It’s been a while since Ubisoft dropped a fresh installment in the Far Cry series. The last one, Far Cry 6, starred Giancarlo Esposito and was well-received overall. With that in mind, you might think we’re due for another dose of open-world chaos. However, there’s some disappointing news for fans: one of the two Far Cry games reportedly in development is heading back to the drawing board.
Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson recently shared that the Far Cry extraction shooter, code-named Maverick, is getting a reboot. This game initially started as the multiplayer portion of Far Cry 7 (known internally as Blackbird). It split off from the main series at the start of 2023. However, Ubisoft wasn’t thrilled with the progress, prompting a complete overhaul. As per the report, Ubisoft Montreal is teaming up with Ubisoft Sherbrooke to take the project forward during a fresh prototyping phase.
Maverick was supposed to be set in the rugged terrain of Alaska and would have players squaring off against wildlife, AI soldiers, and fellow players in typical extraction shooter fashion.
The report quotes several insiders familiar with the project, saying the writing had been on the wall for the reboot for a while. The tipping point came when a dedicated tech team known as Talisker, which was once the name for Far Cry 7 before it was split into two projects, shifted their focus from Maverick to fully support Blackbird in December. This move was made to keep Blackbird on schedule.
While the exact reasons for rebooting Maverick aren’t crystal clear, the report hints at Ubisoft’s recent challenges and their efforts to streamline team workflows as contributing factors.
As for Ubisoft’s upcoming releases, all eyes are on Assassin’s Creed Shadows, slated for a March 20 launch. It’s shaping up to be a crucial release since the company is navigating some rough waters. The notorious launch of Star Wars Outlaws and several studio closures have only added pressure. These issues have led the Guillemot family and Tencent to contemplate a new venture, potentially handing some control of Ubisoft’s intellectual properties to the Chinese tech giant.
