Remedy’s surreal take on co-op with FBC: Firebreak

Much like Remedy’s narrative-driven single-player games, FBC: Firebreak is a step into the unknown. Not for the player, but for the developer itself.

Firebreak not only marks the first time that Remedy has developed a multiplayer game, but it’s also the developer’s first foray into a first-person shooter.

But a project focused on session-based gameplay runs the risk of alienating fans of Remedy’s lore-heavy third-person games, while potentially dissuading casual players from checking out its impressive back catalogue if the game doesn’t click.

Following a hands-on preview of the game, GamesIndustry.biz spoke to Firebreak’s game director, Mike Kayatta, to discuss Remedy’s approach to developing its first co-op FPS title. He also explained how the studio balanced appeasing longtime Remedy fans while attracting seasoned co-op players unfamiliar with Firebreak’s surreal world.

Firebreak is a spin-off of 2019’s Control, which follows Jesse Faden – the director of a secretive government agency known as the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC).

Its headquarters, known as the Oldest House, is a shifting, paranatural building that holds all sorts of otherworldly entities contained by the organisation.

Control sees the Oldest House under lockdown following the invasion of a hostile force known as the Hiss. Firebreak takes place six years after the events of Control, and the lockdown is still in place.

Maintaining a balance

Right off the bat, there’s a hurdle of not overloading players new to Remedy with so much lore that they’ll feel like they need to play Control to play Firebreak.

As Kattaya explains, the studio prioritised not overwhelming those unfamiliar with its universe and appeasing fans that will be on the lookout for connections to other Remedy titles.

“We set the game during a lockdown, which creates a narrative bubble for the FBC that also helps us create a bubble around the world itself,” Kayatta notes.

“So, if you know Control, then you might be interested in seeing what was going on in the Oldest House six years after the first game. And if you don’t know Control, then you can step right into this moment and get a contained experience.”

Firebreak may be a spin-off, but Kayatta affirms it is firmly set within Remedy’s connected universe (RCU) – which links the Control and Alan Wake franchises together.

“Of course, we are set firmly within the RCU timeline and canon, so there are connections,” he explains. “But we’re very focused on protecting Control players who might not want to switch genres to get the ‘whole story’, and protecting co-op players who might not want to fire up an old game to get the full experience out of Firebreak.”

By maintaining this balance, Remedy has made a game that potentially encourages fans to step out of their comfort zone while also enticing less familiar players to dive into Remedy’s back catalogue if the world intrigues them.

Internally, Remedy also faced the task of producing a game in a genre it’s not developed for before. Still, it has over two decades of experience in developing narrative-driven, immersive single-player titles, which offered the studio some advantages.

“Even though games like Alan Wake and Control aren’t all that similar to Firebreak in terms of genre and gameplay, they do all share a focus on immersive worlds and impactful narrative space,” Kayatta says. “That sort of thing comes through lighting, audio, world design, and more somewhat direct crossovers.

“When we look at what’s different [about Firebreak], it’s the perspective, the social nature of the game, and driving gameplay through systems. It’s a combination of previous work experience outside of Remedy, personal experience as gamers or solo projects, and transference of other practical design skills into a new vision.”

Kayatta continues: “We do have a lot to learn and definitely face the task and players with a lot of humility, but there wasn’t really a point where we felt like we didn’t know how to go about something fun.”

Overcoming development obstacles

Remedy also had to contend with approaching the game from a different perspective during the development process.

Kayatta says the making of Firebreak differed in “so many ways” compared to Alan Wake 2 or Control, but that overall, every Remedy game release “is a miracle and Firebreak is no exception.”

“Even things as simple as playing the game suddenly takes three times the number of people,” he emphasises. “Lots of typical production processes remain the same, but the rest has been a lot of adaptation and learning on the fly.”

This included playtests. Remedy has conducted a lot during Firebreak’s development, even as recently as a couple weeks ago to test various game mechanics and matchmaking. The game is constantly changing – I’ll have a totally different experience playing with friends post-release than I did during my playtest, and the devs were busy polishing things then, too.

“Sometimes making games feels like nothing but overcoming obstacles,” Kayatta laughs.

“Honestly, it’s been [like that] every single day. Sometimes it’s about absorbing the pain, learning lessons, and pushing through to the next milestone. Other times, it’s about seeking help from experts across the studio. Every single game released is a miracle and Firebreak is no exception.

“Then, creatively, a lot has been shifting the mindset of what’s the most valuable [aspects] to players and learning to let go of the control you have over players when making a single-player experience.”

Unlike Alan Wake 2 and Control, Remedy aren’t guiding players through narrative cues. There are suggestions and hints of what needs to be done in a given situation, but players are given much more agency and control over how they approach obstacles with the arsenal they’re given.

As for the FPS aspect – there are plenty of guns to fire in Firebreak, but it’s the ‘crisis kits’ that are the focal point.

“Every single game released is a miracle and Firebreak is no exception”

These three loadouts are tailored to a specific skill – one is electricity-focused for field control, another is impact-focused for problem solving, and one is water-focused for manipulating conditions like controlling flames and cooling down team members.

Players aren’t limited to what they use, either. All three players in a session can use the same kit, or they can plan who will use which kit to maximise the effects of teamwork during a session.

The kits are also where Remedy’s kookiness shines. Each kit has a tool related to its theme, whether that’s a massive wrench or a hydro-cannon. Paranatural items known as ‘Altered Augments’ can be attached to these weapons, which provide bizarre – and at times chaotic – effects to give players the upper hand against enemies.

For example, a paranatural teapot can be attached to the hydro cannon to super heat water globules into molten lava.

Experimentation is key

Giving players a varied loadout of guns and tools enabled Remedy to make Firebreak something newcomers to the FPS co-op genre could enjoy. This was achieved by providing the ability to adjust components to meet players needs and a progression system that doesn’t focus on “power ramping.”

“Like most games, we front load a lot of the extremely impactful long-term progress, such as unlocking critical gear and abilities,” Kayatta says. “And the ‘mid-game’ (if you want to call it that) is about getting your power up and upgrading what you like to use.”

Kayatta also clarifies they didn’t want newer players to be locked out of the experience when playing with those who are familiar with how multiplayer FPS games work.

“[Firebreak] doesn’t dwell too long in the ‘power ramping’ phase and quickly shifts into promoting experimentation and forming playstyles,” Kayatta notes. “We’ve also added things like the resonance system which can let players with access to strong builds actually share those abilities to anyone (so long as they stay close).”

Speaking of progress, Kayatta notes that Remedy made it a priority for Firebreak to “feel like a fair experience for everyone” – whether you’re playing for long or short periods of time.

“For this, we made sure that the longer-term progression focuses more on unlocking options rather than raw power,” he explains. “That players can create their own end-game challenges by adjusting threat, clearance, and corruption [levels] to meet their capabilities.”

Threat, clearance, and corruption control the difficulty of a job, with rewards scaling up accordingly based on the level of challenge. These aspects also enhance replayability – particularly corruption, which enables ‘corrupted items’ that modify the environment and enemy behaviours.

Remedy’s approach to microtransactions

There’s also a perk system that provides unique gameplay effects, which are achieved by levelling up or using in-game currency known as ‘lost assets’.

Players can also use in-game currency to purchase ‘requisitions’ – cosmetic items including armor sets, sprays, and weapon skins that have no effect on gameplay. Some requisitions are ‘classified’ meaning that players will need to spend real-money to unlock them.

“We tried to think of ourselves as gamers and what we would want out of a game”

When asked why Remedy went down the route of locking only cosmetics behind a paywall as opposed to a pay-to-win system like some other multiplayer titles, Kayatta says the team thought of what they would want out of Firebreak as players.

“[This approach] is not a direct response to any particular mechanic or game, but it is different from many that you see in the multiplayer space,” Kayatta explains. “Mostly, we tried to think of ourselves as gamers and what we would want out of a game.

“Maybe it’s a bit of a nostalgia, old man, ‘kids-these-days’ sort of thing to say, but dang. I miss games like Left 4 Dead 2 where you could just buy the game and play it when you feel like playing it. It felt easier to get friends on board and easier to kick back and enjoy things.”

Kayatta continued: “I don’t like the stigma that comes with multiplayers today. I don’t like how guarded I feel when I hear something is going to be supported after release. Support after release should be an awesome, exciting thing. So why, so often, does it make me feel worried somehow?”

The future of Firebreak

With that in mind, Remedy has implemented a solid roadmap to support Firebreak post-release. It launches with five jobs, with two additional jobs planned for this year and more to come in 2026.

“It’s always hard to predict the future, especially before we’ve released the game and gotten the chance to hear from players,” says Kayatta. “We know we are going to support the game, we know we want to make it bigger this year, at least.

“And going into next year, we want to know what’s going to add value for players and do that. Is it more jobs? Could be, in which case that will be the plan. Is it something else? Let’s see and then try to do that if it makes sense.”

“We’re a small team with limited resources. We’re trying to be super careful about where we put our attention”

Remedy is steadfast on putting the players’ needs first. All post-launch content will be free, and will be catered to what fans want out of the game they’re spending their money and time on.

“Ultimately, we’re a small team with limited resources,” he adds. “We’re trying to be super careful about where we put our attention.”

As for the future of co-op games at Remedy, Firebreak sets a precedent for potential games set around its other franchises. So has the experience of developing Firebreak inspired the devs for similar games in the future?

“Oh boy,” Kayatta laughs. “The only future on my mind right now is getting Firebreak to players on June 17, then supporting them as best I can. As for anything else, to quote the wise Magic 8-Ball: ‘Ask again later’.”