Remedy Admits Disappointing Sales for FBC: Firebreak, Confirms Control Has Sold Over 5 Million Units
Finnish developer Remedy Entertainment has released its half-year financial report, revealing that its latest title, FBC: Firebreak, fell short of commercial expectations. While the studio previously announced that the game had reached one million players, the figure was largely driven by its availability on Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus rather than direct consumer purchases.
Remedy CEO Tero Virtala explained that the majority of the player base came from those subscription platforms, with the Steam launch performing below expectations. He acknowledged that the game’s initial onboarding process and mission structure contributed to high early drop-off rates and an influx of negative reviews. Over time, updates improved player sentiment, but the launch phase left much to be desired in terms of direct sales.
“Commercially, we were unsatisfied with the launch-phase consumer sales of FBC: Firebreak. Thus far, its commercial performance has largely been driven by the Xbox and PlayStation subscription service agreements,” Virtala stated. He also confirmed that a significant portion of revenue from these agreements will continue to be recognized over the contract period.
Despite the disappointing launch, Remedy considers FBC: Firebreak a live, evolving game. The studio believes it now has a stronger foundation for growth, with the next major update scheduled for late September.
Not all the news was negative. Virtala confirmed that Control has now sold more than five million units worldwide. Since Remedy regained full publishing, distribution, and marketing rights in February 2024, all revenue from the title now goes directly to the studio. Alan Wake 2 also continues to sell steadily and generate royalties.
Looking ahead, Remedy’s development pipeline remains active. Control 2 is progressing toward its next milestones, which focus on refining gameplay, environments, and mission design. The studio is aiming for a strong commercial appeal upon release. Meanwhile, the Max Payne 1 & 2 remake, developed in collaboration with Rockstar Games, continues to make steady progress, building on the momentum from earlier this year.
Do you think FBC: Firebreak can recover its player base with future updates, or has the rocky launch damaged its long-term potential?
