Far Cry 6 promises fans of the franchise a return to open-world hijinks, this time situated on the fictitious Caribbean island of Yara. Far Cry 6, developed by Ubisoft Toronto, follows protagonist Dani Rojas and the resistance as they seek to defeat the tyranny of Anton Castillo, played by Giancarlo Esposito of The Mandalorian fame.
The game has generally received positive reviews, and it presently has a Metacritic score of 75. Far Cry 6 has received acclaim for its charismatic villain, expansive open-world, and hypnotic mayhem, but it has also been criticized for its repetition and lack of fresh concepts. The game also includes an intriguing minigame that has piqued the curiosity of certain players.
Far Cry 6 includes a cockfighting minigame in which players gather roosters and actively control them in a Mortal Kombat-style fighting game featuring a character choice screen, special techniques, and several rounds.
Reactions to the mode have varied, with some gamers enjoying its simplicity while others find it tone-deaf in today’s animal rights-focused atmosphere. On October 7th, Alicia Aguayo, Senior Manager of PETA’s Latino division, issued a statement urging Ubisoft to remove cockfighting from the game.
“Turning cockfighting into a Mortal Kombat–style video game contest is a far away from true innovation, as today’s culture is vehemently opposed to forcing animals to fight to the death.” Sharp spurs on cockfighting roosters cut through skin and bone, producing excruciating and deadly injuries. PETA Latino strongly asks Ubisoft to replace this heinous minigame with one that does not celebrate suffering.”
Cockfighting, which Far Cry 6’s Yara is based upon, is still legal in Cuba and extremely popular. The cockfighting portrayed in Far Cry 6 is undoubtedly brutal, and the roosters lose feathers as the bouts go, but no blood is seen, and no roosters die in the process.
The gaming community appears to be divided on whether or not cockfighting should be included. Some consider it innocuous because no actual animals are harmed, while others are concerned about the consequences of displaying animal cruelty in such a casual manner in-game.
Of course, Far Cry 6 isn’t the only game targeted by the animal rights organization. PETA criticized Animal Crossing: New Horizons for its in-game museum and treatment of fish in the game. Nonetheless, Far Cry 6’s cockfighting minigame is far more brutal than anything in Animal Crossing. Ubisoft has yet to provide a statement in response to PETA’s warning.
