Summary
Far Cryhas been keeping fans waiting for any firm news regarding the future of the franchise since 2021’s sixth main game. Previously, publisher and developer Ubisoft had followed a reliable pattern of releases, and was vocal in marketing and promoting its upcoming titles in the popular open-world series. This hasn’t been the case for the assumed seventh entry in the long-running FPS franchise, andFar Cryhas seen a swirl of leaked information and rumors attached to it that, depending on how accurate they end up proving, could also be quite divisive.
With theserumors aboutFar Cry 7’s various possible changes in direction and design, Ubisoft hasn’t been doing itself any favors by remaining tight-lipped about whatFar Cry 7may actually be. In the meantime, speculation has picked up to fill the void in the face of a lack of official comment. One sure bet, though, is that when it does eventually release, DLC will follow, as the series has an established history of doing so. In light of that,Far Cry 7should look to one of the most well-received pieces of DLC from its past,FC3’sBlood Dragon, for how it might make the best use of additional content.
Far Cry 7’s DLC Should Take a Page Out of FC3: Blood Dragon’s Playbook
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Was One of the Series' Best and Most Unique Expansions
On top of often being one of thehighest ratedFar Cryentries,Far Cry 3provided players with another treat following its initial success in the form ofBlood Dragon. Coming somewhat unexpectedly as a standalone DLC expansion,Blood Dragontook a swathe ofFar Cry 3’s map, coated it in 80s neon cyberpunk trappings, and framed it around a perfectly campy campaign filled with fun and humorous references, all while giving players a set of futuristic weapons and tools to run wild with.
Actor Michael Biehn, famous for his turns as 80s and 90s action figures like Kyle Reese inTerminatorand Lt. Hicks inAliens, among others, portrayed protagonist Rex “Power” Colt, an even more exaggerated version of a gung-ho super soldier in the “dark distant future of 2007.” With its over-the-top story excesses combined with thetight gameplay ofFar Cry 3,Blood Dragonwas all in all a surprising and satisfying experiment, providing an excellent experience thatFChasn’t really replicated or attempted to since.
At one point, aBlood Dragonsequel subtitledVietnam War 2was thought to possibly be in development, but was not officially confirmed and never materialized.
How Far Cry 7’s DLC Could Follow in Blood Dragon’s Footsteps
Far Cry 6’s DLCswere an assortment of smaller scenarios that featured some notable crossovers with other IPs likeRamboandStrangerThings. Both are heavily stepped in 80s culture and iconography as well, lending them a tenuous connection to the spirit ofBlood Dragon. Its most substantial DLC explored the past three games' villains, Vaas Montenegro, Pagan Min, and Joseph Seed, in roguelike modes, and while these were interesting enough, they didn’t offer as much in the way of breaking fromFC6’s core in the wayBlood Dragondid forFC3.
Blood Dragon’s legacyremains strong, and with so much time passed since its release,Far Cry 7could look to emulate its vision for the modern era. AFar Cry 7DLC need not necessarily be a directBlood Dragonsequel (though that would likely be welcomed too), but it should aim to recapture the creativity and energy of it in a way that showcases how a larger and more directed DLC could make great use of the building blocks of the main title, including any updates or shakeups to the formula, to create a fresh and fulfilling spin on them.
Far Cry 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Play as Dani Rojas, a local Yaran and become a guerrilla fighter to liberate the nation. Welcome to Yara, a tropical paradise frozen in time. Far Cry 6 immerses players into the adrenaline-filled world of a modern-day guerrilla revolution.
