One of the biggest trademarks of the Far Cry series is the way each game tries to introduce a new scenic but dangerous location for the player to explore. These are usually settings located across different parts of the world characterized by a sense of isolation and lawlessness that forces the player to survive against both human enemies and the environment. Most games in the series have been set on fictional islands, countries, or counties inspired by real-life places. The most recent entry in the series, Far Cry 6, brought players to the Cuba-inspired island of Yara and explored the complicated world of guerrilla warfare.
Far Cry 6 has been out for almost a year now, and enjoyed by many players. But now there is another pressing question: where will Far Cry 7 take place? What new war-torn chaotic environment can Ubisoft find to throw players into. If Ubisoft has even decided, they have not said, but there are some very interesting options to look at both new and familiar.
6 Africa
Far Cry 2 was a mess. While it may have laid the groundwork for later games, the whole thing was a clunky, confusing game that was a little too ambitious for its own good. There were lots of ideas that may have sounded good on paper but fell victim to poor execution and the limitations of the era in which it was made. Many fans consider Far Cry 2 the low point of the series with good reason. Even later games poked fun at its shortcomings, especially the Malaria.
But the setting itself was not necessarily a bad idea. Far Cry 2 was set in an unnamed war-torn African country, known as the "UAC," with the player being one of several mercenaries caught in the middle of a blood feud between warmongering factions. This could actually be the setup for something interesting, especially if the developers took advantage of advancements in game development, the evolution of later Far Cry games and changing social standards since Far Cry 2's 2008 release.
Of course, revisiting the UAC would probably require more than simply remaking Far Cry 2. It would probably require a new story and characters, but that would leave room to develop something more in line with the style of later Far Cry games- big open world that can be explored freely. There would probably need to be more depth given to the warring factions and the country's history, but this could be to its advantage. The developers could even do some research into actual African wars as a point of reference, and maybe do more to develop the people involved. And of course, maybe skip the malaria.
5 Australia
Far Cry has had a variety of settings spanning multiple continents. The series so far has included North America (5 and 6), Asia (4), Africa (2), and Europe (Primal). That still leaves a few parts of the world mostly untouched. One Continent that has not been explored in much detail is Australia, the "land down under" that could offer some interesting opportunities. The theme of surviving in a hostile environment would certainly be applicable here. Players would have to deal with large venemous spiders and snakes, and of course the series is no stranger to run-ins with crocodiles.
For an added bit of fun, the developers could take advantage of some of Australia's local wildlife to produce some more unusual animal companions. One idea might be a cassowary (a bird notorious for its extremely aggressive behaviour), or perhaps a large snake to use on unsuspecting enemies, or maybe a surprisingly aggressive little penguin.
4 Canada
Far Cry 5 made a slightly unusual decision for the series by picking a setting that was (for many players) a bit closer to home- the United States. If the U.S. can work as a setting for a Far Cry game, why not Canada? They already had a Canadian businessman, Sean McKay, as a major antagonist in Far Cry 6, and there are lots of different environments to choose from. There would probably be a very different experience depending on whether the game took place on the Eastern seaboard, the Arctic, the prairies, or the rocky mountains. Maybe they could even get a Canadian celebritiy to appear as themselves like Danny Trejo did in 6.
For added fun, the game could also include some Canadian-themed animal companions to aid the player depending on the chosen setting. In an arctic setting, for example, the player could have access to a polar bear and walrus. In a more temperate setting perhaps there could be a moose, a loon, or a beaver.
3 Eastern Europe
Surprisingly, very little has been done with Europe in the Far Cry series. There have been games set in Africa (2), North America (5 and 6), and Asia (4). But so far the only instance of Europe being a primary setting is Primal, which is stated to take place in the "Oros Valley" in an unspecified part of the continent. This is curious considering Europe has a pretty good range of scenic locations that would not be too out of place in a Far Cry game, but if the developers wanted to ramp up the sense of isolation that comes with the Far Cry experience they could look into an Eastern European setting with several countries to choose from. Ukraine, Romania, Belarus, or even Russia, or they could make their own Eastern European country that draws on all of these.
The Far Cry series has introduced players to a variety of settings, but it has almost always used warm environments. Both 3 and 6 take place on tropical islands, while 4 and 5 are primarily set in temperate settings. There have been a few exceptions. Far Cry 4 had levels set in the Himalayas, and Primal made a plot point out of the player needing winter clothing to travel north. But these are small parts of the game, and not the main setting. Certainly an Arctic setting would still fit with the recurring theme of surviving in an isolated hostile environment.
2 Ireland
The Far Cry series has always loved its scenic locations, and Ireland has no shortage of them, but it also has some complicated political history that could be a good inspiration for the main conflict. More specifically, there is a long history of internal strife related to an organization called the Irish Republican Army (IRA), originally formed with the goal of independence from Britain but later splintered into two conflicting sub-factions.
The IRA has continued to exist in various forms over the years, sometimes getting splintered into even more radical and militaristic subgroups. This would make a very good antagonist for the series, with the constant fighting and infighting among them being very much in line with the series' themes of violence as a cycle.
1 Oros
The spin-off Far Cry Primal threw players into a prehistoric world, adapting a lot of typical Far Cry gameplay to accommodate resource gathering and reliance on clubs, spears, and bows instead of guns. It was a fun experiment in trying something different. The game took place in the "Oros Valley" located somewhere in Europe, during the Mesolithic era. Players got to experience the life of a caveman in a hostile world, who slowly develops his survival skills and builds up a tribe. It was a harsh game that played up the hunting mechanics of previous titles and left a lot of moral uncertainty about the players' actions. By the end it was hard to tell if their tribe is really any better than the two they're fighting.
While there do not appear to be plans for Far Cry Primal 2, it would be interesting to see Oros revisited in a modern setting. Aside from finally finding out its location, there would be the fun of finding subtle ways to tie the two games together. But it could also explore the much broader question of whether anything has really changed since the Stone Age. The game could experiment with drawing parallels between the Stone Age and present day, or even a story that alternates between them. It would certainly fit with the series' themes of violence as an unbreakable cycle.
Far Cry 6 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.