A strategy game on Steam was long considered an alternative to Civilization, but no less than 2 years after the release, the developers have to concede defeat. Their latest update will be the last.
Which game is now coming to an end? Players of the 4X strategy game Millennia were informed on October 3 by a community update from the (former) community manager Katten that Update 8 means more than just bug fixes – it is actually the final patch for the game.
And this news comes just 18 months after the release of the game, which was regarded by many players as an alternative to Civilization. However, Millennia currently holds a “mixed” rating (68% of 3,671 user reviews are positive). This primarily relates to a “fresh approach in the 4X genre” (mcroell via Steam), but also disruptive bugs (KamikazeKows via Steam) and especially a lack of support (Quemo via Steam). And this support will no longer provide any new content from now on.
Millennia loses the title of Civilization rival
How does the publisher respond to the community? With a statement from Paradox Interactive, the publisher of the game, they thank the developers and players who gave Millennia a chance:
Unfortunately, with this patch, an era is coming to an end. This will be the last patch for Millennia. We thank C Prompt for their work and support of this game. We at Paradox will no longer be active on the community platforms for Millennia, but you can continue to rely on our support, and the game will remain playable indefinitely.
We would like to thank everyone who has accompanied us on this journey, everyone who has played and supported our game. You have been with us from the beginnings of Ancient Worlds to your wildest Atomic Ambitions, and it has been an unforgettable experience.
We hope to see you again in a future era!
Katten, former community manager of Millennia, via Steam
How does the community react to this announcement? Similar to the game’s rating, the players’ reaction to this announcement is very mixed. Some find it unfortunate, some say they are not exactly surprised, but a clear sentiment of the community is mainly frustration over wasted potential.
“A rough diamond. One that unfortunately will remain so,” writes stevethegreat 93 under the community update on Steam and also angh expresses disappointment: “With a bit of love, it could have gained more depth and become a strong pillar for 4X Civ games. I had hoped you would invest double the effort instead of dropping it. Anyway, good luck with the next project!”
Especially as a lost alternative to the mediocre Civilization 7, which currently only holds a “mixed” rating (47% of 47,648 user reviews) on Steam, this news is particularly disappointing: “As much as I love Civ 7, there are still enough people in the community who do not. This is the perfect opportunity for a game like Millennia to grow. What a shame” (Rat Clown via Steam).
Even though Millenia will come to an end with its last update, it will still be available to players for the time being, just without the improvements that the community hoped for from the beginning. If you want to look for a completely different alternative to Millennia and Civilization, you can browse for inspiration here on MeinMMO: The 15 best strategy games for PC 2025
