In Far Cry 6 you experience a political story. And according to one developer, there is no other way. Ubisoft seems to be rethinking here
Far Cry 6 takes you to the fictional island of Yara, which is currently undergoing a revolution. The scenario is strongly reminiscent of Cuba, which suggests a political story. According to narrative director Navid Khavari, we will get one, and it is even necessary.
With this, Ubisoft is taking a different direction than in the past. With The Division 2, for example, creative director Terry Spier still denied any political statement in the game in an interview.
Ubisoft wants to tell a political story, but not make a statement
Navid Khavari explained in a blog that the team was inspired by the guerrilla struggles in Cuba in the 1950s and 1960s for the story of Far Cry 6. However, they did not want to limit themselves to the island, but also took revolutions and guerrilla uprisings from other places in the world and from other times for the story of the shooter. But this is not meant to be a political statement:
“We have become aware that Cuba is a complicated island and our game does not want to make a political statement about what is happening in Cuba. ”
Still, we can expect a political storyline, and according to Navid Khavari, that’s absolutely necessary.
“A story about a modern revolution has to be political. In Far Cry 6, there are hard-hitting, relevant discussions about the conditions that lead to the rise of fascism in a nation, the cost of imperialism, forced labour, the need for free and fair elections, LGBTQ+ rights and more in the context of Yara, a fictional island in the Caribbean. “
The Narrative Designer is aware that a political story can lead to debate. Some players do not want to have political views “forced” on them or be confronted with politics in a game.
Therefore, the team handles the situation very carefully and has done a lot of research. Among other things, the developers worked with experts and people who had personal experiences. This is to give the story the necessary sensitivity.
Navid Khavari explains:
“If anyone is looking for a simplistic, binary political statement about the political climate in Cuba, they won’t find it. I come from a family that endured the consequences of the revolution. I have debated the revolution at the dinner table all my life. I can only speak for myself, but it is a complex issue that should never be reduced to a quote. “
Ubisoft rethinks
Games often deal with political issues such as racism, slavery or inequality. Some players think that a completely apolitical game does not exist. Others vehemently reject such themes. Still others believe that political stories in games are even necessary.
Until now, as mentioned above, Ubisoft had always stayed out of this discourse or emphasised in previous statements that they do not make political games. Now Ubisoft is breaking with its earlier statements: politics deliberately plays a major role in the story of Far Cry 6.
Only time will tell whether this turnaround will lead to a general rethinking at Ubisoft or whether Far Cry 6 is an isolated case in this respect. It is also uncertain how this will be received by the players.
