Remedy Says FBC: Firebreak Fell Short, But Updates and New Games Are Coming

Remedy Entertainment has confirmed that FBC: Firebreak, its first self-published title and a spin-off from Control, failed to meet sales expectations on PC, even though the game has surpassed one million players overall. Most of that audience came from PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, not from Steam, where PC was meant to be the main platform. Despite this rocky start, Remedy insists it will keep improving the game, with a major September update planned, while also pushing forward with Control 2 and the Max Payne 1 & 2 remake project.

In its latest financial statement, Remedy explained that FBC: Firebreak succeeded on a technical level but underperformed commercially, especially in its launch phase. The studio pointed out that the majority of players arrived through console subscription services. PC sales, expected to lead the way, lagged behind. The early experience also caused problems, with onboarding issues, unclear objectives, and slow weapon progression leading to high drop-off rates and negative reviews in the first weeks.

"Commercially, we were unsatisfied with the launch-phase consumer sales of FBC: Firebreak," Remedy told investors.

Over time, patches and updates improved sentiment, and reviews became more positive. Remedy says that revenue from its subscription deals will continue to come in during the agreement period, helping to balance the slow direct sales. Still, the studio acknowledged the gap between its sales ambitions and reality.

The company had already promised in late June to make significant changes. Back then, it highlighted plans to rework the first-hour gameplay, improve the power fantasy by making early weapons feel stronger, and reduce the grind for unlocking higher-tier gear. The team also acknowledged the lack of clarity in explaining its mission system, promising to fix that as part of ongoing updates.

FBC: Firebreak was always intended to be a live product, evolving with time. Remedy says the September “Major Update” is the next big push to draw players back. This update will follow previous smaller patches aimed at smoothing out early gameplay and will arrive alongside ongoing community engagement. Post-launch support is confirmed for years ahead, including two new Jobs coming later in 2025 and more in 2026. All additional playable content will be free, while paid cosmetics will remain purely optional.

Despite Firebreak’s slow commercial start, Remedy’s financial results for the first half of 2025 are generally positive. Revenue for the January–June period rose by 43.4% year-on-year to $35.1 million, with the second quarter alone showing a boost in game sales and royalties. The company still reported a loss, but at $580,000, it was far smaller than the $3.7 million loss during the same quarter last year.

While Firebreak remains in active development, Remedy’s other major projects are progressing well. Control 2 is said to be “on track” with its milestones, with the current focus on building gameplay systems, environments, and missions. The Max Payne 1 & 2 remake project is now in full production, with Remedy describing its ongoing collaboration with Rockstar Games as “close and productive.”

In short, Remedy is dealing with a mixed situation: a technically stable but commercially underwhelming release in Firebreak, offset by strong progress in its bigger upcoming titles. The studio’s next challenge will be turning Firebreak into a more appealing and lasting experience, while delivering on the high expectations for Control 2 and the Max Payne remakes. The September update could be the turning point — but for now, Remedy’s attention is split between fixing one game and building the next big hits.