Far Cry New Dawn references Space Force, a divisive branch of the US military proposed by Donald Trump, indicating that the game could veer back into the controversial politics of Far Cry 5. The Space Force name was included on weaponry made available during a preview event for the game, though Creative Director Jean-Sebastien Decant has said that the reference is “a joke” and isn’t a comment on Trump or the modern political landscape.
Far Cry 5 was criticized by many for its impartial political stance, with the game making repeated references to the current political climate without providing its own commentary. As a result, some believed Ubisoft had sought to take advantage of the divisiveness of modern politics, without running the risk of offending anyone.
Ubisoft has seemingly dipped into this territory once again, with Far Cry New Dawn featuring gear that makes reference to Space Force as part of a ‘Space Force theme.’ Speaking to GameRevolution, Decant discussed his thoughts on these references in an interview with GameRevolution, adding that he believes they are “not a comment” on modern politics.
“So I think it is not a comment. It is a joke,” Decant explained. “We really went crazy with the different suits you can gather in the game. So there is the reality of space and the conflict with the twins but in terms of what you can wear in the game, we really went bats*** crazy. So you can disguise as an ape, you can have a robot arm, and you can have Space Force stuff.”
Decant went on to note that the Space Force items are intended to offer players greater freedom in customizing their character. “We just wanted to have cool gear that you can wear in this game so you could be the person you wanted to be in that space,” he said. “That’s how you get Space Force gear.”
When GR questioned if the Space Force gear was directly related to Trump, Decant confirmed that it was.
“Space is cool, right? And Space Force is the dream,” he concluded. “So now you can now play that in Far Cry New Dawn. No, no. It’s a joke. I mean, it’s really a joke.”
It’s unclear if Far Cry New Dawn will touch upon any more current events, and if Ubisoft will change its approach to the game’s politics following the backlash against Far Cry 5. However, Decant’s comments to us suggest that this won’t be the case, and that Ubisoft will continue touching on American politics without necessarily saying anything about them.
You can read our full preview of Far Cry New Dawn right here.
Image Credit: Getty Images / Alex Wong