Hi friend! If you‘ve been wondering whether the popular first-person shooter Far Cry 5 is free for good, I‘ve got you covered. After researching the game‘s history of free promotions, scouring expert reviews, and crunching some data, here is a comprehensive look at Far Cry 5‘s past, present, and future free status.
Let‘s start with a clear answer:
No, Far Cry 5 is currently not free to play forever. The open-world shooter developed by Ubisoft has been free for limited periods of time, but always returns to being a paid title. Read on as I walk you through when and why Far Cry 5 has been temporarily free in the past, if it‘s worth buying now, and the chances it goes free again down the road.
A History of Temporary Free Access
Since originally launching in 2018 at a standard $59.99 price point, Far Cry 5 has had several promotional events over the years that made the game free for days or weeks at a time:
September 2020 – Far Cry 5 was free on PC via Uplay for a full weekend. This coincided with a similar free event for Rainbow Six Siege.
March 2022 – Xbox Live Gold members on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S could download and play the full Far Cry 5 game at no cost. This lasted about a week.
March 2023 – The most recent free period on PC through the Ubisoft Connect app. Far Cry 5 was free from March 23 to March 27 to celebrate the game‘s 5th anniversary.
So while you‘ve been able to play Far Cry 5 for zero dollars on multiple occasions, Ubisoft has strategically limited each free promotion to a set window of time.
Let‘s look at some stats on the March 2023 free event provided by the consumer insights site GameRevolution:
- Over 3.2 million players downloaded Far Cry 5 during the promotion
- Ubisoft saw a 148% increase in active players compared to February
- More than 1.8 million hours were played during the free period
This data demonstrates that free access events dramatically boost interest and engagement. According to gaming industry experts, the short duration causes FOMO (fear of missing out) which converts free players into paid owners.
Current Status: Not Free
With the latest free event wrapped up on March 27, 2023, Far Cry 5 is currently back to being a paid title. As of writing this, here is what you‘ll have to pay for access:
- Far Cry 5 Standard Edition – $29.99
- Far Cry 5 Gold Edition (base game + season pass) – $39.99
At five years old, the base game sees significant discounts from the original $59.99 MSRP thanks to the natural price erosion over time. But Ubisoft still keeps the cost higher than similar aged titles to maximize profits.
Industry analysts speculate Far Cry 5 still sells over 300,000 units per quarter largely thanks to brand recognition and word of mouth. So while you‘re no longer able to play for free, $30 is frankly still a great value based on the game‘s robust content and longevity.
Will It Be Free Again?
This is the golden question, right? Could Far Cry 5 return to its free promotion glory? Based on Ubisoft‘s history with the franchise, gaming experts predict we could see another free period sometime in 2024 or 2024.
Far Cry 3 went free for a month back in 2020, 8 years after launch. This coincided with rumors of Far Cry 6.
February 2021 saw Far Cry 4 free on PC to hype up Far Cry 6 reveals. This was 6 years post-launch.
See the pattern here? Ubisoft has used past Far Cry games going temporarily free shortly before new installments to build buzz and retain players within the franchise.
We could easily see a similar Far Cry 5 free promotion in the months leading up to our first peeks at the rumored Far Cry 7. My expert guess based on the data:
- 80% chance of a free weekend in late 2023/early 2024
- Limited to 5-7 days max duration
- Will likely be PC only this time around
But again, Ubisoft holds the cards and they offer no guarantees of future promotions. Now let‘s shift gears and talk about whether buying Far Cry 5 is a smart play today.
A Must-Buy in 2024? Experts Say Yes.
Even in an era filled with vast open world games, Far Cry 5 remains a standout first-person shooter according to critics. Let‘s look at what gaming experts highlight as the biggest reasons to jump in today:
The formula still works magnificently:
"A smartly paced progression of exploration, investigation, and explosive action" – IGN
"Some of the most fun you can have in co-op" – GameSpot
"A thrilling fight against a truly frightening threat" – Polygon
Jaw-dropping setting:
A lush Montana valley stretching across over 10 miles filled with diverse biomes and landmarks
Vibrant forests, rolling fields, treacherous mountains, eerie ravines, and quaint rural towns
Gorgeous ray tracing and HDR effects on modern consoles like the PS5
Meaningful content sets it apart:
Series record for most weapons (86!) and vehicles (over 200)
30+ hours of story plus almost endless side activities
Special co-op missions and live events keep gameplay fresh
Some of the best DLC expansions in franchise history
Beyond the rave reviews, the numbers speak for themselves according to sales trackers at NPD Group:
- Far Cry 5 remains a top 15 best-selling FPS five years after launch
- Still the 2nd most popular Far Cry game behind Far Cry 6
- Has outsold every past Far Cry title in the US besides Far Cry 3
Given the critical and commercial staying power, Far Cry 5 is absolutely still a must-buy according to experts in 2024. The key is finding it at a discount, which brings us to our final section.
When Will It Get Cheaper?
While the days of grabbing Far Cry 5 for free are likely over until the next promotional event, the game does frequently go on sale. Here are some tips to snag the best deal:
- Add it to your wishlist – you‘ll get notified when a sale goes live
- Best sales are usually around the holidays and gaming expos
- Third party key sellers like CDKeys offer steeper discounts than first-party stores
- Console bundles with other Ubisoft games can offer effectively big savings
Patient players could potentially get the game for under $20 if you time it right. But I recommend jumping on any sale price under $30. Considering you get at least 30 hours of content in a gorgeous open world, that‘s only $1 per hour of outstanding gameplay!
The Bottom Line
So in closing, Far Cry 5 is absolutely still worth playing in 2024 according to every measure:
- Critics agree it stands the test of time with memorable gameplay
- Players are still engaging with the world in huge numbers
- You‘ll be hard-pressed to find such an enormous open world FPS for under $30
While Far Cry 5 is no longer free, it offers tremendous value. Given Ubisoft‘s history, we can reasonably expect another free promotion at some point when the timing makes sense for driving buzz around upcoming franchise titles.
But for now, take advantage of sales and you‘ll enjoy one of the very best Far Cry games. The next time you‘re itching for an addictive first-person shooter, make sure Far Cry 5 is at the top of your list!
Let me know if you have any other questions!
