Remedy: 'Control' Spin-Off 'Underperformed' Commercially

Developer Remedy has stated that the launch of its first self-published title and Control spin-off, FBC: Firebreak, was a technical success but commercially fell short on Steam, conceding that "we were not satisfied with its sales performance."

In an investor update, the studio reaffirmed that Firebreak surpassed 1 million players. However, the majority accessed the game on consoles through PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, despite PC being the intended primary sales platform.

The financial report noted, "The game's initial onboarding and mission design led to significant early player attrition and a wave of negative feedback. As players engaged longer and subsequent updates were released, the sentiment in user reviews improved markedly."

"We were disappointed with the consumer sales of FBC: Firebreak during its launch window. To date, its commercial results have been primarily fueled by subscription service agreements with Xbox and PlayStation. A substantial portion of revenue from these deals will be recognized over the remainder of the contract terms."

Remedy vowed to implement significant changes last month. This commitment followed an earlier, frank assessment released soon after Firebreak's debut, in which the studio admitted that "not all aspects of the launch went smoothly."

The developer emphasized that FBC: Firebreak was built as a live-service title intended to grow over time and maintains it is a fundamentally solid game "despite its problematic start." A substantial "Major Update" planned for late September represents the next critical phase, which Remedy "anticipates will reignite interest in the game." The studio reiterated its dedication to "ongoing development for FBC: Firebreak, active community engagement, and expanding the game's content."

In its H1 and Q2 2025 financial report, Remedy posted increased revenue for both periods, attributed to higher game sales and royalties. The quarter still resulted in an operating loss—approximately $580,000—though this was significantly less severe than the $3.7 million loss recorded the previous year. For the first half of the year, revenue rose 43.4% to $35.1 million.

Regarding other projects, the studio confirmed that Control 2's development is "progressing as planned" and hitting key milestones, with current efforts centered on "refining gameplay, environments, and mission design." The Max Payne 1 & 2 remake continues in full production, with "close and productive collaboration with Rockstar Games ongoing."

In IGN's review of FBC: Firebreak, we scored it 6/10, stating: "FBC: Firebreak is a visually impressive co-op shooter that, unfortunately, lacks the lasting depth to sustain player interest over the long term."