The Future of Far Cry: Why 2023 is Crucial

The Far Cry franchise has been around for almost two decades, debuting in 2004. While the first game was impressive for its time with its open-world and CryEngine graphics, it may not hold up as well today. However, Far Cry 2 laid the groundwork for the franchise to build upon for the next 15 years. It was Far Cry 3 that really propelled the series into the spotlight as one of the greatest open-world games of all time. With its captivating story, vibrant open-world, extensive content, and polished combat mechanics, it became the foundation for the modern open-world genre. Ubisoft quickly capitalized on its success, releasing numerous sequels and spinoffs over the next decade. While Far Cry 6 may have been a disappointment for the publisher, this lull in the franchise could be the opportunity for Far Cry to have its most important year yet.

The Far Cry Franchise Used to Run Like Clockwork

Despite its success, Far Cry 4 received mixed reviews, with some fans and critics feeling that it was too similar to its predecessor. Nevertheless, Ubisoft continued to churn out new entries in the franchise, including Far Cry Primal, Far Cry 5, and Far Cry New Dawn. However, by the time Far Cry New Dawn was released, many felt that the series had become stale, resulting in lackluster reception from both critics and fans alike.

2023 Could Ironically Be One of Far Cry's Most Important Years

With the release of Far Cry 6 in 2021, the franchise has seen seven entries in just nine years, with Ubisoft consistently putting out a new game every two years. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Ubisoft continued to churn out new Far Cry games. While Far Cry 6 was a decent game, it couldn't escape the sense of franchise fatigue that had set in. However, it appears that Ubisoft has taken note of this and for the first time in a decade, there are no confirmed plans for a new Far Cry game in the next two years. Although Far Cry 7 might be announced at the upcoming Ubisoft Forward event, it's unlikely that it will be released this year. Recent rumors suggest that the game might not even be in full development yet. Nevertheless, this break in the franchise's release schedule could give developers enough breathing room to come up with a new entry that feels as fresh as Far Cry 3 did years ago, making 2023 potentially one of the franchise's biggest years ever.

Far Cry 6 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.