Far Cry 6 is political. This clarification comes from narrative director Navid Khavari in an official blog post following previous comments regarding the game’s politics.
In an interview with TheGamer, Far Cry 6 Khavari stated he didn’t “want to make a political statement” specifically about Cuba. This received plenty of pushback from folks who read the statement as dismissal of the game being political at all, especially given Ubisoft’s history with skirting politics despite using it as an environmental background and plot device for many of its games.
Khavari clarifies by discussing the ways Far Cry 6 is political while also not engaging with Cuba specifically, an area that serves as part of the inspiration for Far Cry’s fictional setting — Yara.
“Our story is political,” Khavari begins immediately and goes on to discuss how the idea of revolution itself is inherently political. As far as care for the content, the team “made sure to seek creators and collaborators… who can speak personally to the history and cultures of the regions we were inspired by.” But essentially Khavari asserts that Far Cry 6 is more of a political examination and exploration than a specific conclusion.
“If anyone is seeking a simplified, binary political statement specifically on the current political climate in Cuba, they won’t find it,” states Khavari.
Still, you can expect Far Cry 6 and its blockbuster villain to be in keeping with the tone of the series. “Far Cry is a brand that in its DNA seeks to have mature, complex themes balanced with levity and humor,” Khavari reminds us even in this candid post.
This is certainly supported by what we’ve seen of the game so far. Specifically, the most recent gameplay reveal showcase which had plenty of weight as it highlighted the twisted return to glory those in power desire. And on the flipside, it also featured an alligator in a shirt, makeshift jetpacks, and a gun that shoots CDs. “We have attempted to achieve this balance with care, says Khavari, “my only hope is that we are willing to let the story speak for itself first before forming hard opinions on its political reflections.”
We’ll have to draw our own conclusions when Far Cry 6 releases this fall on October 7, 2021.
