It's just occurred to me (I haev teh olds, after all) that FC5 involved creating a huge number of mid-Western assets and environments. If they wanted to capitalise in either FC6 or a cheap-ass inter-canonical Primal equivalent, they could do worse than repurpose them into a period Western game.
One logical narrative driver could be the Montana Gold Rush, which would offer the possibility of an FC5-stylee dual currency (allowing the greedy bastards at Ubisoft to incorporate micropayment for nuggets) and claustrophobic mine skirmishes utilising Primal's cave assets. It might be an interesting possibility to make the protagonist a native American tribesperson, resisting the trespass of prospectors and the growth of prospector settlements.
In terms of asset generation, there wouldn't be a massive amount of work. Fauna-wise, Far Cry already has all the assets it would need, bar the horses. They would be the biggie, of course, but the riding mechanics is already well-implemented. Driveable wagons might be fun. Architecture could reutilise some of FC5's rural buildings and new builds could be skinned with existing textures. A number of weapons already exist - including bows, slingshots and clubs.
Given the huge success of PS killer Red Dead Redemption, there must be room for a cross-platform Western game. I don't discount Call of Juarez, but it's an imperfect game and as on-rails as you (don't) like. A sandboxy Far Cry Goldrush would surely sell well.
"We all have flaws, and mine is being wicked." James Thurber, The Thirteen Clocks 1951
Sounds like a plan. But could well be seen as a blatant cash grab on the back of red dead redemption.
They could do worse than model the Yorkshire Dales, where missions would include driving trains over the Ribblehead viaduct, moaning about the clouds covering Ingleborough and marching through Horton-in-Ribblesdale at some ungodly hour in the morning waking the locals up with upbeat walking songs, all the while searching for the perfect curd tart.
Or what about Kirklees, giving you the opportunity to choose between joining the artisanal-bread chomping hipster tribes of Hebden Bridge and Slaithwaite, or the wrinkled-stockinged gerontocracy of Holmfirth?
"We all have flaws, and mine is being wicked." James Thurber, The Thirteen Clocks 1951
I think that's what the Far Cry franchise is missing (though I'm not familiar with 5), a choice of which faction to join as you progress through the story, with events and allegiances played out differently depending on player choice.
If they did that, but the cowboys are zombies, I would buy it in a heartbeat. On sale. Two years later.
Oh, I see FC5 does have a DLC zombie pack. Hmmm.
FUCKING HELL
“Brexit is a uniquely British story of political backstabbing, hubris and incompetence spawned by factional disputes within the ruling Conservative Party”