Honestly, I didn't see this coming. Far Cry 4 is over a decade old, yet here we are in 2026, and Ubisoft is still tinkering with the snowy peaks of Kyrat. If you’ve been away for a while, you’ve missed a series of patches that basically dragged this 2014 classic into the modern era kicking and screaming.
It started with that big "Surprise Update" in April 2025. You might remember the headlines. Out of nowhere, Ubisoft dropped a patch (version 1.08 on consoles) that finally unlocked the framerate. After years of being stuck at a sluggish 30 FPS on PlayStation, PS5 and PS5 Pro players finally got to experience Ajay Ghale’s story at a buttery-smooth 60 FPS. Xbox users had a version of this earlier through the "FPS Boost" feature, but even that got replaced by a native update to ensure things stayed stable across the board.
The 60 FPS Patch: More Than Just a Number
For the longest time, playing Far Cry 4 on a modern console felt like looking at a beautiful painting through a dirty window. The 30 FPS cap was a product of its time—the PS4 and Xbox One era. But when the Far Cry 4 update hit in 2025, it changed the fundamental feel of the game.
The movement is more responsive. Aiming with the bow actually feels viable again. When you're wingsuiting off a cliff near the Himalayan border, the world doesn't stutter like a flipbook anymore. It’s fluid.
Interestingly, while the framerate got the bump everyone wanted, the resolution didn't see a massive 4K jump. Most technical breakdowns, like those from TechPowerUp and Game Informer, confirmed that the game still runs at a native 1080p. While some fans were hoping for a full "Remastered" 4K treatment similar to what Assassin’s Creed Syndicate received, the clarity gain from the stable framerate is still a massive win.
Why the Xbox FPS Boost was Removed
There was a bit of drama surrounding the Xbox version. For a while, the Xbox Series X|S used a system-level feature called "FPS Boost" to hit 60 FPS. However, Ubisoft actually disabled this briefly before rolling out the official patch. Why? Because the official update is a native fix that integrates better with the game's engine, reducing those weird shadow flickers that the system-level boost sometimes caused.
PC Players Aren't Left in the Cold
PC has always been the "definitive" way to play Far Cry 4, but let’s be real: it’s a buggy mess on Windows 11. Or at least, it was. Recent backend updates on Steam (Build 17721097) in late 2025 and early 2026 have quietly addressed some of the more egregious "Black Screen" and "Dual Core" errors that plagued modern rigs.
👉 See also: The Poppy Playtime Hour of Joy: What Really Happened During the Playtime Co. Massacre
If you’re running an 11th Gen Intel or a newer AMD Ryzen chip, you probably know the pain. The game used to freak out because it didn't know how to handle high core counts. The latest Far Cry 4 update files on SteamDB show that Ubisoft has been updating the Ubisoft Connect integration and the core .exe to play nicer with Windows 11's scheduler.
- Multi-GPU Support: Still dead. Don't bother with SLI or Crossfire; the version 1.10.0 patch notes from way back confirmed it's basically disabled for stability.
- Steam Deck Compatibility: It's now "Playable." The launcher is still a pain, but the performance on SteamOS is surprisingly solid once you get past the login screen.
- Input Lag: The 2026 tweaks have significantly reduced the "mouse acceleration" feel that made the PC port feel floaty.
Kyrat in 2026: The Game Pass Effect
A huge reason for these updates is that Far Cry 4 recently joined Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus Extra. Ubisoft knows that putting a 12-year-old game on a subscription service is a death sentence if it looks like a slide show.
By pushing these performance updates, they've ensured that a whole new generation of gamers—people who were probably in diapers when the game launched—can actually play it. It’s also a smart move to keep the brand alive while we wait for Far Cry 7 (codenamed Operation Blackbird), which is rumored to be a massive departure for the series.
What Most People Get Wrong
There's a common misconception that this update added new content. It didn't. You aren't getting new missions with Hurk or extra weapons in the shop. This was purely a "quality of life" and performance overhaul. The "Valley of the Yetis" and "Escape from Durgesh Prison" DLCs are exactly the same—they just run better now.
Is It Worth Replaying?
Honestly? Yes. Kyrat is still one of the most atmospheric maps Ubisoft ever built. The verticality is something Far Cry 5 and Far Cry 6 never quite replicated.
There's something about the way the light hits the prayer flags as you're sneaking into an outpost. With the 60 FPS update, those stealth kills feel precise. You aren't fighting the controller anymore. You're just fighting the Royal Guard.
If you haven't touched the game since 2015, the difference is night and day. It doesn't feel like a "retro" game anymore; it feels like a modern "AA" title.
Actionable Steps for the Best Experience
- Check Your Version: On PS5, make sure you've downloaded the latest patch (1.08 or higher). You should see the "60 FPS" toggle in the video settings.
- PC Fixes: If you're still getting the black screen on Windows 11, try the "Verify Integrity of Game Files" on Steam. The December 2025 update fixed the file path errors for many users.
- Controller Settings: Turn off "Deadzone" if you're on console. The 60 FPS update makes the default deadzone feel way too stiff.
- HDR: The game doesn't have native HDR, but "Auto HDR" on Windows 11 and Xbox works wonders for the Himalayan snow scenes.
The Far Cry 4 update might be the final breath for this entry, but it's a hell of a way to go out. It’s rare to see a developer come back to a decade-old game just to make it run better for free, especially in an era of $70 remakes. Take the gyrocopter for a spin—Kyrat has never looked this smooth.