Highlights

  • Two new Far Cry projects are reportedly in development, codenamed Project Blackbird and Project Maverick. Leaks claim one focuses on multiplayer and the other is singleplayer.
  • Project Maverick is described as an extraction-based shooter set in the Alaskan wilderness with survival mechanics.
  • Project Blackbird is rumored to be the next mainline installment, featuring a non-linear story about rescuing the player-character's family from a cult.

The Far Cry franchise, much like the majority of Ubisoft's flagship IPs, is in a strange spot right now. While the series' last entry, Far Cry 6, had some impressive sales numbers, the general reception surrounding the series is arguably at an all-time low. Finding a winning formula with Far Cry 3 back in 2012, Ubisoft has essentially released the same game now four times over, with Far Cry 3, 4, 5, and 6 all sharing the same general gameplay structure, albeit with one or two unique additions per entry.

The Far Cry franchise may still be a reliable money-maker for Ubisoft, but fans and critics are starting to get tired of the same old open-world formula being used time and time again. Recent games like Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora exemplify that, with its main criticism being its similarity to the Far Cry series. It's time the Far Cry franchise had a bit of a shake-up, and with two Far Cry projects allegedly in development right now, a shake-up could be on the cards.

Far Cry 7 Trip to Past
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Before Far Cry 7, the Franchise May Want to Take a Trip to Its Past

Far Cry has a long history with some of the most iconic sandbox games within, yet Ubisoft seems to have no interest delving back in time.

There Could Be Two Far Cry Projects Currently In Development

Far Cry's Two Upcoming Projects Were First Leaked A Year Ago

Back in January 2023, rumors started surfacing about two mysterious Far Cry projects, both allegedly in development at the same time. The source of this claim was Insider Gaming's owner, Tom Henderson, a renowned gaming journalist who often reports on the industry's biggest leaks. While all leaks should always be taken with a hefty pinch of salt, Henderson's reports have often come true, though a lot can change during a game's development cycle.

Back in the original January 2023 report, Henderson claimed that there was once one Far Cry game in development, codenamed Project Talisker, containing both a multiplayer and single-player mode. However, as both of these modes continued to grow in scope, the game was allegedly split in half, resulting in Project Blackbird and Project Maverick, both of which are being worked on by Ubisoft Montreal.

Far Cry's Project Maverick Explained

In Tom Henderson's January 2023 Insider Gaming report, Ubisoft's Project Maverick was described as an "extraction-based shooter," presumably following in the footsteps of games like Escape From Tarkov. The report also mentioned that Project Maverick's current setting was the Alaskan wilderness, with survival mechanics apparently being a major focus of the game, along with a permadeath feature. It should be noted that even in Henderson's original January 2023 report, his sources mention that Maverick has undergone a number of changes already, so any and all of this information could be inaccurate now.

Far Cry's Project Blackbird Explained

In the January 2023 Insider Gaming report, Tom Henderson said that details on Project Blackbird were slim, but that it was currently set to be the next mainline installment in the franchise, likely just titled Far Cry 7. In September 2023, Henderson wrote a follow-up report on Project Blackbird, providing some juicy new details about the game's alleged story. According to Henderson's sources, Far Cry 7 will feature a story that revolves around rescuing the player-character's family from a conspiracy cult named the "Sons of Truth."

The report mentions a bold new direction for the Far Cry franchise in terms of its core gameplay loop. According to the report, Far Cry 7 will feature an in-game timer that tasks players with rescuing all of their kidnapped family members within 24 real-life hours. Players will apparently be able to rescue their family in any order, with the game's story being non-linear.

Failing to rescue certain family members will also have a major impact on the story, and players will have to use a new interrogation mechanic to determine where their family is being held. The report also mentions a few other little details about Far Cry 7, stating that it would be using Ubisoft's Snowdrop Engine - the same engine that powers the upcoming Star Wars Outlaws - and that the game is currently targeting a Fall 2025 release date.