Far Cry is a popular anthology franchise of first-person shooter games published by Ubisoft. The series began with the original Far Cry game developed by Crytek, released in March 2004 to showcase their CryEngine software. Ubisoft later acquired the franchise and continued development primarily through Ubisoft Montreal. The Far Cry games are known for placing players in wilderness environments where they must survive hostile forces, including despotic rulers and wild animals. The franchise features open-world gameplay, incorporating main story missions, side quests, hunting, crafting, and often emphasizes player freedom and immersive environments. As of 2025, the franchise includes six mainline games, standalone expansions, and several spin-offs. Each game generally offers a standalone story with little narrative continuity between entries but shares the common theme of exploring lawless frontiers with survival elements. The games incorporate different settings and antagonists inspired by real-world conflicts or fictional stories, ranging from realistic to supernatural elements. Key titles in the series include:
- Far Cry (2004): The original game focused on discrete levels and set the foundation for the franchise.
- Far Cry 2 (2008): Set in a fictional African country with more realism, introducing mechanics like weapon decay and malaria infection.
- Far Cry 4 (2014): Set in the fictional Himalayan region of Kyrat, featuring a civil war against a despotic king.
- Far Cry 5 (2018): Set in modern-day Montana, where players fight a doomsday cult controlling Hope County.
- Far Cry 6 (2021): Takes place on the fictional Caribbean island of Yara, ruled by a fascist dictator, with a story inspired by the Cuban Revolution.
The franchise is praised for its open-world design, immersive environments, and engaging antagonists, though some entries have faced criticism for lack of innovation or repetitive gameplay features. The games typically offer both single-player campaigns and multiplayer modes, including cooperative play and map editing features. Additionally, a 2008 movie titled "Far Cry" exists but is loosely connected to the games and received mixed reviews. This franchise remains a commercially successful and influential series in the FPS and open- world genres.
