Hamilton Goes Gaming With New Khaki Field Watch For Far Cry 6

A new titanium Khaki Field watch from Hamilton will be making an appearance in the forthcoming 6th installment in the Far Cry franchise. That’s a video game, if you were wondering. The game, due out October 7th, will place the watch on the protagonist’s wrist, and in the process become an integral part of the user’s experience while playing the story or simply roaming about (this is a big open world, after all). This isn’t the first time a watch has featured in the Far Cry series of games, but it is the first to be claimed by an actual watch brand, and subsequently, will be the first you can actually buy and wear in the real world.

I don’t generally think of myself as a “gamer” but there are a few franchises I’ve taken the time to enjoy over the years, and Far Cry is one of them. The series is known for their distinctive open worlds, well paced action, and above all, their complex and compelling antagonists. From the chilling Vaas Montenegro (brilliantly brought to life by Michael Mando) in FC3, to the charismatic Pagan Min in 4, and finally the devout Joseph Seed in 5 – Far Cry 6 has big shoes to fill in the baddie department, and to do so they relied on Giancarlo Esposito to bring the ruthless Antón Castillo to life. 

Going back to Far Cry 4, a watch can be seen on wrist depending on the weapon equipped, and is used to move the world time forward with a twist of the bezel, an option that can be triggered at a bedside to simulate sleeping. The watch is worn on the underside of the wrist, and does not feature any discernible branding, but it does play a small role in appearing on the player character, and it’s clear that some thought went into its design.

I have not played Far Cry 6, but according to Hamilton, the role of the watch takes a step further here: “Successful players unlock access to the in-game timepiece that’s equipped with a unique and original “keeps on ticking” function. The defensive wrist gear improves general defense during sprints, allows players to get in and out of danger quickly and efficiently, and will be a useful benefit for gamers as they fight for Yara’s freedom.” This makes the watch sound like an equippable piece of clothing or gear with implied stats typically associated with RPG style games, but we’ll know for sure when the game releases on the 7th. 

The big difference here is that you can actually buy the watch seen on your character. It is a rather familiar looking Hamilton Khaki Field with a 42mm brushed titanium case featuring a subtle but unique dial. A red seconds hand tracks against Arabic numerals including a bespoke “6” that mimics the Far Cry logo. It’s not a detail that you’d notice unless you knew to look for it, so the watch is still perfectly palatable even if you’ve never held a controller (or have worn down WASD caps). Inside beats the H10 automatic movement with an impressive 80 hours of reserve. 

When it comes to brands placing their products within the confines of an existing fictional uniserve known and loved by many, it’s tricky to get it right in a way that doesn’t break immersion to that universe. Without having played the game, I’d say this is a watch that visually and thematically fits the overall tone and vibe of the Far Cry series, and shouldn’t look too out of place in the fictional locale of Yara, which is based on Cuba. How well it works in practice remains to be seen, but for all intents and purposes, it certainly could have been worse. 

The Khaki Field Titanium Far Cry® 6 Limited Edition will see 1983 examples built at the price of $1,195 and will be available to purchase when the game is released on October 7th. Hamilton.