Control Resonant

Control Resonant
DeveloperRemedy Entertainment
PublisherRemedy Entertainment
DirectorMikael Kasurinen
ProducerJuha Vainio
DesignerBri Williams
ArtistElmeri Raitanen
SeriesControl
EngineNorthlight Engine
Platforms
Release2026
GenreAction role-playing
ModeSingle-player

Control Resonant is an upcoming action role-playing game developed and published by Remedy Entertainment. It is a sequel to the 2019 game Control and is scheduled to release for macOS, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S in 2026. The story follows Dylan Faden, a supernaturally abled "parautilitarian" who first appeared as a supporting character in Control, as he battles an invasion of hostile cosmic entities while searching for his estranged sister Jesse.

Gameplay

Unlike the first game, which is a third-person shooter, Resonant is an action role-playing video game. In the game, the player assumes control of Dylan Faden, who is released from captivity by the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC) to assist in their efforts to contain an escaped extradimensional entity that has taken control of downtown Manhattan. The game places an emphasis on melee combat in contrast to the third-person shooter elements of its predecessor: Dylan's primary weapon, the "Aberrant", can shapeshift into a variety of armaments.[1] Remedy described Resonant as an "open-ended" game, with the player being able to explore the city and complete optional quests and objectives.[2]

Development

In June 2021, Remedy Entertainment announced an agreement with 505 Games, the publisher of its 2019 game Control, to develop FBC: Firebreak, a multiplayer spin-off, and a "bigger-budget" project expanding the Control series.[3] In May 2022, the latter project was referenced under the codename "Heron" in Remedy's development roadmap.[4] In November, the company confirmed that "Heron" was a sequel to Control and unveiled the first concept art. Remedy announced a co-development and co-publishing deal with 505 Games for the title.[5] In February 2024, Remedy acquired full ownership of the Control series from 505 Games for €17 million.[6] In August, the company partnered with Annapurna Pictures to finance half of the sequel's development costs.[7] By that month, the game had reached the "production readiness stage".[8] In October, Control 2 was teased during an optional scene in the Alan Wake 2 expansion The Lake House.[9][10] Control 2's full production began in February 2025.[11] According to Remedy's annual report published in March, this phase is expected to last between 15 and 26 months, with a team size ranging from over 75 to 200 employees.[12] The initial development budget for the sequel is €50 million.[13] Remedy estimated that the game would need to sell between 3 and 4 million copies to break even.[14]

In March 2026, it was reported that Control Resonant was in the alpha development stage.[15]

Gameplay development

Control Resonant is an action role-playing game, with Remedy stating that they are "holding on to key tenets of storytelling and spectacle" from the first game while increasing player agency, exploration, and role-playing mechanics in the sequel.[16] Remedy communications director Thomas Puha called Control Resonant's shift towards more action RPG elements as a "a natural progression" for the studio.[17] Resonant stars Dylan Faden, the sibling of the protagonist of the first game, as its lead character. According to Kasurinen, Resonant had a significantly different approach to its gameplay and storytelling perspective, adding that players do not need to experience the first game to fully understand Resonant.[18] Game director Mikael Kasurinen said that Control and Control Resonant "stand on their own feet, and they are like expressions of the two different siblings".[17] Sergey Mohov served as the lead gameplay designer for Resonant. According to Mohov, Control Resonant is not an open world game but there are a number of "large, distinct, and expansive zones filled with side activities, hidden encounters, and optional discoveries".[19]

Graphics technology

Control Resonant is being developed in Remedy's in-house Northlight Engine. With 2023's Alan Wake 2, Remedy reoriented its Northlight engine towards GPU-driven rendering, introducing mesh shaders and more accurate, single-pixel occulsion culling techniques to achieve greater levels of geometric detail and path traced lighting.[20] The first Control title primarily took place indoors with the many reflective materials contained in the Oldest House's brutalist interior. Control Resonant, on the other hand, takes place in larger outdoor areas in Manhattan with more diffused materials.[21]

Release

Control Resonant was officially announced at the Game Awards in December 2025. It is scheduled to release in 2026 for macOS, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.[22] During PlayStation's State of Play presentation on 12 February 2026, a gameplay trailer for Control Resonant was shown.[23]

References

  1. ^ West, Josh (12 December 2025). "Control Resonant is a very real shock to the system: Here's the 5 biggest changes coming to Control 2". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 12 December 2025. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  2. ^ LeBlanc, Wesley (11 December 2025). "Remedy Reveals Control Resonant, A Melee Action-RPG Sequel To Control Starring Jesse's Brother". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 12 December 2025. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  3. ^ Holt, Kris (29 June 2021). "Control is getting a co-op spin-off game". Engadget. Archived from the original on 11 October 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  4. ^ Yang, George (16 May 2022). "2 new Control games are in the works, Remedy road map reveals". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  5. ^ Brown, Fraser (11 November 2022). "Remedy confirms that Codename Heron is Control 2". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 26 January 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  6. ^ Dring, Christopher (28 February 2024). "Remedy acquires full Control rights from 505 Games for €17m". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 8 January 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  7. ^ Webster, Andrew (29 August 2024). "Remedy partners with Annapurna for Control 2 and potential film and TV adaptations". The Verge. Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  8. ^ Dinsdale, Ryan (9 August 2024). "Control 2 in 'Production Readiness Stage' at Remedy, Max Payne Remakes in Full Production". IGN. Archived from the original on 22 February 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  9. ^ McWhertor, Michael (24 October 2024). "Alan Wake 2's new DLC has a big, exciting Control 2 Easter egg". Polygon. Archived from the original on 1 February 2025. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  10. ^ Bailey, Kat (14 November 2024). "Sam Lake Receives the Andrew Yoon Legend Award and Opens Up About the State of the Remedy Connected Universe". IGN. Archived from the original on 8 March 2025. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  11. ^ Kerr, Chris (12 February 2025). "Alan Wake 2 becomes profitable and Control sequel enters full production". Game Developer. Archived from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  12. ^ Daniels, Joelle (14 March 2025). "Control 2 Has Entered Full Production". GamingBolt. Archived from the original on 15 March 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  13. ^ Makuch, Eddie (13 March 2025). "Here's How Much Remedy Is Spending On Its Upcoming Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  14. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (19 November 2024). "Remedy Reveals How Many Copies Control 2 and Firebreak Need for 100% Return on Investment". IGN. Archived from the original on 10 March 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  15. ^ Sinha, Ravi (5 March 2026). "Control Resonant is Currently in Alpha Stage, Remedy Targeting 60 FPS on All Platforms". GamingBolt. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  16. ^ Argüello, Diego Nicolás (19 November 2024). "Control 2 Will Lean More Into RPG Mechanics". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 19 November 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  17. ^ a b Taylor-Kent, Oscar (4 March 2026). "Control Resonant trades shooting for a shapeshifting sword because "melee is cool", its creative director tells me, and he's not wrong". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  18. ^ Filliari, Alessandro (12 December 2025). "Control Resonant steps into a larger world that's inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion". Engadget. Archived from the original on 12 December 2025. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  19. ^ Williams, Demi (13 February 2026). "The latest Control Resonant gameplay trailer showcases new zones, abilities, and progression, which Remedy says 'is all about building your perfect combat flow'". TechRadar. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  20. ^ Ridley, Jacob (8 November 2023). "Remedy's plant bone tech is just one of the reasons Alan Wake 2 is the best-looking videogame of 2023". PC Gamer. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  21. ^ Machikovech, Sam (12 December 2025). "Control Resonant: Remedy's Open-World Sequel Gets Weird in NYC". Digital Foundry. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  22. ^ McWhertor, Michael (12 December 2025). "Control Resonant revealed — and it might not be the sequel you're expecting". Polygon. Archived from the original on 12 December 2025. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  23. ^ Mohov, Sergey (12 February 2026). "New gameplay details on Control Resonant's supernatural action". PlayStation Blog. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
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