The Far Cry franchise really seems to be dragging its heels when it comes to multiplayer. Despite the popularity of cooperative modes in shooters, Ubisoft has time and time again dropped the ball in implementing an effective, enjoyable system. In Far Cry 3 players were restricted to completing short side-missions together, while in Far Cry 4, cooperative free-roam was permitted but barred from the actual story.
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Initially it seemed that Far Cry 5 would finally be the installment to nail cooperative gameplay when the game mode was announced along with the title back in May - but that may not actually be the case. According to a video from German video game news outlet GameStar, co-op in Far Cry 5 will be "drop-in," meaning that players will only be able to join one another from their own campaigns.
Though not newsworthy in its own rights, GameStar has also revealed that only the host will receive progress on their story. This means that players who aid their friends in completing missions will have to redo the same content on their own.
While this will undoubtedly prove to be a blessing for some who enjoy both shared and solitary experiences alike, many have already expressed their disappointment in the announcement, stating an unwillingness to play through the game twice just to progress.
It's also not yet clear how this will apply to the player's actual progression. Previous Far Cry installments have all had some system of leveling up to acquire new abilities and weapons, and if progress doesn't carry between cooperative players, it's possible that this will also extend to gained experience.
Until Ubisoft comes out and confirms one way or the other, it's best to sit back and wait until more details are revealed about the situation. You can follow Ubisoft's official Twitter account for future news and announcements, or visit the studio's website.
Far Cry 5 launches on February 27, 2018 for $59.99 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
