Far Cry's Next Adventure: Are We Kicking 'Single-Player' Into a Hole of Insanity for More Co-Op Chaos?
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Ubisoft's CEO says Far Cry is leaning 'more predominantly' into multiplayer for future titles, sparking curiosity and a healthy dose of Jeff's skepticism about whether this means a genuine evolution or just chasing the live-service dragon.
Right, so you know that feeling when you're just enjoying a perfectly good single-player game, minding your own business, and then some executive wizard waves their wand and suddenly it's all about... *multiplayer*? Yeah, that's what's brewing in the wild, unpredictable world of Far Cry, apparently.
Our mates over at Ubisoft, specifically CEO Yves Guillemot, have spilled the digital beans. He recently declared that the Far Cry series is set to push its multiplayer bits "more predominantly" going forwards. His grand vision, uttered on a stage in Saudi Arabia (which, fair dinkum, is an interesting backdrop for a gaming announcement, especially considering it happened around the same time they unveiled that Assassin's Creed Mirage DLC partnership with the Saudi government), is that this move will allow Far Cry to be "played for a long time by players."
Now, bless his heart, Yves, but I reckon a cracking single-player game can keep us hooked for ages without needing a constant stream of other players. Ask anyone who's still replaying *The Witcher 3* or *Skyrim* for the zillionth time – longevity isn't solely a multiplayer perk, mate. It's almost like saying a classic novel needs an interactive chat room to stay relevant. Doesn't quite track, does it?
This isn't exactly news out of left field for those of us who've been sifting through the digital tea leaves. It comes a couple of years after reports started floating around that Ubisoft was cooking up not just the next mainline entry, *Far Cry 7*, but also a separate, multiplayer-only spin-off. Kotaku's rumour mill suggested *Far Cry 7* would ditch the trusty Dunia engine (which has been chugging along since *Far Cry 2*, bless its dusty gears), while Insider Gaming chipped in with whispers of an extraction shooter set in the frosty Alaskan wilderness. An extraction shooter, eh? That's quite the pivot from setting fire to a whole continent just to get at three blokes in an outpost.
Now, for me, Far Cry has always been that glorious, chaotic single-player romp. Think explosions, a ridiculous amount of animal punching, and protagonists who, let's be honest, have *seen some things*. Sure, the last couple of entries have dabbled with co-op and traditional online multiplayer, and yeah, they were *fun*. But were the actual matches and modes anything to write home about? Not really, from what I recall. They felt a bit… tacked on, like an extra spell slot you never quite fill. But the map editors? Oh, the map editors were bloody brilliant! If you were a 15-year-old like me, who wanted to build elaborate hideouts and death traps without fully committing to the deep, dark rabbit hole of *Minecraft* (because, let's face it, that would've been the final nail in my secondary school cool factor coffin), those map editors were pure gold.
Perhaps I'm not the best judge, mind. I'm still trying to remember to play *Far Cry 6*. I keep forgetting it exists, then remembering, reading the reviews, concluding it can wait for a sale, and then – poof! – it vanishes from my mental queue again. For my money, *Far Cries 2* and *3* were the absolute peak. They were at their best when you were causing maximum collateral damage to achieve minimal objectives, feeling like a truly unhinged hero in a beautifully broken world. My old man, bless his retro heart, still swears by the original and the caveperson spin-off *Primal*. I'd ask him if he fancies a multiplayer-only Far Cry, but I think I already know the answer. He's probably too busy trying to tame a Snapmaw in *Horizon Zero Dawn* to even entertain the thought.
So, what does this 'more predominantly multiplayer' push actually mean for the series? Is Ubisoft genuinely looking to innovate, to find a new vein of chaotic fun within the Far Cry universe, or is it another case of chasing trends? The industry's always looking for that next big live-service hit, that 'game as a service' golden goose that keeps players (and their wallets) engaged for, well, 'a long time.' But is turning a beloved single-player experience into a multiplayer-first title truly what players are hankering for? Or is it a solution to a problem that wasn't really there?
I'm cautiously optimistic, as always. Maybe they'll pull a rabbit out of the hat and deliver something genuinely fresh and engaging. But I'll be keeping a very gently skeptical eye on this one, wondering if we're about to be plunged into a multiplayer abyss, or if Ubisoft has truly conjured up some new magic. Let's hope it's not just a spell that works a bit *too* well, leaving the single-player soul of Far Cry as a mere ghost in the machine.
This juicy little rumour, plucked from the digital tea leaves, actually stems from an article published by **Rock Paper Shotgun**. Shout out to Mark Warren for digging into Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot's comments. You can find the original piece over at
Tags: Far Cry, Ubisoft, Multiplayer, Gaming Industry, Game Development
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun