Does Far Cry 6 end after killing Castillo? A comprehensive look

As an avid Far Cry gamer and content creator, I‘ve been asked if taking down the big bad in the latest entry truly wraps up the experience. The short answer is no – there‘s still substantial content, shocking twists, and an uncertain future left in Yara after Anton Castillo meets his demise.

What happens right after killing Castillo?

Castillo serves as the central antagonist in Far Cry 6, ruling the fictional Caribbean island of Yara with an iron fist. Taking down El Presidente is the climax after 30+ hours working to spark revolution.

I‘ll never forget the poetic justice of manipulating Castillo into poisoning himself with Viviro – the "cancer cure" he forcibly experimented on others to produce.

After watching his final coughing breaths, control switches to guerrilla leader Clara for an emotional beachside reunion with other key figures like Juan and Philly as celebratory fireworks launch in the background. There‘s a feeling of hard-won relief now that the revolution succeeded.

• This final segment runs approximately 15 minutes
• Cutscenes continue showing the impact and aftermath on Yara‘s citizens. Without Castillo‘s regime looming over them, people dance in the streets and begin rebuilding a free nation.

I expected the curtains to close there as many FPS campaigns do after the head villain goes down. But while the credits do roll at that point, marking the conclusion of Far Cry 6‘s core narrative arc…

You‘re free to keep playing after the credits with plenty left to do

Here‘s where Far Cry 6 breaks from tradition. The game doesn‘t force you into New Game+ mode back at the start. Instead, you can manually continue on from that beach celebration right into open-world free roam.

Now I could finally…

• Liberate the 20+ military checkpoints still under soldier control
• Investigate mysterious shrines I stumbled across but hadn‘t activated
• Locate stat-boosting military workbenches tucked away off the beaten path
• Uncover collectibles tied to hidden backstories
• Take in sights I rushed past on singular quests to take down Castillo

And that‘s just scratching the surface of content left after the campaign wraps. Ubisoft built an incredibly dense world brimming with activities including:

• Insurgencies – Focused operations to capture 3 key zones and push the military influence out of that region
• Treasure hunts – Following clues to dig up caches of rare materials and gear
• Yaran Stories – Engaging side quest chains unveiling interesting personalities
• Races – High speed events in boats, cars, planes, and horses

Completing all that extra content took me another 15+ hours. And I still have unfinished business for the completionist in me, like:

• Maxing out the hideout workbench for crafting
• Completing all 45 unique Tales of Yara extending side narratives

So in summary – no, killing Castillo does not instantly end Far Cry 6 or funnel you into a NG+ replay.

There are multiple endings – including secret outcomes

While the post-credits free roam allows you to postpone the climax, there are still multiple conclusions possible to reach in Far Cry 6 beyond killing Castillo.

The standard ending

Taking down Castillo then rolling credits after the beach scene is considered the "standard ending." It wraps the core plot following a 30+ hour journey to inspire revolution.

This cessation of dictatorship and hop into open play aligns with the vibe of empowering guerrilla freedom fighters to liberate an oppressed nation.

Alternate ending 1: Secret ending

However, players discovered an alternate "secret ending" that can be triggered much sooner – as early as 15 minutes into the game!

The premise? Simply sail away rather than staying to fight. Following the starting island tutorial, Dani has an opportunity to take a boat to Miami. This triggers an ending montage with narration reflecting on the futility of abandoning Yara to Castillo‘s rule.

While entertaining for speedrunners, this ending is clearly less fulfilling. Plot lines are left unaddressed and you barely scratch the surface of Far Cry‘s offerings.

"I was tempted to see the twist but knew more satisfying closure awaited playing through fully.”

Alternate ending 2: Post-credits scene + DLC speculation

Oddly enough, that secret sailing ending connects to additional content after the standard credits finalize!

I discovered that sitting through the end credits unveils a post-credits audio scene between two characters discussing dreams and nightmares. The identity of the smug stranger appears to actually be Vaas from Far Cry 3!

Between this cliffhanger and unused asset files referencing Vaas, it’s likely he’ll return as a villain in upcoming DLC content. Perhaps we’ll uncover more on the alternate reality alluded to in the sailing ending’s montage as well.

For franchise fans, it was an exciting tease. The writers clearly have more left in the tank beyond wrapping the central story arc focused on Anton Castillo.

Does killing Castillo end everything? A look ahead at the future

While eliminating Anton Castillo does mark the climax of fighting for revolution in Yara, there‘s still lots left to accomplish for completionists in post-game free roam. Speedrunners can trigger an alternative early ending as well.

And with secrets like a Vaas-teasing post-credits audio scene, the stage is set for Ubisoft to unveil future DLC continuing unfinished plot threads.

As someone who speedran 30+ hours just focused on powerful story beats of the main missions, I‘m thrilled to now return to liberate military checkpoints, uncover hidden weapon stashes, and master adrenaline-fueled races.

This generous amount of bonus content extends the experience rather than abruptly halting one dictator‘s regime. Castillo‘s death ultimately doesn‘t instantaneously conclude Far Cry 6 as fans feared. It marks a narrative pinnacle while handing the keys to you as Juan‘s successor helming the revolution.

The future is uncertain, but more chaotic guerrilla action undoubtedly awaits both within Yara‘s rich open world and whatever comes next as Ubisoft expands on that cryptic DLC cliffhanger.

For now, I have anarchic liberation to sow across this tropical island playground. Viva la revolución!