Highlights

  • The cancelation of The Division Heartland opens the door for a potential Far Cry multiplayer experience in the future.
  • Far Cry could adapt the survival gameplay concept of The Division Heartland, offering a fresh take on the series.
  • Far Cry 7 could introduce an online multiplayer mode in this style, or a spin-off could explore this concept in a standalone game.

The future of the Far Cry franchise has been quite secretive lately. Despite a variety of rumors about what the next game in the series will entail, Ubisoft has been pretty quiet about Far Cry at the moment. However, the cancelation of another anticipated Ubisoft title could easily be transferred into the world of Far Cry.

One of the biggest shocks of the month so far has been the abrupt cancelation of The Division Heartland. The highly anticipated spin-off to The Division franchise was set to offer a free multiplayer experience that takes place in a small Midwest town that has been ravaged by a pandemic. The Division Heartland was announced three years ago, but it looks like it will unfortunately be added to the list of games that were canceled before they got to see the light of day.

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Far Cry Picking Up Where The Division Heartland Left Off

The Division Heartland may be canceled, but the concept itself doesn't have to meet an early grave. Ubisoft making a free multiplayer title based around another one of its popular franchises, Far Cry, could actually be a perfect match. The Division Heartland was going to focus on survival gameplay in a multiplayer setting, and the former is something that the Far Cry series has in spades.

Bringing Heartland's Formula to Far Cry

Through the years, Far Cry has featured co-op campaigns, but there is yet to be a Far Cry game that takes a live service approach. Live service models have grown to become controversial, but when done correctly, they can be a lot of fun. Bringing the idea of a free-to-play multiplayer based in America's heartland seems like something that would already be part of the Far Cry franchise.

The series has visited the vast American Midwest before with Far Cry 5 and its setting of Hope County, Montana. Far Cry 5's map would be a great starting point for The Division Heartland's concept to be brought to life, but in the world of Far Cry instead. The general idea of The Division Heartland is too compelling to just cast away to the side, and Far Cry is the most natural franchise for the concept to find a new home in. Although this idea would probably have to ditch the pandemic angle, there is still plenty to work with in terms of survival.

Far Cry Rumors and Breaking Tradition

There are already plenty of rumors that claim Far Cry 7 is going to break long-standing traditions that the franchise has become well known for. From rumors of Far Cry 7 featuring an in-game timer to being set on a fictional island off the coast of Korea, the game could really throw players for a loop by adding an online multiplayer mode to the mix that is much deeper than any of the series' previous attempts at multiplayer. The Far Cry franchise needs to look towards making the series feel fresh again, and giving players an online option on top of a solid campaign could really diversify the game and how it's experienced.

If Far Cry 7 doesn't feature an online multiplayer mode, a spin-off would be the next best option. A stand-alone multiplayer spin-off would give a fascinating new look into Far Cry's themes while embracing the survivalist gameplay it has become synonymous with. The skeleton of The Division Heartland repurposed under the skin of Far Cry is something that would allow the concept to live on with a franchise that is perfectly suited for this type of gameplay.