Far Cry 7 hasn't even been revealed yet, but it's likely one of the most widely-anticipated games in Ubisoft's future. If the latest report is anything to go by, though, development on the title might not be proceeding in a way that fans of the series will like.
It's not exactly a secret that plenty of AAA game companies are testing the use of AI in future game development, and even beloved developers like Baldur's Gate 3's Larian Studios have mentioned its use in certain areas of planning. Now, it appears that Far Cry 7 might be Ubisoft's testing ground for its AI experiments.
A now-deleted X post from Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson claimed that Ubisoft has been testing a new AI experience in Far Cry 7 with less-than-stellar results. The report built on an Insider Gaming article describing Ubisoft's plans for an announced experience called "Teammates," with "AI-driven NPCs" and a dynamic player assistant.
Henderson didn't mince words about the subject, saying that the implementation of Teammates in Far Cry 7 "looks like s***." That being said, the situation might not spell doom for the next Far Cry game. In a reply to a concerned fan, Henderson clarifies that "the 'Teammates thing isn't Far Cry 7", explaining that the Far Cry 7 framework just happens to be what Ubisoft is using for R&D. While Henderson hasn't offered any follow-up after deleting the original post, this point of confusion might be reason for its deletion.
Even without the influx of AI, the Far Cry series is in a bit of a tough spot. Years of stagnation seemed to catch up with the franchise in Far Cry 6, which launched to a notably middling reception. Meanwhile, a recent report about the development of the next game (also courtesy of Tom Henderson) suggested that "Far Cry's going through hell and back" in its journey to release.
Hopefully, there's still a way for Ubisoft to rediscover the Far Cry magic before the release of the next installment. If there's any hope of that happening, though, the company will probably need to keep the Teammates concept as far away from Far Cry 7 as possible. Plenty of fans have clearly expressed their antipathy toward generative AI in games, and even if Far Cry 7 is only being used for testing, the focus on Teammates doesn't seem like the best move to rebuild Ubisoft's reputation.
