Insider: Far Cry 7 to be Split into Two Games with Significant Gameplay Changes

Tom Henderson has shared insights into the current state of development for the next numbered installment of Far Cry. The new entry in the series will be divided into two standalone games, codenamed Blackbird and Maverick. The first will offer the classic gameplay of the series but with several significant changes, while the second will be a multiplayer extraction shooter set in snowy Alaska.

Both games originated from a single project, and as a result, changes in the multiplayer project’s gameplay have directly influenced the single-player game. The movement system will be significantly overhauled, introducing slides, tactical sprinting, and parkour elements. The inventory and loot systems will also be reworked to accommodate the gameplay features of the extraction shooter. These changes were prompted by the switch from the series' usual Dunia engine to Snowdrop, which also powers Tom Clancy's The Division and Star Wars Outlaws.

According to one developer, the updated Far Cry formula effectively emphasizes the narrative necessity for players to move quickly and gather items. The game's story follows a man who must rescue his family from cultists experimenting on animals and children using hallucinogens. The protagonist has no more than 72 hours to complete the rescue operation, equivalent to 24 real-time hours of gameplay. A timer will be displayed on the protagonist's wristwatch.

Tom Henderson notes that Ubisoft seems to be moving away from following trends, focusing instead on experimentation. While the developers are confident in the success of the story-driven Blackbird, they have concerns about the multiplayer Maverick. These concerns are partly due to the closure of XDefiant, which failed to meet the publisher's expectations.

Additionally, developers fear that the industry has overestimated the popularity of the extraction shooter genre, meaning their game risks not attracting enough players. Both games are expected to be released only in 2026.