Far Cry 6 Is Political, Narrative Director Says
The game's narrative director explained why it's impossible for it not to be.
Following statements last week that had some players confused on whether Far Cry 6 is a "political game," narrative director Navid Khavari has made things unquestionably clear: Far Cry 6 is a political game.
In a post on the official Ubisoft website, Khavari said that a "story about a modern revolution" has to be political and that Far Cry 6 will contain discussions on topics like fascism, imperialism, forced labor, LGBTQ+ rights, and free elections, though this will be in the context of the fictional Yara nation rather than a real country. The setting was clearly inspired by Cuba, but it's not directly inspired by Cuba alone, and it's this distinction that may have led to confusion about the game's political intentions or lack thereof.
"The conversations and research done on the perspectives of those who fought revolutions in the late 1950s, early 1960s, and beyond are absolutely reflected in our story and characters," Khavari said. "But if anyone is seeking a simplified, binary political statement specifically on the current political climate in Cuba, they won't find it."
There will still be "levity and humor" in Far Cry 6, as it's a major element in the series, but Ubisoft aimed to also include mature themes and tackle complex political issues in the game, albeit regarding the fictional country.
"My only hope is that we are willing to let the story speak for itself first before forming hard opinions on its political reflections."
Though Far Cry 5 seemed set to tackle political issues, as well--its box art features an American flag draped over a Last Supper-like table, for Pete's sake--the game was actually focused on a religious cult and had little topical commentary. It remains to be seen how effective Far Cry 6 is in its about-face, but Khavari's statements make it sound like the game does have something to say.
The initial confusion came after Khavari said Ubisoft didn't "want to make a political statement about what's happening in Cuba specifically," which some took as a statement on the game's apolitical nature as a whole. Given Ubisoft's past shying away from direct political messaging in its games--even overtly political ones like the DC-set The Division 2--the company's willingness to finally address the elephant in the room is encouraging.
Far Cry 6 releases for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Stadia and PC on October 7. We expect to see more of it at Ubisoft Forward on June 12.
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