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Remedy is moving on from FBC: Firebreak, but it's going out with a bang: One final update adds 5 new maps, a lower price, friend's pass, and more

IbizaPocholo

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
www.pcgamer.com

Remedy is moving on from FBC: Firebreak, but it's going out with a bang: One final update adds 5 new maps, a lower price, friend's pass, and a promise the game will 'continue to be playable for years to come'

Remedy's first multiplayer shooter didn't go well, but the studio says it learned a lot from the experience and hopes new players will give it a chance.
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Following a rough launch in June 2025 and poor sales ever since, Remedy Entertainment is ending support for its co-op shooter FBC: Firebreak, and the big "Open House" update that went live today will be its last. Remedy said the game will remain online and playable, and it's also permanently lowered the price and added a cross-platform Friend's Pass so players who own the game can invite anyone on their friends list to jump into a match.

"FBC: Firebreak was built by a team fueled by passion and experimentation," game director Mike Kayatta said. "That spirit shaped the game, but the moments that brought it to life were the ones that players created together.

"We want to make sure those moments can continue for the players who are already here, and for anyone else looking for a high-energy, low-pressure game night with friends. That's why the relay servers are staying up, the price is going down, and a Friend's Pass is going in. From all of us on the team, thank you for your own passion and experimentation, and we'll see you in there."

The Open House update is a big one, with five new Endless Shift maps inspired by locations from Control, an overhaul of the perk system that enables "much stronger and more flexible builds" than were available previously, and numerous gameplay tweaks and changes

The base price of FBC: Firebreak is now $20/£16.74/€20 on Steam (it's actually on sale until March 31 for $16/£13.39/€16), while the deluxe edition is $30/£26.74/€30. While there will be no further content updates, gameplay patches will continue to roll out as required. Remedy also said the game will "continue to be playable for years to come," despite its small audience: "We have done engineering work to ensure we can sustain the upkeep of the relay servers when the player volume is lower."

"As Remedy's first online multiplayer game and our first self-published title, it has been quite the journey for the studio and a valuable learning experience for the teams involved," Remedy said. "We hope players continue jumping in to tackle crises together for a long time to come."
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Loomy said:
Ah yes. God forbid creatives try something new.
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Problem is, it wasn't anything "new" Loomy - It was the complete opposite.
Add to that that absolutely no one asked for a Remedy universe online only MP game and we can all see why it tanked hard...

This, High guard, Concord, Marathon (maybe/most likely) are the proof that chasing the ever trendy online-only crowd and GaaS shit just "ain't it"...

Soon to follow : Fairgames (It's going to be outright canceled)
 
Giallo Corsa said:
Problem is, it wasn't anything "new" Loomy - It was the complete opposite.
Add to that that absolutely no one asked for a Remedy universe online only MP game and we can all see why it tanked hard...

This, High guard, Concord, Marathon (maybe/most likely) are the proof that chasing the ever trendy online-only crowd and GaaS shit just "ain't it"...

Soon to follow : Fairgames (It's going to be outright canceled)
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Marathon is an exceptionally good videogame tho
 
Giallo Corsa said:
Problem is, it wasn't anything "new" Loomy - It was the complete opposite.
Add to that that absolutely no one asked for a Remedy universe online only MP game and we can all see why it tanked hard...

This, High guard, Concord, Marathon (maybe/most likely) are the proof that chasing the ever trendy online-only crowd and GaaS shit just "ain't it"...

Soon to follow : Fairgames (It's going to be outright canceled)
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New to them. The concept was actually interesting, and the game was competently made.

I want devs - no matter the size - to keep trying new shit. It's how we ended up with Peak, Deep Rock Galactic, etc
 
They basically learned nothing and acted upon nothing from the early access/beta access. As soon as it became apparent I swerved off it.
 
cormack12 said:
They basically learned nothing and acted upon nothing from the early access/beta access. As soon as it became apparent I swerved off it.
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That is a big part of the problem. It's what happens when devs/publishers treat early access as marketing. There's no plan in place to collect and address feedback. Its's what happened to Marathon and Concord before it.
 
Hollowpoint5557 said:
If the "lower price" isn't FREE then I don't see this doing anything.
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Bingo. I wish them the best, but I wonder what makes them think it will come back in favor at some later date? Perhaps there is a longer roadmap than they let on? Maybe the idea is to drop to F2P over time?
 
GaaS are dropping like flies lately.... Woow, but I was told that every game going forward was going to be GaaS...
post see GIF
 
Say what you will but at least the servers are staying up. That's the thing that always gets me. You're gonna have a massive team pump 5+ years of their lives into a product and take it off the market within 3 months? Absolute ludicrousness. The 360 era was full of multiplayer games that were content to just exist and that was awesome.
 
i tired this it was so ass. they made some like l4d mod but confusing somehow, with no satisfaction to the combat. i was the target audience too, i enjoy multiplayer i enjoyed control.
 
I had no idea this game even existed.
I'm someone who generally follow videogame news closely and I didn't even remember Remedy working on a multiplayer shooter.

Either it's my first time hearing about it or it was so forgettable I completely removed it from my memory.
 
SnapShot said:
Lol only in your dreams
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In reality, actually.

Concord had a 'beta' period that was essentially just a demo where they had no plans to address major feedback ahead of launch. Marathon almost went down the same path, but they got their heads out of the asses and actually did a few rounds of public feedback sessions
 
ChorizoPicozo said:
GaaS are dropping like flies lately.... Woow, but I was told that every game going forward was going to be GaaS...
post see GIF
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Yes with FBC out of the equation we have finally defeated the evil GAAS-overlords! Live service is dead. Pack it up folks! :messenger_weary:

PEfNNcaXRpDLbJj8.png


:goog_relieved:
 
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Loomy said:
That is a big part of the problem. It's what happens when devs/publishers treat early access as marketing. There's no plan in place to collect and address feedback. Its's what happened to Marathon and Concord before it.
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Why are you talking out your ass? Im not a fan of Marathon but thats just blatantly wrong. They held several Alpha/Beta tests and made systemic changes as a result. Marathon IS competently made however,Firebreak was just a boring mess.
 
Gojiira said:
Why are you talking out your ass? Im not a fan of Marathon but thats just blatantly wrong. They held several Alpha/Beta tests and made systemic changes as a result. Marathon IS competently made however,Firebreak was just a boring mess.
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Several of you seem to be misunderstanding what I said. For you as well, SnapShot SnapShot

I, unlike you(Gojiira), am a big fan of Marathon. I have over 30 hours in the game. They held those tests, and made those changes because they were forced to.

The original plan was: announce release date in April, hold a 10 play test right after, release the game in September. Because of the feedback from that play test they delayed the game, held several more tests like you said, and made changes to the game.

This was done in contrast to concord which was announced end of May, beta in July, and released in August.

The point I was making - which was missed my a few of you - is that Concord, like Firebreak, and a lot of other games in early access, treat it like a marketing exercise, instead of a feedback/iterate/feedback/iterate exercise.

Marathon almost did that, but they didn't. And we got a better game out of it.
 
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I dont get it. Why is it not going free to play, it has microtransactions in it? It's not like they're expecting any revenue from it.
 
That's fine.

Put all resources into Control Resonant and then the Max Payne Remakes.
 
Even if you exclude the million mistakes they made with the game in terms of quality and marketing the game, it was already half dead out the door.

How many gamers would be interested or know what an FBC Firebreak even is?
 
At this point can you even call yourself a game developer if you haven blown a few millions on a failed GAAS?


Danny22 said:
I dont get it. Why is it not going free to play, it has microtransactions in it? It's not like they're expecting any revenue from it.
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I think since the game is purely PVE it's still going to be playable even if it has a low player number.
So maybe they are betting they can squeeze some extra money out of it by maybe giving it away on Epic Store, putting it on some bundles, Ps+ Essential (not extra), etc.
 
The problem with these MP "ventures" is that they're always half-assed.
They just made a control skinned shooter and called it a day, a more interesting concept would be a co-op game were you go in investigations around the world as part of the bureau, defeat otherworldly threats and get new gear. Fill it with puzzles and mysteries and you'd have a great game.
But that takes actual effort.
 
Loomy said:
Ah yes. God forbid creatives try something new.
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There is nothing new about trying to chase the gaas trend. All Remedy does is make shooting games. Something new would have been making an RTS or a melee combat game, like the new control game they are making.
 
They could have made it playable solo like B4B or Division but nah most of the tasks are designed for multiplayer and given the dwindling player base ( I mean who tf will purchase this now?), I don't see the point anymore. Just keep it running this year and remove the game, it's pointless.
 
proandrad said:
There is nothing new about trying to chase the gaas trend. All Remedy does is make shooting games. Something new would have been making an RTS or a melee combat game, like the new control game they are making.
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They tried making a co-op multiplayer. New for them. It's a shame it didn't do well Because Remedy's financial situation is dire.
 
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