Far Cry 6's setting is shaping up to be one of the franchise's lushest and most dynamic, with plenty of impressive set pieces showcased in its trailers so far. This extends beyond the fictional nation of Yara's flora and fauna; it can also be seen in the everyday life of Far Cry 6’s Yaran people - including their love of dominoes.
Parts of Yara seem stuck in the past - and they are, in a way. A revolution 50 years prior to the events of Far Cry 6 resulted in Yara becoming cut off from the rest of the world. In much of the footage revealed so far, the presence of vintage cars is widely noticeable, along with many makeshift items used by Yara’s inhabitants. Also seen are several instances of abandoned holiday attractions, emphasizing Yara’s struggle to avoid decay under its dictator, Anton Castillo.
Dominoes are another, perhaps less apparent, recurring theme in the new footage for Far Cry 6. While the simple, tile-based game may have become less commonplace in the everyday lives of many people today, the people of Yara clearly still hold it in high regard. Far Cry 6 protagonist Dani has been shown to be a confident dominoes player, shouting a triumphant "kaboom!" as they throw down a winning tile. They also sport a tattoo of a domino on their left hand, and one of Far Cry 6’s weapon trinkets seen so far is a domino.
Far Cry 6: How Dominoes Help Enhance Yara's Setting
Dominoes was and still is a popular game in real-world Caribbean nations, such as Cuba. According to La Habana, a former Cuban culture and lifestyle website now focused on music, "The game of dominoes [...] covers every inch of the island, providing the preferred entertainment for its inhabitants." This love for the game even wove its way into Cuban expressions, according to La Habana, including "viró con fichas [turned with the tiles]" and "se trancó el juego [the game has been cut off]."
While conducting research for Far Cry 6, Ubisoft went to Cuba to find out more about its culture. Yara is a fictional sandbox map created to tell Dani’s story, but much of it was inspired by the real world. The inclusion of dominoes in Far Cry 6 is one example of that real-world inspiration realized, and it's details like this that could make the islands of Yara, and their residents, feel more authentic and immersive when Far Cry 6 releases this fall.
Far Cry 6 will be available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna on October 7, 2021
Source: La Habana