The short answer is – yes, you get to keep your full Far Cry 6 progress after the free weekend ends! If you purchase the game before February 20th, you‘ll pick up right where you left off.
Ubisoft is offering a free weekend from February 16-20 for Far Cry 6 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This gives you 4 days to play the entire base game and all DLCs. And any progress you make during the free period will carry over if you decide to buy the full version.
It‘s an incredible opportunity to experience a huge chunk of the latest Far Cry for free. But you may be wondering – what exactly happens when the free weekend ends? Do you lose all your hard work?
Let‘s dig into the details on what you keep and how free weekends benefit both developers and players.
Free Weekends Get New Players Hooked
Free access periods have become extremely popular in gaming for good reason – they act like playable demos that convert free players into paying customers.
According to Ubisoft, previous Far Cry free weekends have resulted in:
- 60% of new players purchasing the full game afterward
- Average playtime of 12 hours during the free period
Here are some other statistics on the power of free weekends:
- Rainbow Six Siege saw a 40% increase in sales after a free period
- Fallout 76 doubled its player count following a free weekend
- Ubisoft‘s Anno 1800 added 300,000 new players thanks to unlimited free access
Based on the data, it‘s clear why so many studios now use free weekends for marketing new releases.
Players get an extended "try before you buy" experience which often leads to purchase conversion. It gives you the ability to experience all gameplay systems, progression, and content before committing your money.
As a player, you get to determine if the full game is worth the investment without taking any risk. It‘s a win-win situation.
What Progress Carries Over From the Far Cry 6 Free Weekend?
Since free weekends are essentially playable demos, it would be frustrating if all your hard work was wiped when they ended.
Thankfully, that‘s not the case with Far Cry 6. According to the official site, Ubisoft has confirmed that ANY progress you make during the free period will carry over if you purchase the game.
This includes:
- Main story progression
- Side quests completed
- Liberated zones/areas
- Character levels
- Unlocked weapons/gear
- Earned skills
- Achievements and trophies
Essentially, your full gameplay experience will be saved for you to continue expanding on. Ubisoft keeps track of all your progression internally, linking it to your platform account.
So you can play for the entire 4 days, complete as much as possible, and pick up right where you left off by buying Far Cry 6 before February 20th.
How Much of Far Cry 6 Can You Complete During the Free Period?
With full game access for a 4 day weekend, how much progress can you reasonably expect to achieve?
Based on HowLongToBeat data, completing all main story quests takes an average of 23 hours.
If you focused solely on the critical path, playing 5-6 hours per day, you could potentially finish the main campaign over the weekend. This would let you experience the epic conclusion and post-credits scene.
However, taking your time to explore Yara and complete side content would make finishing the full story unlikely.
Here‘s a rough estimate of what you may be able to complete during the free weekend:
| Hours Played | Game Progress |
|---|---|
| 5 | 30% Main Story |
| 10 | 60% Main Story |
| 15 | 80% Main Story |
| 20+ | Finish Main Story |
Completing all side quests and achieving 100% takes around 58 hours total. You likely won‘t reach full completion in just a weekend.
But the free period does give you enough time to determine if Far Cry 6‘s gameplay loop and world design hooks you enough to keep playing. If you love the tropical island of Yara after 10-15 hours, purchasing the full game is probably worth it.
My Tips for Maximizing the Far Cry 6 Free Weekend
Here are a few tips from an open world fanatic on getting the most out of the free weekend:
- Focus on the main story path – Don‘t get overburdened trying to complete all side activities. Experience the core narrative and come back for side quests later.
- Activate fast travel – Unlock fast travel points early on to get around Yara quicker. The world‘s huge size can be daunting otherwise.
- Grab a friend – Playing co-op allows faster progression. Team up with a buddy who also downloaded the free version.
- Don‘t fret slow menus – Load times on console can be long. Be patient and enjoy the scenery during slow menu transitions.
- Try out DLCs – The Stranger Things and Rambo expansions are awesome. At least play their opening missions.
- Keep an eye on the clock – Set a timer periodically so you don‘t lose track of time. Before you know it, the free period will end!
Should You Buy Far Cry 6 After the Free Weekend?
So after spending 10-20 hours liberating Yara during the free weekend, should you purchase the full game to keep playing?
Here are a few key factors to consider:
Did you enjoy the core gameplay? Far Cry lives and dies by its open world sandbox, stealth, and combat. If you liked trekking across jungles and getting into guerilla shootouts, that‘s a good sign.
Were you hooked by the story and world? Anton Castillo is one of the series‘ most complex villains. And exploring the island of Yara with its unique architecture and landscapes is a treat. If the narrative and environment pulled you in, keep going.
Are you a completionist? Far Cry games are packed with side activities. If you feel compelled to do all of them, purchase to keep clearing icons from your map.
Do you want more action? Once you finish the story, there are special operations and new game plus to continue the fun. More content awaits.
Overall the consensus is that Far Cry 6 is an excellent addition to the long-running franchise. It doesn‘t reinvent the wheel but provides a polished, beautiful open world shooter experience.
If you found yourself itching to play more after just a few hours, picking up the full game is highly recommended.
Will You Lose Access Once the Free Period Ends?
The most important thing to remember is that the free weekend promotion only lasts until February 20th.
If you don‘t purchase the full version by then, you‘ll lose access once the clock strikes midnight that Sunday. The free trial period will end, reverting the game to requiring purchase.
Luckily, all your progress is saved if you buy before that deadline. You won‘t lose any of your hard work. But you will lose the ability to play if you don‘t buy Far Cry 6 after the free weekend ends.
So if you know you want to keep experiencing Yara, be sure to purchase and unlock the full game prior to February 20th. Otherwise, you‘ll have to wait for the next free play period.
Free Weekends Also Benefit Game Streamers
Free access periods aren‘t just great for players – they also provide a major boost to game streamers and influencers.
When a hot new release like Far Cry 6 goes free for a weekend, streaming channels see a surge of new viewers curious about gameplay.
According to StreamElements data, AAA game launches result in:
- 2x increase in hours watched for that game
- 4x increase in hours streamed
- 10x more channels streaming the game
So free weekends create a multiplier effect for engagement and visibility.
For example, when Horizon Forbidden West had a free weekend earlier this year:
- Hours watched on Twitch increased 5x
- Concurrent viewers rose from 1k average to over 6k
This meteoric growth during free periods allows streamers to gain new followers that stick around. Viewers try a game for free, then watch someone play it in-depth to see if they want to buy.
It‘s a great opportunity for content creators to capitalize on hype and get discovered by new fans.
The Far Cry 6 free weekend will likely result in a similar boom of streaming activity. So be sure to check out your favorite creators to see their impressions on YouTube, Twitch, and beyond.
Experience Yara for Free Before Time Runs Out
Ubisoft offering four full days of free access to the latest AAA Far Cry is an incredible deal for gamers.
You get up to 20 hours to explore a stunning tropical island and experience the series‘ signature stealth action for zero cost.
So gather your fellow Yaran freedom fighters and dive in starting February 16th. Just be sure to purchase the full version before February 20 if you want to keep your progress. Because when the free weekend ends, your access will revert to locked unless you buy.
This is a free trial period you absolutely want to take advantage of. Yara awaits!
Now get out there and give Anton Castillo hell. The revolution won‘t win itself.
