Ubisoft has had a tough year, but pretty soon the publisher will be mounting a presumably huge comeback. Already there's been several triple-A projects confirmed by Ubisoft for release during the 2020 fiscal year, notwithstanding any social distancing development concerns. With Ubisoft Forward happening in just a few weeks, the publisher will likely showcase every new and existing project headed for release any time between this Fall to next Spring. One of those is more than likely going to be the next Far Cry game.
Among other rumors and leaks, the next game in the off-kilter shooter franchise has been confirmed to be in development from leakers and big name media who've been correct before. It's been a few years since a proper Far Cry sequel has come out, so it wouldn't be too far-fetched to expect a new entry coming soon. Ubisoft Forward would be the perfect opportunity to unveil or tease the game, especially if it's going to be due next Spring like usual.
Far Cry's Release History
Ever since Far Cry moved on to its current version of the Dunia engine with Far Cry 2, a new entry in the franchise has come out every few years. For better or worse, there hasn't been a Far Cry game that's taken longer than four years to release between each numbered entry, not including spin-offs like Blood Dragon or more recently New Dawn. The latest numbered entry Far Cry 5 was announced in 2017, and subsequently released next Spring in 2018. With the highest amount of development time between Ubisoft's Far Cry games being about four years, and the lowest time being two, Far Cry 6 would be a perfect sweet spot clocking in at about three or so years of theoretical development time.
Obviously that would be conjecture if it weren't for the many rumors and leaks that back this up. Most notably, back when Ubisoft confirmed five triple-A titles were releasing during the 2020-2021 fiscal year, all but one of these games have been officially revealed. So far, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Watch Dogs: Legion, Rainbow Six Quarantine, and Gods & Monsters have been unveiled. Many reports since then have stated that Far Cry 6 is the fifth triple-A title coming from Ubisoft this fiscal year. Several other rumors and leaks have corroborated this as well, among other unconfirmed gameplay details.
Teasers Leading Up to Ubisoft Forward
For unveiling the next game, the beginning of July will likely begin the teases for what will ultimately be the full Far Cry 6 reveal trailer during Ubisoft Forward. Far Cry 5's marketing strategy saw a lot of success in building anticipation for its Montana action romp, so the publisher will likely do something similar this time. For Far Cry 5, the game was teased a week prior to Ubisoft's E3 showcase with the "Welcome to Hope County" videos, each showcasing peaceful scenery shots of Montana interrupted by something disturbing. Clearly teasing the setting and tone for the game, it was subtle but obvious enough to get fans excited for what would be next for the Far Cry franchise.
Soon Far Cry fans will be entering this period for Far Cry 6 as it will likely be shown during the Ubisoft Forward showcase. For the last game, Far Cry 5 was officially teased by Ubisoft about four days prior to the official reveal in 2017. That would mean Far Cry 6 teasers could show up as early as next week, with Ubisoft Forward scheduled for Sunday, July 12. Assuming Ubisoft and the Far Cry team opts for a similar tease for Far Cry 6, fans may able to narrow down and debunk the many rumors circulating about Far Cry 6 very soon.
Debunk the Rumors
As for what to expect, it's tough to say. There's very little known about the next Far Cry that isn't just a rumor or corroborated with another source. Most of the "leaks" just allege that Far Cry 6 certainly exists in some capacity, which may be true but that's a little more than obvious at this point. Each gameplay/story leak alleges something completely different, ranging from a sequel to Far Cry 3 with Vaas as a returning character to the return of a tropical setting and helping zoos with jetpacks and "Narcos" inspired elements. In case the second part of that sentence wasn't enough, it's also important to note that there's little to no backing/evidence for any of these leaks. Some early leaks for a North Korea setting were bolstered by a Far Cry/Ubisoft fan survey, but that was not conclusive by any means.
Basically the only thing that Far Cry fans can assume is that if the game is unveiled in a few weeks, it will likely be slated for 2021. Just based on previous release history, recent Far Cry games are typically announced a little under a year away from release. Again, assuming Covid-19 hasn't caused any production/development delays, that will likely hold true for Far Cry 6 as well. It's also worth noting that the last three Far Cry releases (Far Cry Primal, Far Cry 5, and Far Cry New Dawn) have all released within a Spring release window.
Hopefully for now the Far Cry 6 reveal will be a pleasant surprise, assuming its shown at Ubisoft Forward. Even though there's not much known about the actual game, everyone seems to know that Far Cry 6 exists. Considering four out of five of Ubisoft's triple-A releases have been unveiled and one of them is supposed to be a Far Cry title, Ubisoft Forward will likely reveal the next game in the series.
Far Cry 6 is reportedly in development.