Reports say Ubisoft killed its planned Far Cry extraction shooter (codename Maverick) to double down on a “really ambitious” open-world FPS instead. That’s another multi-year wait for the next mainline Far Cry. If you’re done rewalking Yara and want a new island, jungle, or wasteland to blow up, these seven Far Cry alternatives on PC pick up the slack right now.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Store | Price band | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just Cause 4 | Explosive sandbox chaos | Steam | Budget on sale | Grapple + wingsuit + tornadoes |
| Ghost Recon Wildlands | Co-op guerrilla warfare | Ubisoft Connect / Steam | Mid | 4-player squad open world |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Story-driven open world | Steam / GOG | Full price | Night City density |
| Rage 2 | Fast, punchy shooting | Steam | Budget | Best gunfeel of the bunch |
| Assassin’s Creed Odyssey | RPG progression | Ubisoft / Steam | Budget on sale | 100+ hour Greek playground |
| Days Gone | Solo open-world survival | Steam | Mid | Freaker hordes on bikes |
| STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl | Punishing atmospheric FPS | Steam / GOG | Full price | Zone survival with anomalies |
Why players leave Far Cry
The formula’s been stuck for a while. Reviewers and forum threads keep repeating the same complaints:
- Same map, different coat of paint. Outposts to clear, radio towers to climb, animal skins to grind. Far Cry 5 and 6 recycled the loop with lighter changes each time.
- Weak villains after Vaas and Pagan Min. Anton Castillo landed better than Joseph Seed for some, but neither had the on-screen menace of the earlier entries.
- Ubisoft launcher fatigue. Ubisoft Connect requires its own login on top of Steam, and offline mode is fragile.
- No real successor since 2021. Far Cry 6 shipped in October 2021. New Dawn and the small spinoffs don’t count for most fans. That’s a long dry spell.
The seven picks below take one or two of those pain points and hand you a better version.
Just Cause 4 – Best for pure sandbox chaos
Just Cause 4 hands you a grapple hook, a wingsuit, a parachute, and the world’s most permissive vehicle physics. If Far Cry’s fantasy is “one person against a corrupt regime,” Just Cause takes it further: one person against a whole banana republic, with hurricanes as your co-star.
Where it falls short: The story is filler. Missions are repetitive. You’re here for the toybox, not the plot.
Pricing: Full price at launch, but Just Cause 4 has been in the $5 to $15 bracket for years now on Steam sales.
Migrating from Far Cry: Skip the tutorial hours. Head straight to any red-marked base and use the tether gun. The core “clear the outpost” loop is faster and more physical than Far Cry’s.
Download: Steam · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: Pick this if you liked Far Cry’s setpieces but wanted more sandbox and less story hand-holding.
Ghost Recon Wildlands – Best for co-op guerrilla warfare
Ghost Recon Wildlands is what Ubisoft made right before Far Cry started stagnating. Same open-world Ubisoft skeleton, but with a full four-player squad, drone tactics, and Bolivia’s cartels as the enemy. Playing solo, an AI squad follows you. With three friends, it becomes the co-op open-world FPS Far Cry never quite delivered.
Where it falls short: Vehicle physics are floaty. AI teammates are dumber than human squadmates by a wide margin.
Pricing: Ultimate Edition often drops under $15 during sales. Base game around $10.
Migrating from Far Cry: The mission structure is very close. Pick a province, take out the cartel lieutenant, weaken the boss, repeat.
Download: Ubisoft Connect · Steam
Bottom line: The best co-op pick on this list. Ideal for four friends who want the Ubisoft open world with tactical shooting bolted on.
Cyberpunk 2077 – Best for story-driven open world
Cyberpunk 2077 finally became the game it was pitched as, three years after launch. It runs well, the RPG systems click, and Phantom Liberty added one of the best expansions on PC in the last five years. Night City is denser than any Far Cry map.
Where it falls short: Vehicle combat is weak. If you loved Far Cry’s helicopter gunships, Cyberpunk’s cars will feel flat.
Pricing: Base game $59.99, often on sale. Phantom Liberty is $29.99 extra.
Migrating from Far Cry: Roll a Nomad V and focus on Solo build. That’s the Cyberpunk archetype closest to a Far Cry protagonist: run in, shoot everyone, drive away.
Download: Steam · GOG · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: Pick this if you’re okay trading vehicles for the deepest story on the list.
Rage 2 – Best for gunfeel
Rage 2 is what happens when id Software’s shooting engine meets Avalanche’s open-world design. The result is the punchiest first-person shooting of anything Far Cry-adjacent. Enemies stagger, explode, and ragdoll in ways Far Cry’s damage sponges never did.
Where it falls short: Open-world content is thin. Once you’ve cleared a few bandit dens, you’ve seen the rotation.
Pricing: Under $10 on most Steam sales. Deluxe Edition around $15.
Migrating from Far Cry: Skip the map icons. Follow the story. The gunplay carries the whole game.
Download: Steam · Bethesda.net
Bottom line: Pick this if you thought Far Cry’s shooting was fine but wanted it to feel great instead.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – Best for RPG progression
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is Ubisoft’s other open-world hit, and it borrows more from Far Cry than either studio admits: outposts, sync points, wildlife hunting, upgrade grinding. But Odyssey layers real RPG progression on top, with skill trees, ability cooldowns, and gear tiers.
Where it falls short: The map is enormous. If you disliked Far Cry’s completionist checklist, Odyssey will make it worse.
Pricing: Gold Edition regularly under $20 on Ubisoft and Steam sales.
Migrating from Far Cry: Play as Kassandra. Focus on the Assassin skill tree. You’ll clear forts the same way you clear Yaran army bases.
Download: Ubisoft Connect · Steam · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: Pick this if you loved the Far Cry loop but wanted numbers to go up more meaningfully.
Days Gone – Best for solo open-world survival
Days Gone is the PS4-turned-PC exclusive that critics slept on. You’re Deacon St. John, a biker in Oregon two years after a viral outbreak. The horde fights are the setpiece: hundreds of infected chasing you across the map in real time. Far Cry never tried anything at that scale.
Where it falls short: Long slow open. The first six hours drag. Push through.
Pricing: Around $20 to $30 on Steam, cheaper on sale.
Migrating from Far Cry: Focus on your bike. Upgrading it is the equivalent of Far Cry’s vehicle hijacking mini-loop, but permanent.
Download: Steam · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: Pick this if you want a Far Cry-scale open world with a horror layer and a single believable protagonist.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl – Best for atmosphere
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl finally launched after a 15-year wait. GSC Game World built the Zone bigger, weirder, and more punishing than Far Cry ever went. Anomalies kill you if you sprint the wrong direction. Bandits ambush from bushes. Faction politics matter.
Where it falls short: Bugs and performance were rough at launch and are still being patched. Not for anyone who wants a smooth ride.
Pricing: $59.99 base, $79.99 Deluxe. Cost of Hope expansion arrives late August 2026.
Migrating from Far Cry: Turn off the minimap. STALKER expects you to read the environment.
Download: Steam · GOG · Xbox / Microsoft Store
Bottom line: Pick this if you want the exact opposite of Far Cry’s hand-holding. It’s punishing, atmospheric, and unforgettable.
How to choose
Pick Ghost Recon Wildlands if you have friends and want the closest thing to co-op Far Cry.
Pick Cyberpunk 2077 if you want the strongest story and are okay with cars instead of jeeps.
Pick Just Cause 4 if you never cared about the plot and just want the toybox.
Pick STALKER 2 if you want the opposite of Ubisoft polish, warts and all.
Stay on Far Cry 6 if you’re still working through the DLC. Vaas: Insanity and Pagan: Control are two of the strongest bits of Far Cry writing in years, and they only take a weekend each.
FAQ
Is Ubisoft making a new Far Cry? Yes. Reports from Insider Gaming and Kotaku say Ubisoft killed a planned extraction shooter codenamed Maverick and is now developing a mainline open-world Far Cry described as “really ambitious.” No release window has been announced.
What is the best Far Cry alternative for co-op? Ghost Recon Wildlands. It’s built for four-player squads and shares Far Cry’s mission structure almost beat for beat.
Is Cyberpunk 2077 like Far Cry? It’s a first-person open-world shooter with heavy RPG mechanics. The moment-to-moment combat feels different, but the exploration and side-content loop maps closely to Far Cry.
Can I play Just Cause 4 like Far Cry? Yes, if you focus on liberating bases and ignore the story missions. The base-clearing loop is faster and more physical than Far Cry’s.
Is STALKER 2 too hard for Far Cry players? It’s a steep step up in difficulty and atmosphere. If you played Far Cry on Story or Easy difficulty, STALKER 2 will feel brutal. If you played on Hard, it’s a manageable adjustment.
