its issues. Users have reported myriad bugs and crashes, though these have been getting less egregious as new patches are rolled out. But the much-maligned UI has drawn the ire of some Switch players as well, as the gamepad controls are regularly called unintuitive and awkward. This is seen as a big downgrade, since it seemed like Firaxis had a firm grasp on how to adapt the Civilization UI to consoles with Civilization 6. Performance is also subpar on the original Switch, with FPS dipping and load times slowing as players get further into a given campaign. Ideally, the Switch 2 version of the game will address these issues, and make Civilization 7 a much better overall experience on the hybrid device.
Civilization 7 Delaying the Right to Rule DLC May Be a Blessing in Disguise
Although the delay for Civilization 7's Right to Rule Collection may disappoint some fans, it could be beneficial for the game in the long run.
Civilization 7 On Switch Has To Be an Improvement Over Older Console Ports, Especially PS5
Civilization 7 Had an Abysmal PS5 Launch
At launch, Civilization 7 suffered a barrage of negative press and player feedback for a number of reasons, not the least of which being its poor optimization. Across the board, players were reporting incessant crashes, with many going as far as calling the game unplayable. This made the Civ 7 launch wildly disappointing for long-time fans, who had hoped that Firaxis had learned from the technical issues of previous Civilization games, and would manage to take full advantage of the processing power afforded by current-gen platforms and contemporary PC hardware.
Things got so bad for Civilization 7 on PlayStation 5 that Sony even bypassed its refund policy in certain instances, giving players their money back even after the typical 14-day grace period. This sort of exception is usually only reserved for the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, which isn't a great game to be in conversation with when it comes to a console launch. Again, Civilization 7 was plagued by bugs, crashes, and poor UI optimization on all platforms, but PS5 players seemed to get the worst deal, making the massively popular console one of the worst ways to experience the game.
The Switch 2 Could Be the Best Way To Play Civilization 7, so Firaxis Ought To Stick the Landing
Every platform has its strengths and drawbacks, but the Nintendo Switch 2 seems uniquely suited to games like Civilization 7. This is because players can enjoy the best of all worlds on Nintendo's hybrid: there's the console experience while docked, the convenient, comfortable handheld mode, and then a PC-adjacent experience courtesy of the Joy-Con 2's mouse functionality, which has been confirmed to work with Civilization 7.
Like its predecessor, the Switch 2 will have a touchscreen, which adds another layer of convenience while playing Civilization 7 in handheld mode.
With so much going for the Switch 2 version of Civilization 7, it would be a shame for it to launch in a similar state of disrepair as its PS5 version. Additionally, and perhaps even more importantly, the reputation of Civilization 7 could either enjoy a boost or suffer yet another blow, depending on how the Switch 2 rollout goes. This is the next, and potentially last, high-profile release of the game, so it'll be important to get right.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 77%
- Released
- February 11, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ // Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Mild Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Firaxis Games
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
WHERE TO PLAY
The award-winning strategy game franchise returns with a revolutionary new chapter. Sid Meier's Civilization® VII empowers you to build the greatest empire the world has ever known!
In Civilization VII, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire. Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement.
Construct cities and architectural wonders to expand your territory, improve your civilization with technological breakthroughs, and conquer or cooperate with rival civilizations as you explore the far reaches of the unknown world. Pursue prosperity in an immersive solo experience or play with others in online multiplayer.
Whether you choose to follow a path rooted in history or reimagine possibilities to chart your own way forward, build something you believe in and create a legacy that echoes through the Ages in Civilization VII.
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes - all platforms, restrictions apply
- Cross Save
- Yes, via 2K account
- Prequel(s)
- Sid Meier's Civilization 6
- Franchise
- Sid Meier's Civilization
- Number of Players
- 1-8 players
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- PC Release Date
- February 11, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- February 11, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- February 11, 2025
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- February 11, 2025
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
- June 5, 2025
- Genre(s)
- Grand Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy, 4X
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Local Co-Op Support
- No
- How Long To Beat
- 14 hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
