'Far Cry 5' Petition Crashes Change.org, But Why All The Hate?

When your best friend sends you a link to a petition over Facebook, normally you just shake your head and have a good laugh over its demands. This wasn't the case for this particular petition. It was one that made not just the gamer in me, but the human in me feel shame as I read it over. Not because it is asking for a game to be cancelled, but because it's calling for the loss of people's jobs, their hard work, and even their dedication to a long-running franchise which has been known for going to places you'd never expect.

#FarCry5, announced earlier this month, has been slated for an early 2018 launch window. Just like in previous games, you'll be running around an open world in enemy-run territories. The difference is you aren't on some tropical island, but in a location much closer to home: Montana. A setting that has become occupied by one of the most dangerous cults to date.

Our very own Jay Ricardi sat down with Dan Hay to discuss Far Cry 5 and how it will cover such sensitive topics. Dan Hays explains how they plan on recreating a land that is known for its farms and God-fearing Christians, as upstanding citizens work together to overthrow a growing and dangerous cult.

An Anti-Alt-Right Game? The Devil's In The Details

The people behind the petition have their own name for Far Cry 5: "Liberals Gun Down Alt-Righters: The Game."

With little known about the title, this backlash almost makes you scratch your head, since y'know, we have no clue what the full story is. However, this lack of information hasn't stopped "Gamers United" from writing a 535-word letter that offers their opinion on what changes need to be made:

Enough is enough UbiSoft. We’ve sat through your multicultural lectures and your preachy games aimed at degenerates and miscegenators. We’ve tolerated it in the name of gameplay design and innovation. But no more! Far Cry 5 is an insult to your fanbase, the Americans who make up the majority of your customers, and it’s time you woke up to that fact. Change this, or cancel it.

'Gamers United' Speaks for the Majority of American Far Cry Fans? No You Don't.

As a gamer, I've been loud about how I feel about games. As a critic, blogger, and journalist I've made a lot of noise when I feel something doesn't feel appropriate or true to its aims. I've been loud about my feelings towards Outlast 2 and its satanic cult during my streams. I've been vocal about the gore in The Surge. I've even been outspoken about Far Cry Primal's failure to live up to the high standards set by Far Cry 3.

But looking back at the petition's quote above, you might notice that its purported facts are entirely wrong. Americans actually only make up roughly 48.2% of Ubisoft's consumer fanbase, which leaves the rest of the world hovering above us at around 51.8%. We are outnumbered, by a lot. Millions to be exact.

Ubisoft want to appeal to loyal fans of the franchise that like - no, rather, love - their adventures. They want us to dig into the story and explore hostile worlds that seek to undermine the player in creative ways. They want you to fight to survive, which is what Far Cry 5 seemingly aims to do, and I'll admit: I'm buying it, day one, no matter what. You don't speak for me. You don't speak for the millions of us that enjoy the series and will be buying Far Cry 5.

Wait... You Want an Anti-Semetic Game Instead? What the Hell is Wrong With You?

I struggle to see what's wrong or even offensive about a violent cult occupying U.S. territory. It has happened before and is as credible a threat as any we've encountered in past games. The alternative proposed by the petition's angry writers?

Change the villains. It’s not so hard, really. Just change the villains to something more realistic. Islam is on the rise in America, as is the violence of inner city gangs. Are you scared to do so? In the words of Boltair – “To learn who rules you, simply find out who’s not being criticized.”

While Islam is on the rise in America, it does not necessarily lead to acts by terrorist organizations such as ISIS, as much as some would like to think. So why target one religion based on your anti-Islamic views? While you are grasping at other ordeals such as inner city gangs, they aren't nearly as bad as you think, and the theme itself has been overdone thanks to games such as Mafia, Grand Theft Auto, and even Sleeping Dogs. They are all games that show the inner-city struggles of gangs from different cultures, so let's not keep retreading the same ground.

The only thing we know is that the cult founders in Far Cry 5 are white, somewhat religious, and use churches as a place of gathering in order to scheme. They are people that are more political than they are religious. They use religion to motivate their views and push them forth, which is something that Far Cry 5 seems to want to explore versus being an a "leftist" game. It's a game that could very well take us on a wild ride and have our heads spinning when it launches next year.

It's not even clear that the cult at the center of Far Cry 5 is actually villainous. Yes, they're framed in the reveal — and at the outset of the game — as an antagonistic force, but Far Cry games rarely feature a black and white story. And there's already been some (admittedly vague) suggestion that you'll have a measure of choice in the way the narrative plays out.

In any case, more will be revealed at E3 2017, so how about waiting until we know more about the game before casting stones upon that which you do not like.