Remedy Entertainment’s next game, Control Resonant, will feature much larger and more open levels than its predecessor. Lead level designer Anne-Marie Grönroos and art director Elmerie Raitanen recently told TechRadar they specifically want players to enjoy exploring optional side content and getting sidetracked. They also discussed the difficulties of expanding the game’s setting from the Oldest House—the location in the original Control—to an entire city.
Raitanen explained that the unique look of the Oldest House was a major asset. He said the team felt like they were building on something truly special when creating the open world of Control Resonant. However, Grönroos pointed out that shifting from the straightforward level design of Quantum Break to Control’s interconnected, backtracking style—and now to the even more open world of Control Resonant—has presented some difficulties.
Looking back at the original Control, we were pretty inexperienced with that type of game design. We didn’t fully grasp how different it would be to move from a straightforward game like Quantum Break to something more expansive. Control required players to revisit areas, offered a main storyline alongside side quests, and generally allowed for more open exploration, which was a big leap for us at the time, according to Grönroos.
We learned a lot from the first game, and we’re proud of what we accomplished. However, we had to leave out quite a bit of content. This time around, we’ve expanded beyond Manhattan, creating a much larger and more diverse world with areas that each have their own unique feel and identity.
Grönroos observed that players of the original Control tended to rush through the main story and didn’t spend much time exploring optional content. The team is aiming for a different experience with Control Resonant, wanting players to really immerse themselves in the game world and enjoy all it has to offer, as Raitanen put it, “force them to have fun.”
The team really wanted exploring the Manhattan setting in Control Resonant to be enjoyable. Because the game world is much larger than the inside of a single building – unlike the Oldest House – the developers were able to include interesting sights that encourage players to investigate, as Raitanen explained.
Grönroos explained that unlike the previous indoor environments, which had limited visibility, the new game world offers much wider views. While the world is divided into districts, similar to sectors, these districts are far more open. For instance, a large red building can be seen from three other districts away, and other significant landmarks are visible from many different areas.
Raitanen explained that a core design goal was to avoid making the city feel hostile. Instead, they wanted it to feel deceptively welcoming, occasionally encouraging exploration while subtly hinting at a hidden, supernatural danger layered beneath the surface. This approach helps each zone feel unique and instantly recognizable, so players can immediately identify a location – like the Evacuation Zone or the overgrown park – from a screenshot.
Grönroos hinted that players will discover traditional, story-driven missions, referred to as “dungeons,” while exploring the world of Control Resonant.
These areas, which aren’t found in the main world, offer a more focused and straightforward experience, with fewer distractions. The emphasis here is entirely on the narrative, though we may introduce new content once the story is complete.
A side quest could become available right before you reach a certain area, and even later in the game. However, Remedy Entertainment generally wants players experiencing Control Resonant for the first time to have a progression similar to the main story in the original Control.
Control Resonant will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S starting September 24th. You can find more details about the game’s marketing strategy online.
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2026-06-16 15:42