FBC: Firebreak

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FBC: Firebreak
FBC Firebreak Cover.jpg
Developer(s) Remedy Entertainment
Publisher(s) Remedy Entertainment
Director(s) Mike Kayatta
Designer(s) Anssi Hyytiäinen
Artist(s) James Tottman
Writer(s) Mike Kayatta
Composer(s) Petri Alanko
Engine Northlight
Platform(s)
Release17 June 2025
Genre(s) First-person shooter
Mode(s) Multiplayer

FBC: Firebreak is a 2025 first-person shooter video game developed and published by Remedy Entertainment. Set six years after the events of Control , it follows a special unit of soldiers named Firebreak. It is Remedy's first multiplayer game.

Contents

FBC: Firebreak was released for PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S on 17 June 2025. The game received mixed reviews from critics and failed to meet the sales expectations of Remedy.

Gameplay

FBC: Firebreak is a team-based player versus environment first-person shooter, in which a group of three players - taking on the role of the Federal Bureau of Control's "Firebreak" containment teams - must venture into the Oldest House to eliminate various human enemies controlled by the extradimensional Hiss. The game is set after the events of Control . [1]

Development and release

The project was announced in June 2021 under the codename of "Condor" in a press release by Remedy Entertainment. [2] It was intended to be co-published and developed by 505 Games, the publisher on the first Control game. [3] In February 2024, Remedy Entertainment announced it had bought the rights to the Control franchise, including the publishing rights for the game, from 505 Games for €17 million. [4] In April 2024, it was confirmed by Remedy that the initial budget for the game was stated to be €25 million. It was also confirmed to be pay-to-play, as opposed to many other multiplayer games. [5] Commenting on the nature of the game, game director Mike Kayatta said that FBC was "not designed to be some kind of lesser, bite-sized Control. FBC: Firebreak is its own, fully formed thing". [6]

FBC: Firebreak was revealed during the Xbox Partner preview in October 2024. A gameplay trailer was released in March 2025, along with further details of the lack of live service aspects. Remedy said that the game is designed to be easy to pick up and play, with no daily check-ins, battle passes or other fear of missing out elements to retain player engagement. [7] [8] [9] [10]

The game was released on 17 June 2025 [11] [12] for PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S as a "mid-priced" title, with post-launch content at no additional cost. [8] [10] It was released at launch for PlayStation Plus, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. It is also both Remedy's first multiplayer game and their first self-published game. [13]

Reception

Critical reception

FBC: Firebreak received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [14] [15] [16] OpenCritic determined that 36% of critics recommended the game. [17]

Push Square 's Aaron Bayne said that "those opening levels, which every player must grind through, feel lifeless, and it honestly takes a while before the semblance of a spark is found in Firebreak." [25] Eurogamer 's Christian Donlan praised the game's unique premise, but feels that it needs more substance to satisfy the Remedy Entertainment fanbase. [20]

Sales

FBC: Firebreak attracted more than 1 million players by June 26, 2025. [28]

In August 2025, Remedy said that the game had failed to meet their sales expectations, especially the PC version on Steam. [29]

References

  1. ↑ Romano, Sal (17 October 2024). "Control spin-off co-op first-person shooter FBC: Firebreak announced for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  2. ↑ Chalk, Andy (29 June 2021). "Remedy is working on a new, 'bigger budget' Control game and multiplayer spinoff". PC Gamer . Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  3. ↑ Faulkner, Cameron (30 June 2021). "Remedy's Project Condor is a multiplayer spinoff of Control". The Verge . Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  4. ↑ Yang, George (21 March 2024). "Remedy Has Taken Back Control of the Control Series From 505 Games". IGN . Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  5. ↑ Ivan, Tom (29 April 2024). "Remedy's Control multiplayer game has entered full production". Video Games Chronicle . Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  6. ↑ Washenko, Anna (18 October 2024). "Remedy's new game is FBC: Firebreak, a co-op shooter in the Control universe". Engadget . Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  7. ↑ Skrebels, Joe (17 October 2024). "Xbox Partner Preview | FBC: Firebreak – Learn More About Remedy's First Ever Multiplayer Game". Xbox Wire . Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  8. 1 2 Hore, Jamie (20 March 2025). "FBC Firebreak rejects live service tedium and embraces unique co-op chaos". PCGamesN . Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  9. ↑ Erskine, Donovan (20 March 2025). "FBC: Firebreak wants players to have fun without feeling like they've got a second job". Shacknews . Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  10. 1 2 Sinha, Ravi (24 March 2025). "FBC: Firebreak Won't Have Battle Passes, Limited-Time Events, or Daily Check-Ins". GamingBolt. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  11. ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (24 April 2025). "FBC: Firebreak, Remedy's Co-Op FPS Set in the World of Control, Has a Release Date". IGN . Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  12. ↑ Mitchell, Keith (21 March 2025). "Remedy Entertainment's FBC: Firebreak Arrives Summer 2025". The Outerhaven. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  13. ↑ Delaney, Mark (18 October 2024). "Remedy's Control Multiplayer Game Revealed As FBC Firebreak". GameSpot . Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  14. 1 2 "FBC: Firebreak for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  15. 1 2 "FBC: Firebreak for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  16. 1 2 "FBC: Firebreak for Xbox Series X/S Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  17. 1 2 "FBC: Firebreak Reviews". OpenCritic . 17 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  18. ↑ Duwe, Scott (17 June 2025). "FBC: Firebreak review – Some potential for good friendship fun, for free—for now". Destructoid . Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  19. ↑ Colantonio, Giovanni (20 June 2025). "FBC: Firebreak review: co-op Control spinoff is a lot of work for little payoff". Digital Trends . Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  20. 1 2 Donlan, Christian (20 June 2025). "FBC Firebreak review - a really weird game". Eurogamer . Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  21. ↑ Delaney, Mark (18 June 2025). "FBC: Firebreak Review - Controlled Chaos". GameSpot . Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  22. ↑ Stone, Abbie (17 June 2025). "FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"". GamesRadar . Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  23. ↑ Thwaites, Sarah (27 June 2025). "FBC: Firebreak Review". IGN . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  24. ↑ Lane, Rick (17 June 2025). "FBC: Firebreak review". PC Gamer . Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  25. 1 2 Bayne, Aaron (17 June 2025). "FBC: Firebreak Review (PS5)". Push Square . Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  26. ↑ Erskine, Donovan (17 June 2025). "FBC: Firebreak review: The trials and tribulations of the working class". Shacknews . Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  27. ↑ Wood, Dashiell (19 June 2025). "The first hour of FBC: Firebreak is absolutely miserable, and it doesn't get much better from there". TechRadar . Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  28. ↑ Randall, Harvey (28 June 2025). "Despite limping on Steam charts with a 24-hour peak of less than 200, FBC: Firebreak hits 1 million players milestone—and, let's face it, it's probably Game Pass". PC Gamer . Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  29. ↑ Writer, Sophie McEvoy Staff (12 August 2025). "Remedy Q2 sales jump 63.5% to €16.9m". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
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