city-states

Firaxis released update 1.2.5 for Civilization 7, introducing enhancements to gameplay based on player feedback. Key changes include a complete overhaul of the map generation system with two new map types: "Continents and Islands" and "Pangaea and Islands." The update also adds two new city-state types: Diplomatic and Expansionist, and implements a strategic balance pass that replaces percentage stacking bonuses with numerical bonuses. Napoleon Bonaparte's character has been upgraded, providing additional rewards for provoking conflicts and advantages for imposing sanctions. Despite these updates, the game's reception is lukewarm, with a Steam rating of 43%, attributed to dissatisfaction with the Age Transition concept. Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick remains optimistic about the game's performance, noting that it aligns with expectations despite recent layoffs at Firaxis.