As FBC: Firebreak Launches, Remedy Entertainment Is Prepared for the Long Haul

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Today, Remedy Entertainment unveils their latest creation – FBC: Firebreak. This is a significant moment for the Finnish team, marking their first foray into online, multiplayer gaming, following successful titles like Control and the upcoming Alan Wake 2. Yet, it’s Remedy’s distinctive style that makes FBC: Firebreak shine, as it merges traditional cooperative shooter gameplay with the bizarre, sci-fi setting of Control, allowing players to engage in unusual experiences such as battling a colossal monster crafted from sticky notes. Given its inclusion in both the Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Extra game libraries, it’s the next multiplayer game that you and your friends should consider investing your time into.

Prior to the release of FBC: Firebreak today, I had an opportunity to chat with Remedy Entertainment during Summer Game Fest Play Days, specifically with Game Director Mike Kayatta. He appears optimistic about the upcoming launch of FBC: Firebreak, although he acknowledges that it has been a challenge for Remedy to venture into this new genre. Additionally, he expresses confidence that Remedy is ready to maintain support for FBC: Firebreak in the coming months and years, despite the game’s decision to avoid the frequent update cycles that are common among many similar games.

Glancing at it from afar, Firebreak: FBC seems like an unexpected shift for Remedy, given their reputation for crafting unique single-player adventures. Diversifying into a multiplayer game, distinct in its mechanics and aesthetics, might not have been the easiest move, as demonstrated by studios such as Rocksteady with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Yet, Tero Virtala, transparent about the novelty of Firebreak: FBC, also expressed confidence in Remedy’s established intuition and fresh talent to navigate any obstacles that emerged during development.

Kayatta stated, “With Firebreak, we’ve encountered a lot of new experiences for us. It’s our first time doing a first-person shooter, self-publishing, exploring a different tone, and not being heavily story-driven. Everything has been quite different, making it a challenge for us. Our studio has been creating games in a particular manner for over two decades, resulting in beloved products. Here, we’re novices. Will this work? Will it be enjoyable? We lean on the expertise of those outside our studio, but ultimately, it’s about trusting our instincts and remembering that we both create and play games. We asked ourselves what we would want from the game, and that guided everything.

There are indications that this game is the studio’s debut in multiplayer development. This can work to its advantage, especially when showcasing its imaginative approach to mission structures, weaponry, and character classes. Other studios with a more extensive history in multiplayer might not have been as daring or intrigued by complex mechanics like elemental interactions as Remedy was. However, it also has drawbacks, such as some perplexing user interface and clarity problems. Despite these issues, the game’s strengths ultimately surpass its weaknesses.

Firebreak” offers five diverse missions or jobs, three character classes or kits, and two types of Requisitions (battle pass and something else) at launch. This content is substantial for a co-op game that releases on its first day. The creators, Remedy, have designed this game to grow over time, although they prefer not to label it as a “live service” game. They’ve intentionally steered clear of the pressure and scarcity elements (FOMO) common in live-service games. This means they’re currently not planning limited-time battle passes or seasonal content for this game. They mention the upcoming release of a game like “Death Stranding 2: On the Beach” as one reason why it wouldn’t be wise to create “FBC: Firebreak” as a time-consuming live service game.

He explained that if you decide to stop playing after three hours and opt for ‘Death Stranding 2’, which has just been released, there’s no problem. He doesn’t want players feeling they’re missing out due to his choice of play. He suggested that in six months, you might encounter an exciting update and return. The idea is to ensure that all content from the game, released at any time, remains accessible for you to enjoy whenever you prefer.

After the launch of FBC: Firebreak, Remedy has given us a sneak peek into what’s coming next for the game. Initially, players will receive updates and adjustments to specific aspects of the game, which will be made based on player feedback. This is done to ensure that the gaming experience continues to improve.

Kayatta shared that they’re eagerly anticipating the launch when many players will offer their feedback on likes, dislikes, and suggestions for improvements. They won’t be making hasty adjustments; instead, they want to maintain a balance. However, what the players desire is crucial to them as they aim to expand the game with new levels, weapons, or other features, ensuring it remains enjoyable for an extended period.

In the long run, the initial significant upgrade for “FBC: Firebreak” is set for this autumn. This update brings a new role called Outbreak, a fresh location called the Research Sector, new adversaries, novel gameplay mechanics, free rewards, and the second paid Classified Requisition. Towards the end of the year, another upgrade will follow for “FBC: Firebreak”, offering a job with the codename Blackout along with content similar to what was included in the first major update. According to Kayatta, Remedy aims to expand the game by at least 40% before the year ends.

In 2026, Remedy is curious about what kind of updates we can expect. It appears that Kayatta strongly advocates for the continued development of FBC: Firebreak, even planning ahead for the team to produce content for 2026. However, Remedy needs a clearer understanding of what players are looking for in significant content updates before proceeding.

2026 is when we’ve prepared our production setup, but we haven’t made any firm decisions yet, not even within our team. We have some concepts in mind, but we’re staying flexible to respond to what people want. If there’s a demand for more jobs, we’re all set to create them. If people are interested in items like toys or gadgets, that’s what we’ll produce. We’ve already made our best estimates for this year because production takes time, so we’re currently working on those updates. For next year, we have some leeway to observe the public’s reactions after launch and adjust our plans accordingly, involving the community actively in the process later on.

Launching a fresh multiplayer game is an exhilarating phase for any game studio. It could either soar and prosper, akin to the success of Helldivers 2, or plummet like Concord. Fortunately, Remedy Entertainment has a varied game development portfolio, which means that a lackluster reception of FBC: Firebreak won’t be catastrophic for the company as they persist in their work on remakes of Max Payne and Control 2. However, similar to every studio before a launch, its developers are filled with anticipation about the game’s future prospects. Having played FBC: Firebreak myself, I truly hope it experiences great success for Remedy Entertainment.

Kayatta shares his enthusiasm as he prepares for the launch, with countless new experiences and mysteries ahead. He explains that this kind of game isn’t about immediately providing enjoyable content for players. Instead, you construct the mechanisms and the environment that generates fun for the players. However, it’s only when the players interact with the game in unpredictable ways that you truly understand its essence. For years, it hasn’t fully functioned as intended, yet he cherishes the hope of refining it in the future. At this point, he’s on the brink of seeing his creation come to life – watching people play, laugh, be surprised, and even scream when they die. To be honest, he can hardly find the right words to express how incredible that feeling is.

The game titled “Firebreak” is currently accessible on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S consoles. It’s included in both the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PS Plus Extra libraries.

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2025-06-17 13:11