Summary
Released in 2019,Far Cry New Dawnwas a more divisive entry in Ubisoft’s flagship FPS action franchise. After the generally well-received fifth numbered installment, it followed up with a spin-off that was also sort of a half-sequel. A strange situation to be sure, butFar Cry New Dawnsignaled that the studio was still willing to try different things, even if they didn’t always pan out. Prior toNew Dawn, it had heavily experimented with 2016’sFar Cry Primal, with the results more positively received.
With the studio having been silent for a lengthy period aboutwhat might be coming next forFar Cry, rumors and leaks have stepped in to suggest some significant changes to the formula. Whether this turns out to be true remains a waiting game for now, but Ubisoft has surprised fans before, and it could do so again by revisitingFar Cry New Dawn’s world and premise in a sequel while looking toPrimalfor some of the best ways to inform and improve upon how one might work.
Earlier this year, Ubisoft released anunexpected update forFar Cry New Dawn, adding in a 60 FPS patch.
Far Cry Primal Might Be the Best Inspiration for a Potential New Dawn Sequel
Far Cry Primal and Far Cry New Dawn’s Visions
As the two entries set the farthest back in the past and future respectively,PrimalandNew Dawnare outliers inFar Cry’s outputthat offered players a different experience compared to most other entries. Both their settings were a bigger shakeup, with the former being set in the Stone Age instead of an exotic modern locale, andFar CryNew Dawntaking place roughly a generation after the nuclear apocalypse at the conclusion ofFC5. Though seemingly lying at opposite ends of the scale, they also mirror each other in notable ways and were similarly experimental with various mechanics. WithFar CryPrimaloften the better-received entry, it might thus serve as the best template for aNew Dawnsequel.
How a Far Cry New Dawn Sequel Based on Far Cry Primal’s Designs Could Work
Far Cryhas long had crafting and upgrade systems, andFar Cry Primal’s Survival Modeturned things up a notch by making some of these more costly and introducing more difficult parameters. Having another title set after The Collapse could see players managing resources and building more elaborate settlements from the ground up, much likeFar Cry Primal’s Wenja village. ANew Dawnsequel that leans into these survival-based mechanics by having specialized NPCs for players to unlock that provide increasingly better bonuses to help survive in a harsher world would fit naturally within the framework.
Far Cry Primal’s beast tamingwas another standout element, and could be tweaked to allow fans to do so again in a post-apocalyptic setting. Ubisoft also worked with experts to create an authentic-sounding fictional primitive language forPrimal,an idea that could be revived in a secondNew Dawn, in a future where a new tongue may be developing. While this is perhaps more on the extreme end, it was nevertheless an interesting inclusion that would benefit from a new take.
One of its least-liked features wasFar Cry New Dawn’s weapon tier system. This could be overhauled by altering it to work more closely likePrimal’s for a followup, allowing a greater range of playstyle preferences while keeping some ofNew Dawn’s core intact. Combined with a modified version ofPrimal’s Survival Mode, both could integrate well, playing into the setting and narrative while evolving the established formulas. Although there are currently no known plans for such a project,Far Cry Primalhas numerous aspects that could serve as a good jumping-off point for a possibleNew Dawnsequel.
