“We got feedback in some of our focus testing before the game shipped that there was going to be some level of controversy here, but we didn’t realize quite how strongly players identified with the idea of, ‘I need to take some people and grow them and have that specific civilization cultural set be what’s growing to face the challenges of world history,’” he added.

This is the situation I am in. I am an avid Civ player since Civ I. I can probably express my time playing the franchise in terms of person-years.

Every new Civ takes a while to get used to. I bought Civ VII on release, just like all the others. I started a game, and I think I was China, led by Cleopatra, or something. And it instantly took me out of the game. It flipped a switch on my enthusiasm. I don't think I even finished it. If anything, over the past year, I have been playing a lot more Civ VI. I mean, it's equally absurd to have Cleopatra lead Egypt for 6000 years, isn't it? But for some reason, that isn't as jarring.

Maybe I should try it again, but I have less time for games as I get older anyway.

I mean... Yeah? It's not even a good idea on paper to have the civ change to a totally different civ every new era. That is fucking dumb and they should have listened to the focus testers that said as much.

we didn’t realize quite how strongly players identified with the idea of, ‘I need to take some people and grow them and have that specific civilization cultural set be what’s growing to face the challenges of world history,’

That's the core idea since Civ started and they don't get that that's what people like? That explains a lot.

Instead of what they've been doing I'd love to see them release a fantasy Civ like Warlock 2.

the series peaked with 5

...although, which version had that upgradeable palace?

A lot of words from the devs, but imo not convincing at all. It looks like they're trying to put lipstick on a turd and hope that that's good enough for people to give kissing the turd another chance.

Imo civ 5 is still the best hex civ game, especially with the Vox Populi mod. Civ 6 is interesting for puzzling, but the ai is handicapped because it's not good at the puzzles, leaving it unable to compete strategically.

“It was like if we were making Madden and we decided they’re going to play with a soccer ball instead of a football.”

This made me do a double take.