No, Far Cry Primal Does Not Have Any Multiplayer or Co-op
Let‘s be absolutely clear – Far Cry Primal is a solely single player experience and does not offer any form of multiplayer or co-op modes. When it first announced the game back in 2015, Ubisoft stated upfront that Primal would focus entirely on delivering a compelling single player open world.
So if you‘re wondering "is Far Cry Primal a two player game?" – unfortunately not. But there are still plenty of reasons lone warriors will love roaming its harsh lands.
What is Far Cry Primal?
First let‘s recap exactly what this spin-off entry in the series delivers. Far Cry Primal released in February 2016, transporting the franchise way back in time to 10,000 BC.
Set in the fictional Oros Valley, you play as Takkar, a skilled Wenja tribesman struggling to survive amid warring factions and deadly beasts. Core gameplay involves hunting, gathering, crafting weapons, learning skills and battling human enemies.
It keeps the series‘ signature open world exploration, this time in a sprawling prehistoric landscape. Sabertoothed tigers, cave bear and wooly mammoths present constant threats. You can also tame and command beasts as allies.
Overall, Primal takes Far Cry‘s staple first-person action and adapts it into a fresh stone age setting.
The Decision to Focus on Single Player Immersion
Ubisoft were quite clear from the early stages that Primal would not include any multiplayer components. Resources instead went into crafting the premiere solo experience.
This doubled down on the core fantasy of being one hunter alone in a savage land. Adding co-op may have diminished the sense of vulnerability and immersion.
Speaking on their approach, Ubisoft said:
"We wanted to create from the ground up an entire new world for players to explore and built game systems around the concept of survival of the fittest."
Multiplayer requires balancing and networking considerations too. So for Primal, all efforts targeted enhancing single player, particularly the taming system.
Gamers and critics alike praised this focus. Primal stands as one of the most immersive and tense entries in the long-running shooter franchise.
Multiplayer Modes in Main Far Cry Games
Unlike spin-off Primal, the ‘numbered‘ entries in Far Cry typically incorporate some form of multiplayer. Let‘s compare their offerings:
| Game | Multiplayer Modes |
|---|---|
| Far Cry 3 | 4 player co-op campaign, competitive PvP |
| Far Cry 4 | open world 2 player co-op |
| Far Cry 5 | Refined 2 player co-op, custom PvP maps |
Co-op proved especially popular, allowing friends to freely roam Ubisoft‘s large open environments causing mayhem. Custom PvP modes likewise added replayability.
However, these never became as acclaimed as the single player campaigns. Ubisoft still spent considerable resources developing and maintaining multiplayer components.
The Impact of No Multiplayer
Looking at critic and player reviews, Primal‘s absence of multiplayer does not seem to have harmed its reception:
- 85 Metacritic critic score
- 8.4 User score
- 4.5/5 Steam review average
Many praised just how immersed and invested they became in the prehistoric world without distraction. The taming system also brought a creative new dimension missing from previous entries.
However, some players did report finishing the 15 hour story and then quickly losing incentive to keep playing without cooperative partners.
Conclusion – Still an Essential Far Cry Experience
Far Cry Primal sacrificed multiplayer to fully commit to crafting an enthralling single player quest. Bold risks like completely changing the setting paid off tremendously.
While it may lack staying power after finishing the campaign, Primal remains a tense, creative and fresh entry in the franchise. The team delivered an adventure brimming with innovation that fans should definitely dive into.
Just be aware going in – while you‘ll face plenty of threats from mammoths and enemy tribes alike, you‘ll be venturing alone into lands long lost to history.
