In a new interview, Far Cry 5’s director stressed that the title is offering a social commentary, not necessarily a political one.
Far Cry 5’s announcement last year sparked a political controversy over the game’s take on American conservatism. But in an interview with PC & Tech Authority, Ubisoft Montreal Executive Producer Dan Hay stressed the game doesn’t have a “political commentary” about the U.S.
Hay, who also serves as Far Cry 5’s creative director, stressed the game’s premise was rooted in Ubisoft thinking about “what it was like to put a Far Cry in America.” That means the game “is not specifically offering a political commentary,” but rather, Far Cry 5 has “a social one” to share.
“When you look at the news, when you listen to what’s going on the radio, if you watch things happening online, there’s definitely this palpable feeling of the world being on the edge,” Hay told PC & Tech Authority. “I think the question may be globally that, if we’re on that final edge; that cliff, where this is the time humanity may go too far, would we know it?”
Hay stressed that games like Far Cry 5 shouldn’t tell people what to think, but rather create characters that challenge how players perceive the world around them. The key, he said, is for players to engage with realistic open-world settings that “explore different ideas in a way that is not forced down their throats.”
And to that end, Ubisoft visited Montana in an attempt to make the game’s Hope County feel as lifelike as possible.
“The devil is in the details,” Hay said. “Until you’ve spoken with somebody who really understands cults; the vernacular and language each cult has, or have been to Montana and had a beer with somebody and heard a great story, you can’t really build a world that’s convincing.”
Far Cry 5 launches on March 27 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The main story alone will last approximately 25 hours, meaning players will receive plenty of time to experience “the world being on the edge.”
