A few real-life cults may have inspired The Project at Eden's Gate in Far Cry 5. Ubisoft borrowed elements from multiple groups and leaders.
The religious doomsday cult in Far Cry 5, The Project at Eden's Gate, is entirely fictional, but its creation may have been inspired by some real-life cults of the past. Far Cry 5 is often regarded as the most controversial entry in the series due to the deeper nature of the religious themes it explores. Cults and religion play a major role in the story and setting of Far Cry 5, and Ubisoft likely looked at some real-world examples when creating The Project at Eden's Gate.
In Far Cry 5, cult leader Joseph Seed, the ultra-charismatic and sadistic man also known as The Father, has amassed a following and taken control of Hope County, Montana far beyond the reaches of society. The Father, like many real-life cult leaders of the past, believes he has been given information directly from a higher power and that the end of the world is fast approaching. He also believes that all humans are sinners and must atone for their transgressions. Joseph Seed's twisted philosophy gives sinners two options: repent or face death. His ideas have poisoned the minds of his flock as they blindly follow every deranged word, killing on command.
Cults have existed since ancient times, luring in followers with the promise of philosophical insights and discovery. Always helmed by a commanding and charismatic presence, these groups often form with good intentions but end in violence and tragedy. There are a number of now-infamous cults that may have directly inspired the Project at Eden's Gate in Far Cry 5, the most notable being The Branch Davidians, The People's Temple, and The Church Universal and Triumphant.
Far Cry 5's Project At Eden's Gate Was Likely Inspired By The Branch Davidian Cult
The Branch Davidians were a religious doomsday cult that rose to prominence in the late 1980s when David Koresh ascended to leadership from within the organization. An offshoot of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Branch Davidians sought to establish the Davidic Kingdom as referenced in biblical texts. Koresh's personality even very much resembles that of Joseph Seed in Far Cry 5.
Koresh was notorious for his violent nature as well as the close watch he kept over his devoted followers, often referred to as "Koreshians". David Koresh, also like The Father character in Far Cry 5, believed he had been given the gift of prophecy. He believed that God had selected him to die a martyr in his quest to establish the Davidic Kingdom, but not before fathering a child that would be known as "The Chosen One". Both figures could be described as delusional and dangerous, common traits that appear when examining well-known charismatic cult leaders.
Koresh would eventually meet a violent end during the now-infamous standoff between the Branch Davidians and the United States government. In 1993, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms attempted to exercise a search warrant on Koresh and some other members of the cult who were suspected of stockpiling a large supply of weapons and ammunition at their Mount Carmel Center compound just outside of Waco, Texas. An exchange of gunfire broke out as the ATF attempted to enter the property, killing 4 government agents and 6 members of the Branch Davidians. The ATF then initiated a siege lasting 51 days before finally attempting to force the remaining members out of the compound through the use of tear gas after further gunfire from the group, when things felt as though they escalated to full-blown Far Cry 5-style action. At some point during the tear gas assault, the entire Mount Carmel Center compound became engulfed in flames, being responsible (in part) for the event's great tragedy: the deaths of 76 Branch Davidian members.
The People's Temple May Have Inspired The Project At Eden's Gate In Far Cry 5
Another cult that may have directly inspired the Project at Eden's Gate in Far Cry 5 is The People's Temple. Founded by Jim Jones, The People's Temple was originally located in Indianapolis, Indiana, but was later relocated to Guyana after Jones claimed he had been receiving supernatural visions of an impending nuclear attack on the city. He then took his more than 900 followers to the new location in a bid to establish what he referred to as a paradise free from the oppression of the United States government, similar to what Joseph Seed set up within Hope County's sizeable map in Far Cry 5. He called this new location Jonestown, and promised that everyone would be able to build a more prosperous and rewarding life as part of this utopian community.
After allegations of abuse within the cult reached North America, it didn't take long for congressman Leo Ryan along with media representatives to arrive at Jonestown in search of answers. Jim Jones was horrified at the thought of potentially losing his following at the hands of the government. In a tragic event that came to be known as the Jonestown Massacre, every single member of the compound took their own lives at the command of Jones. Additionally, congressman Ryan was assassinated during the massacre.
Elizabeth Clare Prophet May Be The Inspiration For Far Cry 5's Joseph Seed
The Church Universal and Triumphant was founded in 1975 by Elizabeth Clare Prophet. Prophet’s followers called her “Mother” and were captivated by her charisma and commanding personality, much like The Father and his story companions in Far Cry 5. At its peak, the church boasted thousands of members and seemed poised to continue its strong growth. In 1990, Prophet began convincing her followers that the end of the world was approaching as a nuclear war between the United States and Russia was imminent. Prophet claimed the only place that she and her followers would be safe was in the Montana wilderness, so she began constructing bomb shelters and moving the population of the church to a location she believed would be unaffected by a nuclear fallout. The apocalypse never came and this religious doomsday cult faded peacefully into obscurity, unlike the Branch Davidians and The People's Temple.
Another cult that The Project at Eden's Gate in Far Cry 5 bears resemblance to is Heavens Gate. The Heavens Gate cult, founded by Bonnie Nettles and Marshall Applewhite, operated through the 1970s and into the 1990s. They believed that as the Hale-Bopp comet passed near earth, they would ascend to a higher plane of consciousness, leaving their physical bodies behind to then be remade as extraterrestrial beings. While Seed's fans and followers along Far Cry 5's map don't share these beliefs, they do operate with the same devotion and allegiance that Applewhite and Nettles' followers displayed - a key ingredient to the group's hierarchy and operation.
There are more examples of cults throughout history that may have provided inspiration for The Project at Eden's Gate in Far Cry 5, but the Branch Davidians, The People's Temple, and Heavens Gate were likely at the forefront of Ubisoft's mind when creating the peggies. Although some found the focus on religion in Far Cry 5 to be controversial, many embraced the idea of delving into heavier topics. By daring to explore such themes, Ubisoft was able to deliver what some consider to be the best Far Cry experience to date.
