Far Cry 3 reveal at E3 2011?

By Robert Purchese Published 4 May, 2011

Evidence builds and builds.

Evidence of Far Cry 3 mounts, and rumour suggests Ubisoft may reveal the new game at E3 next month.

Internet bloodhound Superannuation sniffed numerous mentions of the project online.

Stuntman Lee Villeneuve's CV cites past work on Far Cry 3, and stuntman Stephane Julien also mentions working on Far Cry 3.

One Ubisoft programmer notes on LinkedIn that he's beavering away on an "Undisclosed First Person Shooter" for PS3 and Xbox 360 that has "exotic gameplay", "scripted events" and "cinematics". Colleague Miguel Angel Sepulveda, an animation and AI engineer at Ubisoft, calls his current project as an "Unannounced Action AAA" game for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Ubisoft 3D animator Marc Echave goes one further, noting Far Cry 3 among other confirmed and released Ubisoft projects.

All of this after a Ubisoft writer confirmed Far Cry 3 and online shops accidentally put Collector's Editions of the game up for sale.

Coincidence?

"We are not commenting on speculations and rumours," Ubisoft told Eurogamer this afternoon.

Crysis developer Crytek created the Far Cry series. The original Far Cry - a real head-turner at the time (2004) - earned 8/10 on Eurogamer. Xbox game Far Cry Instincts took the tropical survival bent a step further and earned another 8/10. An Xbox 360 conversion of that same game earned 7/10.

Far Cry 2 (2008) was a different kettle of fish, owing to it being an internally developed Ubisoft game. Gone was the tropical environment, replaced instead by harsh Africa-inspired bush and malaria. Far Cry 2 was huge, attractive and refreshingly mature. Christian Donlan dug out an 8/10 for Far Cry 2 on Eurogamer.

He wrote: "Far Cry 2 is unforgettable rather than perfect, then; brilliant, frustrating, sombre and comical, it offers freedom within extremely curtailed limits, and strives to treat its players like adults."

Far Cry 2 on PS3 and Xbox 360.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (52) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DozyKipper #1 1 year ago

    What locale is this third outing set in then?

  • CaptainQuint #2 1 year ago

    Just two fundamental issues to fix after the disappointment that was the aesthetically beautiful, hugely flawed second game:

    1. The controls - Tighten them up. They were far too laggy and loose. Movement and aiming was no fun at all. Look to Crysis 2 for how to get the controls right.

    2. Once an area has been cleared, LEAVE IT CLEARED. Or at the very least, leave it a couple of 'days' before respawning enemies there again. That shit in the last game was fucking frustrating and I stopped playing as a direct result.

  • desperado67 #3 1 year ago

    Hope its back to the tropics. I loved the original farcry, and as a relative latecomer to gaming, thanks all you guys at work, it was the first game i played that caused me loose many hours mysteriously! Mind you, how about setting it in the mountains. That would be cool. No pun intended. You could have mines, cable cars, ice climbs. How good would it be to parasail of a snow capped peak......

  • aldo_14 #4 1 year ago

    2. Once an area has been cleared, LEAVE IT CLEARED. Or at the very least, leave it a couple of 'days' before respawning enemies there again. That shit in the last game was fucking frustrating and I stopped playing as a direct result.

    I think that was one of the things they simply couldn't fix in time for release, so it should be improved this time round (see the comments by Clint Hocking here).

    My gripe was always more that the supposed civil war was being fought - or not fought - by identikit multiethnic mercenaries. That was maybe a deliberate point (that said war is not about the inhabitants of the country etc), but it didn't feel like a war torn country so much as a big safari park with slightly insane keepers. I wish they'd had something that indicated there were two sides actually fighting each other, rather than the whole world against you.

    I enjoyed Far Cry 2 more than the original or Crysis, though, so I'm hopeful for this one.
    Edited by aldo_14 at 04/05/11 @ 14:44

  • arcam #5 1 year ago

    Far Cry 2 was just a few tweaks off being a classic in my eyes.

    I know RPG elements in shooters are a bit played out now, but I think if they make them bit more fleshed out this time it could be a really compelling game. I loved sleeping until nightfall, then choosing a stealthy weapon loadout, silently sailing down the rivers and ambushing a compound under cover of darkness.

    However I suspect that they will instead make the whole thing tighter and more focused, cut down on the amount of travelling you have to do, and include a wide range of environments in which you are guided around at the developers breakneck pace like a tourist hurried along by an impatient tour guide.

  • desperado67 #6 1 year ago

    Yeah, agree with the respawning enemies. For me, an annoyance, not a game-ender though. More irritating was the rather lame ending.

  • Ferral #7 1 year ago

    Controls on PC version of Farcry 2 were spot on, but thats to be expected with mouse / keyboard.

    The Dunia engine scales really well, so even on my mid spec mobility radeon lappy it looked almost as good as my high spec desktop.

    But like mentioned the really frustrating thing was the respawn times at the security checkpoints. Head through one near a mission, kill everyone. Then complete a mission and 5 mins later go back through checkpoint and everyone was back. You couldnt run from them either in a vehicle as they just didnt give up the chase.

    There was one really frustrating area on the first map near a pipeline, 2 different groups of enemies in close sucession. Kill first group then start on the 2nd, by the time you killed the 2nd group the first had respawned so you had a virtually never ending firefight. They should have at least put a days cycle between respawns, as with some of the missions they all headed in the same direction so you were constantly clearing out the same guys.

    Still a decent enough game though, need to finish it. On second map now and instead of doing everything just doing story missions to get through the last bits.

  • Vortex808 #8 1 year ago

    Excited about this. Far Cry 2 was a lovely game, with annoying overly quickly respawning enemies. I thankfully avoided the save game corruption issue that led to many not being able to finish it. I loved the ending too.

    Sort the respawns out, and the overly eagle-eyed enemies when I'm trying to stealth it whilst keeping the free roaming aspect and I'll be buying it with no qualms.

  • TheEarlOfZinger #9 1 year ago

    As long as it doesn't feature

    1. INFINITELY FUCKING RESPAWNING LOCAL-MILITIA ROADBLOCKS

    2. PSYCHIC/MAGIC ENEMIES THAT CAN SEE THROUGH HEAVY JUNGLE UNDERGROWTH TO HEADSHOT INSTANTLY YOU AT 100 METRES, 0 VISIBILTY, AT NIGHT

    Multiplayer in FC2 was pathetic as well. And that was when it actually worked.
    Edited by TheEarlOfZinger at 04/05/11 @ 14:53

  • Haloboy #10 1 year ago

    See I never understood the outrage at enemies respawning simply because if they didn't what else would you have left to do as you mowed around in a jeep? Spot the zebra competitions? The areas were so vast had enemies not respawned I'd have been either bored shitless or going crazy trying to find diamonds hidden in places I couldn't figure out how to get to. Although I must admit diamond hunting was a passion of mine and I thoroughly enjoyed it some of those cunting diamonds obviously required a jetpack to reach.

    I do agree however that a period of days should pass in FC3 before they respawn, giving off more a realistic sense of reinforcements arriving in the area in due course. Same thing, slight different approach is all that's required.

  • Wahoffelmadenga #11 1 year ago

    @Haloboy!
    I don't mind enemies respawning, it was that they respawned almost instantly. Several times I'd clear a checkpoint, walk 100 yards to fix a jeep, move back towards the checkpoint and every enemiy had respawned. It was game breaker for me and I never got round to finishing it.

  • flaming.carrot #12 1 year ago

    Far Cry 2 was pretty well executed, but I felt it played out as a long, slow build up to a spectacular finale that never came. A few set pieces towards the end and it would have been a classic in my eyes.

  • Haloboy #13 1 year ago

    @Wahoffelmadenga

    As I said it is an issue with the timing than anything and that is something that is easily remedied. The ONLY reason I didn't mind respawning is because when I'd be making my way around places I'd already cleared I'd have someone to try out my newly purchased weapons on.

    What I do hope they fix is the stupidly fast enemy jeeps. Yes they looked the same as yours but could you ourtun them? Could you fuck. Aside from that the familiar sound of vum vum vummm as enemy jeeps went insane trying to kill me always instilled fear in when playing.

    Far Cry 2 was a misunderstood gem in my book. Far Cry 3 could be a much loved classic like the first was with just a few tweaks in the right regions.

  • geeza2020 #14 1 year ago

    I want to play ANOTHER fps, hello, whats this?

  • ubergine #15 1 year ago

    I loved everything about Far Cry 2, especially the things everyone hated.

    If I was to name a weakness, I thought the way the story ended was a mite peculiar. But it was weird and unexpected, which is a plus in many ways.

  • menage #16 1 year ago

    I loved Farcry 2, although I never finished it due to all the excessive driving in there and the frankly idiotic map (breakin it up inparts send me down the wrong road wayyy too many times). The respawns were too fast but I get why they did it, just leave a longer time between them like someone else said.

    It was a great place to visit and dick around in. And the fire is still amazing.
    Edited by menage at 04/05/11 @ 15:23

  • Haloboy #17 1 year ago

    Less people on speed delivering lines this time please Ubisoft. That shit drove me and everyone else nuts.

  • bratmandu #18 1 year ago

    Far Cry 3 - now when you clear a checkpoint it spawns double the amount of enemies. Also random death cars can now fly.

  • Haloboy #19 1 year ago

    You utter fool. :o

  • HandOfBeadle #20 1 year ago

    As a few people have said, Far Cry 2 was seriously flawed, but it was also astonishingly good in certain other areas. If it wasn't for the dodgy aiming controls, the AI being able to see through vegetation, or occasionally detecting me for no apparent reason when I'm stealthing it, then this would probably have ended up being my favourite game of all time. The stories you'd concoct for yourself as you play were incredible, whether trying to stealthily attack a checkpoint after dark or trying to steal a boat from a mooring when you're out of bullets and in desperate need of malaria pills.

    I even loved the Sixaxis controls for steering the cars and boats etc - the cars in particular had just the right level of inertia and heft that it matched the slight lagginess of the tilt movements.

  • Yossarian #21 1 year ago

    Scripted events? Cinematics? So, it's not a proper sequel to what is arguably the most underrated shooter of the generation, then? Good fucking show.

  • CaptainQuint #22 1 year ago

    The whole (awful) problem of enemies psychically spotting your sniper position from miles away whilst you're hiding in a bush was an issue in the first game, too. Ironically, it's still very much a problem in Crysis 2, all these years later.

    Why can games like Halo get stealth sniping right, but games such as Far Cry get it so rubbishly wrong?

  • Retro_ #23 1 year ago

    So much wrong with FC2 but the Map Editor was just great.

  • MJHaylett #24 1 year ago

    I hope so as I loved Far Cry 2 - flaws and all :D

  • FogHeart #25 1 year ago

    I kept wishing it was more like other sandbox games. I wanted to fish in a lake. I wanted to take a hot air balloon trip over a herd of migrating wildebeest. I wanted to deliver pharmaceuticals to a doctor in a village. I wanted to find a golden idol behind a waterfall. I wanted to photograph a new species of frog in a swamp for a wildlife magazine. And yes, I wanted to blow the shit out of an airfield and kill the escaping despot too. It just seemed they created an amazing place to inhabit and then did the simplest and least interesting thing with it.

  • LazyNinjaUk #26 1 year ago

    Fix the respawning enemies and ditch the malaria and consider it a sold for me. Oh and the superhuman telescopic vision the enemies seem to have, enabling them to spot you in thick undergrowth, 5 miles away at the dead of night. Cunts.

  • trooperdx3117 #27 1 year ago

    Huh funny I was actually playing far cry 2 the other day, it gets a bit of a bad rep most of it justified but my god when its good its amazing, like the otherday I was told to assassinate some guy in a hut on top a cliff in a jungle so I use my tranq gun to make my way up stealthily, as I kill the guy his bodyguard spots me and all hell breaks loose. I fire my last tranq dart at the bodyguard and dive out the window and jump behind a tree as about a dozen angry men all open fire on me at the same time. I try to shoot with my pistol and *BAM* it blows up in my hand, clearly the only thing to do now was to make a mad machete charge, took out one guy before I was blasted away and then my buddy came in, saved me and dragged me out of there, what a brilliant game!

  • hdcase #28 1 year ago

    I read the article but didn't see any evidence of it being at E3 this year. Can the author clarify how he knows this? Thanks in advance.

  • dr_zoidthrob #29 1 year ago

    My fave memory from FC2 involves a hill, some gas canisters, a 'friend', a couple of rocks and a single shot from the pistol.

    1. Shoot gas canister.
    2. Stand back and watch it tear off through the grass, up the hill. Be impressed by the fire.
    3. Watch as it pings off two rocks.
    4. Wonder where it's going to end up.
    5. Realise it's getting larger, and the fire closer.
    6. Step back as it rockets past, setting everything on fire...
    7. ...Including my friend.
    8. Decide *not* to revive him.
    9. Get an achievement for it!

    YAY for emergent gameplay!

  • bad09 #30 1 year ago

    Liked Far Cry 2 it was the first game I bought when switching to PC (before the UbiDRM of course!). Really liked it despite its flaws. A truly beautiful and ambitious game. Never finished it in the end but planning on replaying it once I've finallly got cash to build my monster PC to take in the wonderful visuals.

    Slightly concerned no PC is mentioned here TBH, but then buying Ubi games is "case by case" anyway so probably best I don't get exited about a game I most likely will have to boycott anyway.
    Edited by bad09 at 04/05/11 @ 16:37

  • Snufkin #31 1 year ago

    I loved Farcry 2 - the open ended missions, the vast terrain, the freedom to choose your approach. It all added up to a pretty special game, let down by a few quirks. There was nothing quite like wading in to the bush with a high-powered sniper, grenade launcher and an Uzi, knowing you were ready for anything!

    For me the most annoying thing was the fact that once you started on the final mission you couldn't go back and keep exploring the map or finish the rest of the side missions. So I never quite finished everything.

  • darkphoenix #32 1 year ago

    I hope it plays exactly like FC2, the best FPS of this generation.

    It only takes a slight mention at FC2 to attract every internet whiner, people who just complain about such details that made FC2 so special and away above the rest of the FPS-made-for-dummies crowd.

    Advice to everyone who didn't LOVED FC2: stick to CoD. Please. Do it for us.

  • bad09 #33 1 year ago

    @darkphoenix

    To be fair a lot of the complaints aimed a FC2 are valid it's just one of those games where the whole package makes a lot of us forgive those flaws.

  • Haloboy #34 1 year ago

    I loved just getting in a boat and making my way down river, it was so very peaceful. And then in the blink of an eye I'd have two enemy boats after me and enemies shooting at me from the banks. I'd jump on my tutter and blow the ships sky high and kill every git on land. Then I'd repair the boat, and set off again down river.

    So very peaceful.

  • Gromit #35 1 year ago

    Another level editor would be much appreciated. Had hours of enjoyment from that.

  • Caimbeul #36 1 year ago

    Am I the only one finds it a little sad that there are very little secrets left in this day and age. Can't people just stop obsessing and wait to be surprised?

  • Lotos8ter #37 1 year ago

    39 posts and no-one's mentioned MALARIA!!!

    EDIT - oh bollocks, someone has
    /coat
    Edited by Lotos8ter at 04/05/11 @ 18:04

  • Turbotim3 #38 1 year ago

    i will buy

  • rottingyoda #39 1 year ago

    Stupidly I bought the DLC for Far Cry 2. I got a silenced shotgun and a quad bike for a tenner. Really should of read the print!

    Better DLC please. Enemy positions take far longer to be reinforced. Enemies dont atuo gun you down from a thousand yards even though you could be their own mother forall they know

  • pualhorse #40 1 year ago

    i quite liked far cry 2 until the point 85% in where a bug destroyed all my save games.

    that was more irritating than the respawning enemies.

  • menage #41 1 year ago

    Astrocreature

    If you actually read some posts you´ll see you´re not alone.

  • VandelayIndustries #42 1 year ago

    Fix the leaden controls and the silly respawning and you're golden.

  • Ashcroft #43 1 year ago

    2 was at times a lot of fun, but the AI annoyed me too much to keep playing. Open World games don't work when literally everyone wants to kill you at all times. And not just kill you, but actually manically risk their own life to kill you, as if you are not just some guy passing them on the road, but rather a man they saw fleeing the scene of their daughter's gang rape.

  • 32768Colours #44 1 year ago

    This is good timing. I held off on Far Cry 2 because of mixed reviews, but picked it up in Grainger Games on Sunday for £3 pre-owned. For that price I figured it'd be silly not to at least give it a try. Still not played it though as I have a stupid amount of games to get through (really, I need to stop buying games... HELP!!!)

  • omniscient #45 1 year ago

    Ubispft have proven to create greatness from potential ACII is a testament to that. They would have listened to feedback and hopefully if I;m correct taken it on board and ushered in what could just possibly be one of the greats this gen.

  • TheGuvernor #46 1 year ago

    Best news I've heard since they capped Bin Laden!
    FC2 is without doubt the most under rated shooter of this generation.

    I know the things people didn't like BUT come on - a true open world sand box shooter with emergent game play.
    We should support UBISOFT for breaking the mould of tired linear scripted shooters.
    Wicked awesome news!

  • sinisteral #47 1 year ago

    .......

    F****** YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

  • dahsif #48 1 year ago

    I really need to finish Far Cry 2, I have had it for 2 years now and only played it sporadically.

    I think I am at the 12% mark.

  • kongzi #49 1 year ago

    "scripted events" points to a more linear game I think. So I'll wait and see when some real info comes out. FC2 could've been a great game, if they'd just admitted their design mistake and removed the checkpoints/respawns that were frustrating everybody who's even seen the game. THey can make up excuses, but it was dumb design, and it could've been fixed with a couple of tweaks, no matter how you spin it. This is exactly why the whole concept of playtesting a game before release was invented. Not one focus group or QA meeting brought up that it was really annoying to drive long distances clearing checkpoints all the time only to have them respawn right behind your back? "No, you are playing it wrong.." right...that must be it.

  • kongzi #50 1 year ago

    "scripted events" points to a more linear game I think. So I'll wait and see when some real info comes out. FC2 could've been a great game, if they'd just admitted their design mistake and removed the checkpoints/respawns that were frustrating everybody who's even seen the game. THey can make up excuses, but it was dumb design, and it could've been fixed with a couple of tweaks, no matter how you spin it. This is exactly why the whole concept of playtesting a game before release was invented. Not one focus group or QA meeting brought up that it was really annoying to drive long distances clearing checkpoints all the time only to have them respawn right behind your back? "No, you are playing it wrong.." right...that must be it.

  • RedSparrows #51 1 year ago

    I loved FC2, warts and all. The checklists could be dodged, most of the time. Still, poor decision. Hope the sequel is if the same ambition.

  • Grumpycrab #52 1 year ago

    Never has a game - FC2 - polarised opinion so much. The mere fact that I finished it means its in my top 10 (PC games) of all time.
    FC3 will be announced next month but, unfortunately, we won't see it until 2012 at the earliest :-(
    FC2 had issues but one thing it nailed -> it didn't FEEL like a console port, which is a major plus for these days for PC gamers.
    Edited by Grumpycrab at 05/05/11 @ 12:23