70 dollars for a half-completed game or 130 dollars for that same exact half-completed game with a few more Civ leaders and wonders. As you’ll see from the advertisement listed below, I actually do like money, but thanks anyway, Firaxis.
The prevailing wisdom among the PC gaming community, where physical disks and thus disk shortages, are a remnant of the past, is to avoid pre-ordering titles. The reward of consumer cash for a product that is yet unreleased rewards developers that may or may not deserve a reward in the first place, and Civilization 7 stands as a grand example in the modern era for that philosophy biting the consumer in the ass.
That is to say, I told you so (kinda). Frankly, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted to pre-purchase Civ 7’s base version leading up to release. Even without the early access function, I just wanted to know that I had the game’s license for when it unlocked.
Just to be clear, that “mixed’ review summation shown in the screenshot above is generous in the face of all the olive branch extending this title is receiving. People who give the game a positive rating always add the caveat of “Soon…”
“Soon, this game will be great! Soon, the UI will be decent! Soon, the game will stop crashing! Soon, my wife will come rushing back into my open arms and I’ll be allowed to see my children again!”
Soon, soon, soon, and other lies we tell ourselves, and our fellow gamers on Steam. Soon, Firaxis will begin the process of changing the UI, and the bugs, and the more annoying functionality of Civilization’s skeletal makeup, and they’ll charge you the full price of another AAA title for those luxuries.
The Pricing is Outrageous, The Game is Underwhelming
Are we supposed to pretend that 130 dollars for a game that will have another 200 dollars worth of DLC, at a minimum, is considered reasonable? Where are the standards of the consumer?
I suppose it’s just a fact that Civilization, as a title, is so big that Firaxis knows they’re in the green to sell it in every which way to the player base and still come out way ahead. Just a reminder that Civ 6 came out almost a decade ago. Let’s say that during the time in between then and now, Firaxis have had some months to iron out the rougher edges of the game and ensure a smooth, and fair, launch.
And to be clear, the launch HAS been smooth. All according to plan, in fact. This is just what the game is: an unfair cash grab inserted into a 33% same, 33% different, and 33% abandoned framework ala 2K Games.
I’m 100% out, for now. I’ll see you guys when Firaxis shoves the sum of their vision and this half-baked cake goes on sale with all DLC for 99% off.
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