Remedy’s FBC Firebreak Stumbles—Control 2 and Max Payne Remakes Step Into the Spotlight

Why This Caught My Eye

Remedy is usually the studio I point to when someone says single-player games are dead. Control and Alan Wake 2 prove the opposite. So when their co-op shooter FBC: Firebreak didn’t land-even with the visibility boost from Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus-that got my attention. It’s the latest reminder that subscriptions can put you in a lot of hands, but they can’t make people stick around if the early minutes don’t hook or if the PC pitch isn’t strong.

Key Takeaways

• Firebreak’s launch underperformed, especially on Steam, with low retention and early negative reviews.
• Despite that, Remedy’s quarterly revenue jumped 63.5% year-over-year (April-June), helped by the release window and subscription deals.
• Remedy plans ongoing updates for Firebreak, with the first big one arriving in September.
• Control 2 is “moving toward its next stage,” with focus on gameplay, environments, and missions-don’t expect an imminent release.
• The Max Payne 1 & 2 Remake is progressing smoothly in production alongside Rockstar.
• Control has now passed 5 million copies sold—still a reliable pillar for the studio.

Breaking Down Remedy’s Update

Remedy’s latest financial note doesn’t sugarcoat Firebreak’s start. The studio calls the game a “technical success,” but commercially below expectations on PC. Translated from the report: “The majority of players were users of Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. On Steam, which was intended to be the main consumer sales channel on PC, the launch was disappointing. The opening moments of the game and its mission structure led to a high early dropout rate and a wave of negative reviews. As players spent more time and we released updates improving the game, the reviews became more positive. Commercially, we were not satisfied with the consumer sales of FBC: Firebreak during its launch phase. So far, the commercial performance of FBC: Firebreak has been largely supported by Xbox and PlayStation subscription contracts.”

That’s a rare bit of candor: the intro and the mission loop weren’t pulling their weight, and subscription exposure didn’t offset those issues. Still, the quarter shows a 63.5% revenue lift versus last year, which helps keep the studio on track while they recalibrate.

The Real Story Behind Firebreak’s Slow Start

This is the harsh truth of 2025’s co-op landscape: if your onboarding fumbles or your early hours feel grindy, Steam reviews will bury you before word-of-mouth has a chance to save you. We watched Rainbow Six Extraction ride Game Pass to decent sampling but soft staying power; on the flip side, Helldivers 2 nailed a simple loop and exploded (despite server chaos). Firebreak sounds like it fell into the first bucket—players bounced in the opening stretch, then reviews improved later once updates landed. That’s progress, but it’s a tough hole to climb out of on PC.

Being on Game Pass and PS Plus guarantees a testing ground, not a fanbase. If your hook isn’t immediate, churn eats you alive. Remedy says a “first big update” is coming in September; if they streamline the early missions and clarify the core loop, there’s room for a second wind. But PC audiences in particular have options, and they’re ruthless with time. If Firebreak wants a turnaround story, it needs a dramatically better first hour, more frictionless matchmaking, and a rewards cadence that respects players’ time right away—not after five sessions.

Control 2 and Max Payne Remakes: The Pillars to Watch

Remedy is leaning back into its strengths, and that’s good news. The studio says Control 2 is moving toward “its next stage,” with emphasis on gameplay, environment, and mission design. Translation: heads down on the stuff that actually matters. If Alan Wake 2 taught us anything, it’s that Northlight-powered art direction and pacing can knock you flat when Remedy has time to iterate. I wouldn’t read “next stage” as “soon.” It sounds like a game that’s in the thick of building confident systems and spaces rather than polishing for release. That’s the right place to be, even if it means a longer wait.

Then there’s the Max Payne 1 & 2 Remake, still in production and, importantly, “without a hitch” in collaboration with Rockstar. As someone who replayed Max Payne on PC until my mouse wheel begged for mercy, that’s the project I’m watching. The challenge will be modernizing bullet time and noir voiceover without sanding off the personality. If Remedy can get the feel right—the weighty pistols, the crunchy dive-and-shoot rhythm—this could be the nostalgia play that actually justifies itself.

What Gamers Need to Know Right Now

If you bounced off Firebreak early, September is your checkpoint. Wait for that update, watch the sentiment, and decide if the onboarding fixes your pain points. If you’re here for the single-player magic, Control 2 and the Max Payne remakes look like the steady hands guiding Remedy’s next wins. Also worth noting: Control crossing 5 million copies sold isn’t just a feather in a cap; it’s a signal that Remedy’s weird, stylish universe resonates when it’s built around strong narrative and confident design.

TL;DR

FBC: Firebreak stumbled out of the gate, particularly on Steam, with low retention despite Game Pass/PS Plus visibility. Remedy is patching and pushing a big September update, but the real heat is on Control 2 and the Max Payne 1 & 2 Remake, both progressing well. If you love Remedy for bold single-player experiences, the studio seems to be steering back toward its sweet spot.