Far Cry 5 latest news: release date, gameplay & trailer

Ubisoft has officially announced Far Cry 5. Here's everything we know, including the latest news and rumours about the gameplay, release date, and platforms.

 After the success of Far Cry 4 back in 2014, fans have been eagerly awaiting news about the almost inevitable Far Cry 5. It was a pretty big surprise when instead of the fifth game 2016 brought the stone age spin-off Far Cry: Primal, but another modern adventure is on the way.

We’ll be tracking its development, and this page is where you’ll find all the Far Cry 5 news and rumours out there, including its release date, platforms, and setting.

If you want to find out about what else is on the way, check out our guide to this year's most anticipated games.

In summary:

• Far Cry 5 release date: February 27, 2018
• Formats: PS4 (with Pro support), Xbox One, PC
• Developer: Ubisoft
• Price: TBC

Far Cry 5

 When is Far Cry 5 coming out?

After Far Cry 3 was released in November 2012 and Far Cry 4 came out in November 2014, fans obviously expected Far Cry 5 to arrive in November 2016. Publisher Ubisoft threw a surprise wrench in the works when they released Far Cry: Primal however, as the prehistoric spin-off game came out in February 2016, killing any hopes for the main series’ fifth game coming out in the same year.

That meant most fans expect Far Cry 5 to arrive some time in 2017. We do at least know for sure that the game is in the works, as Ubisoft confirmed its existence in an earnings call with investors, revealing that it is one of four games due out before March 2018, alongside Assassin's Creed: Origins, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, and The Crew 2.

However, our dreams of a 2017 release were crushed by the Far Cry 5 reveal trailer which states that Far Cry 5 is set to be released on 27 February 2018.

But why so late? In September 2016, IGN spoke to Ubisoft VP of editorial Tommy François, who revealed why Far Cry could (and has) slip back to 2018.

"I'll tell you what, we believe Alpha for these games needs to be one year before release. We're trying to achieve that. That's super f****** blunt, I don't even know if I'm allowed to say this. This is the goal we're going for: Alpha one year before, more quality, more polish. So if this means biting the [bullet] and not having an Assassin's game, or a Far Cry [in 2017], f*** it."

Far Cry 5

Some might worry that it’s a bad sign for the franchise’s future or reflects unhappiness about recent sales, but François dismissed those concerns quickly, and emphasised that the extra development time is based on creative concerns, to try and make Far Cry 5 the best game that it can be.

"No, Far Cry's only been going up in sales, so that's not true [...] We sometimes try to do too much - I'm actually super-happy. I know it's perceived like [a marketing decision], and even if it is [perceived that way], it's actually OK. People are allowed to perceive it like that, that it's a break in the brand and that we're doing it for that. I have no quarrels. I just want people to fall in love when people try the next iteration of one of these two brands."

Far Cry 5

What about the setting and gameplay?

The most recent Far Cry games have become best known for leading the way in terms of open-world first-person shooters. Far Cry 3 allowed players to explore a pair of enormous tropical islands, while Far Cry 4 offered the whole of the Himalayas to explore, so it’s likely that Far Cry 5 will offer a similarly expansive environment.

That environment is closer to home for some than previous games, as the game takes place in modern-day Montana in the northwest United States. As a member of law enforcement in the fictional Hope County, you’ll come face-to-face with crazy cultists and dedicated militias in true, chaotic Far Cry fashion.

In a change to previous Far Cry games, Far Cry 5 will allow you to customise the look of the main character. Beyond being a junior deputy sheriff, the protagonist is a blank canvas. Some are speculating that the choices you make in terms of race (and possibly gender) could influence the way the story is told, and how others interact with you, although only time will tell. 

Far Cry 5 pits you against Joseph, the bearded figure that posed like Jesus in the teaser image released by Ubisoft prior to the reveal. Joseph is the leader of a doomsday cult called ‘Project at Eden’s Gate’ and has swathes of underlings to help him carry out his work, along with other cult leaders (who all happen to be members of his family).

Far Cry 5

However, while you’ll go up against cultists in a big way, you’ll also have the aid of many Hope County locals. Three of your key allies in Far Cry 5 are Pastor Jerome Jeffries, a clergyman armed to the teeth and ready to fight for what’s right, along with Mary May, a tavern owner who knows a thing or two about Molotov cocktails, and Nick Rye, a pilot that attached a gatling gun to his plane.

Looking beyond the setting and its qwerky inhabitants, it is likely that players can expect Far Cry 5 to have less focus on a linear narrative and instead bring the open world elements even further to the fore. Ubisoft chief creative officer Serge Hascoet told Le Monde that his focus was on making “worlds that are interesting to me, even as a tourist,” where “my actions will change the world."

“I don’t want the player to go through a story created by someone. We have games like that still, but I ask more and more that we let the player write their own story — that they set themselves a long-term goal, identify the opportunities that are open to them and choose not to follow a path that was decided for them.”

The company has also confirmed that Far Cry 5 will be co-op from beginning to end, allowing groups of friends to explore the open world of Hope County.

We’ll be sure to update this article as soon as we have any more details about Far Cry 5, so check back C3 in the future .