Summary
- Control 2 is being developed on a smaller budget than Alan Wake 2, according to developer Remedy Entertainment.
- Despite the lowered budget, Remedy expects Control 2 to deliver a high-quality experience.
- Remedy aims for Control 2 to achieve profitability quicker than Alan Wake 2 did, with a break-even point of two million copies sold.
Remedy Entertainment has confirmed that its next major single-player game, Control 2, is being developed on a smaller budget than the studio's last release - 2023's Alan Wake 2. While the financial scale-back may incite worries among fans, Remedy remains confident in its ability to deliver another high-quality experience with the Control sequel.
2019's Control is widely regarded to be one of the best games Remedy has ever made, so it comes as no surprise that the Finnish developer is working on a sequel that further expands the universe. Given the technical and narrative expertise of Control, expectations for Control 2 are pretty high, even more so after the exceedingly positive reactions to Alan Wake 2 - Remedy's last major game release. However, while Alan Wake 2 was one of the most celebrated games of 2023, its commercial performance didn't quite live up to the praise.
Control 2 Could Tie the Remedy Connected Universe Together With One Character as Its Villain
Control 2 is expected to take the overarching narrative of the Remedy Connected Universe to the next level, and one villain could help it do so.
Just earlier this year, Remedy announced that Alan Wake 2 had finally turned a profit over 15 months since its launch. This isn't very ideal for a critically-acclaimed, high-caliber AAA title, to say the least, and with budgets also skyrocketing in the games industry, Remedy has taken a step towards more financially manageable development. In a recent interview with Game File, Remedy Entertainment CEO Tero Virtala confirmed Control 2 is being developed on a budget of €50 million (approximately $57 million USD), co-financed with Stray and Outer Wilds publisher Annapurna Interactive.
Remedy Wants Control 2 to Be Profitable Quicker than Alan Wake 2 Was
Control 2's budget is "a bit less" than what was spent on Alan Wake 2, but Virtala believes it's sufficient to produce a top-tier Remedy single-player experience. Remedy has calculated that it can break even if Control 2 sells around two million copies, and the studio will see significant profit if the game hits four or five million units sold. This strategic budgeting is part of Remedy's wider effort to transition from what Virtala described as "surviving to succeeding." He explained that Remedy is adopting a more business-savvy approach, encouraging developers to consider production costs and timelines more carefully while keeping quality uncompromised.
Control 2 is currently in full production, but it won't be the next release on Remedy's slate. That distinction goes to FBC: Firebreak, a co-op multiplayer spin-off game set in the Control universe, which releases on June 17, 2025, for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Interestingly, FBC: Firebreak will launch into PlayStation Plus Extra and Xbox Game Pass on day one, and also marks Remedy's first foray into self-publishing.
- Released
- 2025
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Remedy Entertainment, 505 Games
