Yara is a fictional Caribbean island, which draws its inspiration from Cuba. It will be the backdrop for 2021Far Cry 6. Navid Khavari, the games narrative director, said that Yara has been governed by an authoritarian dictatorship that has kept the island isolated from the rest the world for over 50 years. Far Cry 6 is a nostalgic paradise where you can enjoy the past, 1950s cars, and all.
This is not surprising considering that the same nostalgic vision of Cuba has been cherished by game developers for many decades. This dangerous misconception overlooks the reality of Cubans in 21st-century Cuba.
According to historian Louis A. Prez Jr., Cuba is not stuck in time, but American knowledge about Cuba. This is what is common in popular culture around the world, including in The Godfather: Part II and Dirty Dancing Havana Nights.
Courtesy Ubisoft
Far Cry 6 delivers what the fans have come to expect from the series. This is an open-world, first-person shooter in which they can control an exotic setting and use various human factions and animal aiders to help them. The plot is about a dictator who prepares his son for the helm, while maintaining an iron grip on power through the manufacture and sale of a tobacco-based anticancer drug. This happens in the face increasing pressure from multiple insurgents and opponents.
After you're done with your eye rolling, keep in mind that this game is from Ubisoft. This French-owned publishing company has been responsible for such dubious portrayals of Latin America like Call of Juarez, The Cartel. Far Cry 6's development studio claims it spent the time researching to create Yara. They spent a month in Cuba where they met ex-guerrillas.
Ubisoft employees launched a campaign against institutionalized sexual harassment in Toronto, Canada, while the developers sought to create a new, fresh, Cuba-inspired open-world. This was an overtly political game that balances mature, complex themes and levity with humor. It was also part of the fight for social injustice.
