On Thursday, Ubisoft announced that Far Cry 5, The Crew 2, and an unannounced franchise title would all be pushed back on their release schedule. In the case of Far Cry 5, the much-awaited game will come out on March 27, 2018, a month after its original launch date.
The remaining two titles have undetermined release dates, but The Crew 2 will come out on the first half of the company’s 2018-19 fiscal year and the new mystery title will launch in the 2019-20 year once it’s revealed. The delay, Ubisoft says, is actually an extended deadline for developers to iron out last details.
This approach worked with the fairly successful Assassin’s Creed: Origins. The latest installment in the saga has received much praise and it has been a commercial hit among players and fans of the franchise. The French studio hopes to replicate that success with upcoming titles by applying the same formula.
Important information about Far Cry 5's release date: https://t.co/pmXrWmenkJ pic.twitter.com/djcowddcfH
— Far Cry 5 (@FarCrygame) December 7, 2017
More time means better results for Ubisoft games
Christine Burgess-Quémard, head of Ubisoft’s worldwide studios, said that Origins actually benefited from the delayed deadline and that they hoped it would have the same effect on new games like Far Cry 5, whose original release date is roughly two months away.
More time for developers had “a very positive impact on the game’s quality and largely participated to its commercial success,” according to the executive. This influenced the decision to “invest additional time in development” so that game makers can gather additional player feedback and really put out a well-made game.
Announcement trailers and gameplay videos of Far Cry 5 look like the mechanics of the game are pretty well developed already, but there might be more concrete details to finish. The rhythm of the development of a game is crazy enough as is, so additional time is surely welcome by all the people involved.
Ubisoft literally just realized that games are better when they're not rushed out. https://t.co/gbNyIFS2aj
— The Game Professor (@gamesaslit) December 7, 2017
Later releases bring up fan criticism
However, games are ultimately intended for an audience, and failing to deliver on the promises they make brings up heated emotions in fans and eager players. In other words, the delay of Far Cry 5 has angered some gamers that were counting the days until its release.
In spite of the critical acclaim, some upset fans were quick to note the buggy and subpar motion mechanics in Assassin’s Creed: Origins, as well as some of the weakest plot points of the story and the long drawn-out formula that’s been used to death in the last decade.
Nevertheless, Ubisoft is confident on their decision, and they expect the controversial Far Cry 5 will be able to meet players’ expectations and resonate with the current cultural environment in the U.S. It comes out on March 27, 2018, for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
Source: Ubisoft
