Hey there! Have you heard about the awesome Far Cry 6 game that came out last year? If you‘re a PC gamer like me, you might be wondering if there‘s a way to check out this huge new first-person shooter without having to pay full price. Well, you‘re in luck – in this guide, I‘ll show you several methods to play Far Cry 6 on PC for free or at a major discount.
An Overview of Far Cry 6
For those who aren‘t familiar with the series, Far Cry games are known for their huge open world maps, immersive tropical or mountain wilderness environments, and over-the-top action and combat. Far Cry 6 is the latest entry, launched in October 2021, and it looks incredible.
The game takes place on the fictional Caribbean island of Yara, which is ruled by a ruthless dictator named Antón Castillo. Players join a modern-day guerrilla revolution aimed at taking down Castillo and liberating the oppressed people of Yara.
Based on the trailers and gameplay previews I‘ve seen, Far Cry 6 offers a ton of features that make me want to dive in:
- Vast open world island environment to explore with jungles, beaches, farmland and urban areas
- Sandbox style gameplay with emergent encounters and flexible approaches to missions
- Wide variety of vehicles like horses, cars, tanks, helicopters to traverse the world
- Crazy improvised weaponry like backpacks full of grenades or modified vehicles
- Recruitable animal companions like Chorizo the wiener dog!
- Film-quality graphics and atmospheric setting reminiscent of tropical Cuba/Caribbean
So if, like me, you get excited about games with rich worlds to get lost in and the freedom to take on objectives however you want, Far Cry 6 will probably be right up your alley. Next I‘ll cover how you can get access to it on PC without paying $59.99.
What Are the PC Requirements to Run Far Cry 6?
Before we get into the free and discounted access options, let‘s quickly go over what hardware you‘ll need to competently run Far Cry 6 on your PC:
Minimum System Requirements:
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 1200 or Intel Core i5-4460 (or equivalent)
- RAM: 8 GB
- GPU: AMD RX 460 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (4GB VRAM or higher)
- Storage: 60 GB HDD (SSD recommended)
Recommended System Requirements:
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X or Intel Core i7-7700 (or equivalent)
- RAM: 16 GB
- GPU: AMD RX 5700XT or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB VRAM or higher)
- Storage: 60 GB SSD
As long as your PC matches or exceeds the minimum specs, Far Cry 6 should run fine during any free access periods. But hitting those recommended specs ensures you can crank the graphics settings up and enjoy flawless performance.
Now let‘s look at how to get access to the game itself!
Take Advantage of Ubisoft‘s Free Play Events
One of the best ways to play Far Cry 6 on PC for free is to take part in the special "Free Play Events" that Ubisoft himself offers directly.
As the publisher of the game, Ubisoft will occasionally run free promotional periods where anyone can download and play the full version of Far Cry 6 on PC for a limited number of days. These are great opportunities to experience the game risk-free!
For example, back in February 2023 they hosted a Free Play Event from Feb 16-20, allowing free access on PC and consoles for those dates. All progress was saved in case you decided to buy the full game later.
Ubisoft announces these Free Play Events ahead of time, so keep an eye on their news sites and be ready to jump in when they announce the next one. Preloading the game files before it starts is highly recommended so you can maximize the free play time.
While these free events only last a few days, they give you access to the entire core single-player experience with no restrictions. You just can‘t access special online multiplayer features that require purchase of the full game.
Buy Far Cry 6 on Discount Through Services Like Epic Games Store
If you want unlimited access to Far Cry 6 on PC, the next best option is to buy it at a discount instead of paying $59.99 full price.
The game is available digitally on services like the Epic Games Store. Epic frequently offers coupons and discounts, letting you get the game for 20-50% off potentially.
For example, during their big holiday sales it was possible to get Far Cry 6 for only $35! So keep an eye out for deals being promoted on the Epic Games storefront. Buying it outright at a discount will give you unlimited access plus all post-release content.
The key is patience – wait for a discounted offer to pop up rather than paying full price. Sign up for newsletters so you never miss a promotion.
Use Discounted Gaming Subscription Services
Another way you can access Far Cry 6 on PC affordably is through game subscription services that offer it as part of a monthly catalog of games.
Two big examples of discounted subscriptions with Far Cry 6 are:
Xbox Game Pass for PC – For $9.99/month you get Far Cry 6 plus hundreds of other games. Game Pass works seamlessly on PC through the Xbox app.
Ubisoft+ – Ubisoft‘s own $14.99/month subscription gives you Far Cry 6 access plus 100+ other Ubisoft games like Assassin‘s Creed.
The benefit of these services is you‘re only paying a small monthly fee rather than the full $59.99 cost. You could subscribe for a month or two, play Far Cry 6 to your heart‘s content, and then cancel to avoid ongoing fees.
Just be sure to enable auto-cancel for the subscription so you don‘t forget and get charged indefinitely!
Try Out Far Cry 6‘s Friend Pass Trial Version
Here‘s one more sneaky option to access Far Cry 6 on a budget: use the game‘s "Friend Pass" free trial program.
The Friend Pass lets you play the full Far Cry 6 experience co-op with a friend who already owns the game, even if you don‘t own it yourself. Your friend has to invite you through Ubisoft Connect.
While you‘ll always be playing co-op rather than solo, this gives you up to 6 hours of free access to test out the gameplay. Plus your friend can show you the ropes!
Over that 6 hours you can explore a good chunk of Yara and get a feel for the mechanics. If you still want more after that, then go for one of the purchase options.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully this guide gave you some great money-saving options to experience Far Cry 6 on PC, even with a limited budget. Here‘s a quick recap of what we covered:
- Hop into Ubisoft‘s Free Play Events when announced to play for free for a few days
- Watch for discounts on Epic Games Store and grab it for 20-50% off
- Use Xbox Game Pass or Ubisoft+ discounted subscriptions to access it monthly
- Test out the 6 hour co-op Friend Pass trial with a buddy who owns the game
Far Cry 6 looks like a blast to explore with its huge tropical open world and crazy guerrilla combat. Following the tips here, you can scout it out for yourself without overspending. Happy gaming!
