When Far Cry 5 launches later this month on Xbox One, PS4, and PC, it will certainly have a slew of content coming with it. Between the already revealed massive single player mode, a full co-operative mode, and the DLC announcements comes the news that Far Cry 5 Arcade Mode will dramatically expand the map editor designed for the game.
“We’ve really pushed hard this time to make it a much more integral part of the Far Cry experience, and to really give it its own identity,” Clark Davies, the lead designer on Far Cry Arcade said on the Ubisoft Blog. “We’re going to make sure it’s more visible than ever. Not just in our menus, but in the campaign itself. We’re going to put arcade booths all around our campaign world in places where it makes sense. And then on top of that, there will be posters all over the game world, which will be simple portals to quick-launch you into our best featured maps.”
You will be able to walk up to an arcade machine in a bar and jump straight into Far Cry Arcade content. You’ll be able to check out the latest user created levels (which will thankfully be curated by the developers) as the same character you will play in the campaign. Any experience points, money, or perks earned while playing Arcade Mode will also cross over into the games campaign mode when you’re done, meaning no matter what you’re doing, you’re never going to have to worry about missing out on the games leveling experience. Davies explains further; “The critical thing for us is to make sure that the time players spend in Far Cry Arcade is equally as valued to them as the time that would be spent in the campaign…So we have a shared progression system to do that. All the rewards that you would normally earn in the campaign – money, items, weapons, vehicles, and so on – all of these are equally available to you in Far Cry Arcade, and vice versa. It’s one profile; you take it back and forth between the game modes exactly as you’d like, whenever you like. Your time is equally valued wherever you spend it.”
Also impressive is the vast number of items that will be available to map editors from the start. Not only will players have access to content in the Far Cry series, but assets from Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Assassin’s Creed Unity, and Watch Dogs is also confirmed, about 7,000 pieces or objects in total.
Far Cry Arcade will also include new ways to play via new game modes like Bounty Hunt. Bounty Hunt challenges players to track down and neutralize a specific target. Journey, another new mode, will pit players on a random map and task them with finding the exit. More maps and modes will be announced as time goes on.
With all this incredible sounding content and even more to come after launch, Far Cry Arcade is shaping up to be an integral part of the Far Cry experience going forward.
Again, Far Cry 5 launches March 27th for PC, Xbox One, and Playstation 4.