In a surprise announcement, Remedy has revealed its next Control adventure, introducing FBC: Firebreak!
Broadcast during the Xbox Partner Preview, its launch trailer teases a three-person cooperative FPS set in the Federal Bureau of Control. "As a years-long siege on the agency’s headquarters reaches its boiling point, only Firebreak— the Bureau’s most versatile unit—has the gear and the guts to plunge into the building’s strangest crises, restore order, and blast their way back from the brink." From its description, it seems to take place after the events of the original game, and follows the bureau's continued fight with The Hiss, as it attempts to regain control over the Oldest House. The reveal coincided with the launch trailer for Alan Wake 2's expansion, The Lake House, which is also set to explore the FBC lore.
While the announcement was made this evening, the community has been following this game for a while, under its codename, Condor.
The game relies on teamwork to deal with the threat, spread across a number of challenging missions which Remedy teases will be highly replayable. On top of that there's also a layer of customisation; the developers list the teammember's “Crisis Kits” as an example, allowing players to choose their weapons, tools, and powerful paranatural augments, which are strange items with unique powers that can alter the course of the battle.
The game will be the first title self-published by Remedy, and will launch at a "mid-price point". Following the launch, currently scheduled for 2025, the developers will be expanding upon the adventure with additional content, with more details on those to be posted closer to the date. For those interested in learning more about Remedy's approach for this title, make sure to check out the Xbox Wire interview, HERE!
The game has been in the works for several years; a game project seemingly kindled from COVID, and announced during mid-2021. Since then, it has evolved, and in its press release, accompanying its reveal trailer, we heard from Juha Vainio (Executive Producer of the Control Franchise) and Mike Kayatta (Game Director of FBC: Firebreak).
Up first is Mike Kayatta who said “With FBC: Firebreak, our team is creating a gameplay-driven experience focused on cooperative gameplay that incorporates the strange, surreal elements our fans have come to expect. At Remedy, we have been looking to leverage our expertise in action and world-building in a co-op multiplayer setting, creating something that we hope is attractive to players who have not experienced our games before.”
Juha, who has been a key figure in the Control franchise since the original game's development, stated, “FBC: Firebreak is an opportunity to try something wholly new while fans wait for Control 2 or for those new to our games. Though Remedy is known for narrative-driven experiences, FBC: Firebreak is a chance for the team to flip the script and try our hand at a game that focuses on high-octane action in a multiplayer setting.”
