Far Cry 7 AKA Blackbird, might have had its release date pushed back internally from 2025 to 2026. The same is true of an extraction shooter also being made by Ubisoft for the Far Cry IP, which is codenamed Maverick.
According to a report from Insider Gaming, Far Cry 7 and Maverick have been delayed because Ubisoft wants to overhaul the Far Cry gameplay experience. This includes the base gameplay loop, loot systems, inventory systems, and more which will be largely overhauled to give players a fresh feeling when they launch these games.
Also, movement will be something that is going to change a lot in these games. Tactical sprinting, vaulting, sliding, and more will be available for players to give them better manoeuvrability. Far Cry will still remain an open-world shooter at its core, just with some hopefully big changes.
Far Cry 7 or Blackbird will also feature a real-time countdown for the player, as they’ll have to rescue their family from a conspiracy theorist cult testing drugs on animals and humans within 24 in-game hours (which works out to 72 real hours). Maverick will see players fight the wilderness and each other in the harsh landscapes of Alaska.
There are concerns about Maverick, as it appears to have been made so Ubisoft can chase the extraction shooter trend. Opinions on Blackbird remain more optimistic, though.