The last major update, Open House, is now live with no further playable content planned, even though patches will continue to roll out. Servers will remain online, however, with the assurance that it will “continue to be playable for years to come.” “We have done engineering work to ensure we can sustain the upkeep of the relay servers when the player volume is lower.”

It’s also dropping the base game’s price to $19.99 (down from $39.99) while the Deluxe Edition will cost $29.99 (previously $49.99). A Friend’s Pass has also been added, allowing you to invite and play with friends for free. They’ll need to download the Friends Pass version (listed as “Free Trial”) for the same, and it’s cross-platform.

As for the new content, Endless Shift will receive five new arenas based on Control – the Executive Sector’s Cafeteria, the Maintenance Sector’s Aircon Room, Ranger HQ and Turntable, and the Research Sector’s Ritual Lobby. Several balance adjustments have also been made, with Harmful Conditions having a shorter duration and Perks only needing to be equipped once to obtain their highest level.

Crawling speed is also faster when downed, while revive speed is now three seconds instead of five. Check out all the other changes here.

While this is the end of Firebreak, the story will continue in Control Resonant. Launching later in 2026, it takes place seven years after the first game and focuses on Dylan Faden, Jesse’s brother, as he explores a Manhattan engulfed in a paranatural catastrophe.

It adds a brand new mode, Endless Shift, where players are dropped into a section of The Oldest House and assailed by waves of enemies. Killing them grants Corruption, which can be used to acquire new Enhancements after each wave. You should also keep an eye out for Power-Ups that grant benefits like a team-wide heal, nuking all enemies (though the tougher Hiss won’t go down so easily), and more.

As the rounds progress, better weapons will become available, and you can even upgrade Enhancements. However, enemies will become more difficult over time; there’s only one shower with limited healing uses, and ammo only drops from enemies. And while deceased players respawn after a wave is complete, the game ends if no one is left standing.

You’ll unlock new Enhancements with more playtime and even some fresh cosmetics. While this won’t necessarily bolster the player count, it’s nice to see Remedy sticking to its roadmap and releasing the update as promised.

While the future of FBC: Firebreak remains unknown, the development team is busy with Control Resonant, the sequel to the 2019 hit that focuses on Dylan Faden, Jesse’s brother. Remedy is seemingly keen on pushing boundaries and delivering its “biggest and most ambitious” title ever. Head here for more details.

Granted, support is still ongoing for many of these titles, and they could improve significantly in the coming months and/or years. As of now, however, they’re still underwhelming. Without further ado, here are our picks for the 15 most disappointing games of the year.

Bounty Star

A combination of bounty hunting with mechs and farming on the side in a lawless frontier, where redemption is only really the start? Sign me up, but in the case of Bounty Star, its reach severely exceeds its grasp. Repetitive combat and objectives, surface-level base-building, iffy storytelling – it just didn’t come together as I’d hoped. Which is a shame because, for all her faults, Clementine deserved better.

Battlefield: RedSec

Between desync issues and the lack of solo play, EA’s free-to-play Battlefield royale didn’t launch in the best circumstances. The fact that it arrived alongside the core monetization for Battlefield 6 and required playing to complete Battle Pass challenges rubbed people the wrong way (as did the fact that it included naval combat, which is missing in the base game). RedSec still has room to grow and offer a fun experience, but for now, it’s got a long way to go.

Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion

I had my doubts about Titanic Scion when it was revealed that the Arsenals were now power armor instead of mechs, which could now ride on horses and whatnot. That was the least of the game’s problems, however, as the open world approach gave way to some truly bland-looking improvements. As nice as the customization and weapon variety could be, the amount of frustration from actual combat just undercut everything else.

Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate

How do you follow up the climactic finale to a ten-year-long Light and Darkness saga? In Bungie’s case, you start a brand new story, one focused on another intriguing subject in The Nine. Unfortunately, it also sought to anger players by ripping out whole systems, increasing the grind tenfold, recycling old content and introducing gameplay mechanics that no one wanted, like Matterspark. Destiny 2 has since experienced the lowest player numbers since the Curse of Osiris days, and as much as I like lightsabers, it doesn’t look like Renegades will completely right the ship.

TRON: Catalyst

Bithell Games’ titles can be hit or miss, but at least there’s this style, this panache that sticks out. Not TRON: Catalyst, though. The lackluster visuals make exploration dull, and the story, which attempted a time-travelling spin, often fell flat when it didn’t feel mundane. Then again, we did get TRON: Ares this year, so things can indeed be worse for the franchise.

Rennsport

Who says Teyon of RoboCop: Rogue City fame can’t make a racing game? Most people who bought Rennsport on Steam, apparently. While it had several problems throughout early access, you would think these would be addressed when it was time for 1.0, but you’d be wrong. Underwhelming physics, optimization issues, livery microtransactions and terrible multiplayer are just some of its shortcomings. All in all, a lackluster outcome.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

A canon entry in the Hyrule Warriors series – we did it. It’s just a shame then that the story as a whole feels completely perfunctory. Even if you can look past that, Age of Imprisonment doesn’t really do all that much interesting with its missions. The combat and performance are the series’s best yet, which is no small praise, but it really could have been so much more.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection

Packing every single classic Mortal Kombat title into one retro package, complete with interviews from the development team, sounds great for long-time fans (and whoever enjoyed Mythologies and Special Forces). The problem, as always, is the execution. Input, sound issues, lack of lobbies and more at launch – not to mention the price – put a real damper on the celebrations.

Yooka-Replaylee

It’s Yooka-Laylee, but with better graphics, improved controls, all moves unlocked from the outset, etc. So what’s the problem? Well, it’s still Yooka-Laylee at its core, which means the levels don’t always flow in the best ways or offer the most enjoyable challenges. Dr Quack’s quizzes are gone, which is great, but for those expecting any further overhauls beyond this should temper their expectations.

FBC: Firebreak

Why is Remedy, a developer known for its story-focused single-player titles, delving into the co-op shooter genre? Good question, but it did so anyway, and the results were mixed to say the least. While the developer included numerous improvements and even completely overhauled core systems, it wasn’t enough to proclaim Firebreak as anything less than a disappointment with an uncertain long-term future.

The Precinct

If you can get around the cheesy writing and characters, The Precinct may scratch that itch for old-school GTA with its overhead perspective. Its design choices fumble more often than not, though, whether it’s in the chases, how terrible the allied AI can be or the lackluster aiming. In other words, it may have been a neat spin on GTA, but with cops instead of gangsters, but not this one.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Remember when I said that most of the entries in this list are titles that fell short in various ways and may not be outright bad? Black Ops 7 is the exception to the latter. Its campaign is simply awful in almost every way, and while multiplayer is an improvement over last year, it has more than its share of issues. But it’s the sheer soullessness of this year’s entry that gets to me, even more so than 2023’s Modern Warfare 3.

Synduality: Echo of Ada

Amid all the hype for ARC Raiders and even Escape from Tarkov, it’s worth looking back on Bandai Namco’s failed attempt at an extraction shooter – Synduality: Echo of Ada. Support is still ongoing, for what it’s worth, but with forced PvP (that too with a lackluster player base), a laughable grind for blueprints and more, it’s no wonder that player counts continue to decline on Steam.

NASCAR 25

Remember when new NASCAR titles were a big deal, alongside the likes of Need for Speed and F1? NASCAR 25, unfortunately, doesn’t return to those days of thunder. Between Career Mode looking lackluster and multiplayer’s flailing, it’s easy to ignore the mostly fun handling. Not the worst package for the brand, but certainly nowhere close to capturing its brilliance either.

Killing Floor 3

Good news – after the Rearmament update, all Specialists can now equip any perk they desire. Bad news – Killing Floor 3 is still very lackluster. Server issues, iffy movement, no mod support, no text chat, no server browser – the list goes on, and that’s before even getting to how the futuristic premise falls flat. Tripwire continues to update and improve it, but for now, it’s little more than dead weight on the Killing Floor name.

Other highly anticipated projects, such as Control 2 and Max Payne 1 and 2 Remake, are still in the “full production” stage with no firm release dates. However, even more interesting is that there’s a project that’s entered the Proof of Concept stage. Nothing else is known – Remedy doesn’t even make mention of it in its January-September 2025 Business Review.

Yet it is the publisher, and as per the Game Projects section on its Investors website, it’s keen on self-publishing titles where it owns the IP. It names Control and Alan Wake as its two established franchises, and it feels that growing and expanding these will be a “key part” of its future. Place your bets on which side of the Remedy-verse this new project could fall under, though it’s probably cooling off on multiplayer offerings for a while.

If it’s any consolation for the developer, it saw a strong increase in game sales in royalties from Control (which sold over five million units last August), Alan Wake 2 and subscription service agreements from FBC: Firebreak.

Meanwhile, operating profit (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes or EBIT) reached EUR -16.4 million, with a -135.1 percent operating profit margin. Such is the impact of Firebreak’s disappointing performance, which resulted in a non-cash impairment of EUR 14.9 million. Following the company’s updated outlook, CEO Tero Virtala, who spent nine years in the position, stepped down.

Cash flow from operations reached EUR 11.3 million for the quarter. However, there’s no doubt pressure for future titles to perform above and beyond expectations.

Fortunately, Control 2’s development is on track as of August 2025, while Max Payne 1 and 2 Remake is in full production. Neither title has a release date, but Remedy confirmed that the sequel to its successful 2019 action-adventure would be an action RPG.

As for FBC: Firebreak, it’s still set to receive its next Title Update in late November, which introduces the rogue-like Endless Shift mode and voice chat. The third major update arrives in March 2026 with a new Crisis Kit, but that could very well be it.

Though its cash position isn’t affected, Remedy’s new outlook for the year involves a negative operating profit (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes or EBIT) that’s below the previous year. While it noted “improved player and sales metrics” following the release of Breakpoint, which overhauled numerous aspects and added new content, sales have “not reached Remedy’s internal targets.”

What does this mean for the title’s future? For now, development will continue as usual, per CEO Tero Virtala. “While we balance future investments to the title, we continue developing and improving the game in line with our updated long-term sales forecast.”

FBC: Firebreak’s next update, Rogue Protocol (working title), launches in late November and adds a new rogue-like mode, Endless Shift. It will also feature the addition of voice chat and new Control-themed outfits. March 2026’s update features the arrival of a new Crisis Kit and further improvements to synergy. Stay tuned for more details on what the future could entail.

“Outbreak” is about more than just mold hazards. You also have new objectives, including carrying infected objects (which can kill you if held for too long) and mold enemies to deal with. Three new weapons are available for cutting down the hordes, including the Semi-automatic rifle, Scattergun and Rotary Cannon. Freeze and Black Rock grenades are also available alongside a third that applies healing.

For those hopping in for the first time, Orientation, a new tutorial level, is available, and each Crisis now has an overview video. Of course, that’s not even getting into all the revamps from the new Crisis Board to Gun Mods. The latter offers nine mods that are universal among all the weapons and six per category, leading to more diversified builds.

FBC: Firebreak is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Its next update, “Rogue Protocol,” is due in November with a third update slated for March 2026. Stay tuned for more updates in the meantime.

Previously known as “Blackout,” this update will introduce a new Jobsite, enemies, equipment, rewards, and a Classified Requisition featuring fresh cosmetics. However, it’s also introducing a new game mode and cross-platform voice chat. But there’s more – the third major update is planned for March 2026. Details are scarce, but Remedy will reveal more “soon.”

FBC: Firebreak is available on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC alongside PlayStation Plus Extra/Deluxe and Game Pass. Set after the events of Control, it focuses on a ragtag group of Federal Bureau of Control employees as they battle back against the Hiss. Check out our review of the launch version.

Breakpoint also marks a significant change to progression and how Jobs are assigned. Instead of selecting a Job, the Clearance Level, difficulty and so on, you can now access the Crisis Board, which contains four to six curated Crises. These are active for 30 minutes at a time and offer various conditions for different Jobs, varying in length, rewards, and so on.

Weapons have also been overhauled with 27 new mods added to provide much more customization and build-crafting. Breakpoint introduces three new weapons – the Semi-Automatic Rifle, Rotary Cannon, and Scattergun – and three new grenades – Freeze, Healing and the ever-scintillating Black Rock.

You can also look forward to fighting five new enemies, two Mold-focused and three on the side of the Hiss. The economy is undergoing a significant overhaul as well, and it’s easier than ever for new players to jump in with a new tutorial level, videos, and more. And to top it all off, Hank and Jerry get even more dialogue. Stay tuned for more details when Breakpoint goes live next week.

FBC: Firebreak is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out our review of the launch version here.

The update is coming soon to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. As part of its overhauls, guns and gear will no longer be divided into tiers. Rather, any gun or grenade a player unlocks will start out at full power, with no more requirement to by upgrades. The Crisis Kits are also being opened up, with players getting access to all extra abilities, like Altered Augments and Improvised Devices right off the bat.

However players can still level up their Crisis Kits to unlock extra Perk slots, through which players can further customise and fine-tune their preferred style of playing. Guns, grenades, gun mods, and level 1 Perks will unlock naturally overtime as the player levels up their Reputation. Speaking of which, the Reputation cap is also being raised up to 200.

Upgrade currencies like Lost Assets and the different tiers of Research Samples are being replaced with four new currencies: Parts, Samples, Intel, and Trace. The first three are considered new Lost Assets, while Trace will be its own separate thing. These currencies can be used to unlock new cosmetics through Requisitions, as well as to level up Perks from level 1 all the way up to level 3. Each one of the available Jobs will reward one type of the new Lost Assets, with raising the difficulty resulting in bigger rewards. Powerful enemies, on the other hand, can drop any currency regardless of the Job selected.

Trace, on the other hand, is primarily found by defeating powerful enemies, and is primarily used for Exotic-level cosmetics in Requisition. There will also be a small chance of getting Trace from neutralised Corrupted items. While the new currencies can only be recovered from a mission if players manage to successfully extract, the rewards are shared with all players in the group, even if some of them couldn’t survive all the way through to extraction.

Another major change is how FBC: Firebreak will handle weapon-centric Perks. These are being removed from the Perks system altogether, and are instead being folded into the new gun mods feature. More details about the new feature are slated to be revealed closer to when the update drops.

For those that have already been playing FBC: Firebreak, they will get to keep their Reputation and Crisis kit levels after the update. All unlocked guns, grenades and cosmetic items will also be carried over. Players at higher levels will also automatically unlock new gear, guns, gun mods, and Perks. Those that have managed to hoard a lot of currencies don’t have to worry about losing them, as they will instead be converted into the new types of currencies.

FBC: Firebreak was released on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S back in June, and while it saw initial success, Remedy has seemingly been “unsatisfied” with its sales. This upcoming major update was announced back in July. For more details, check out our review.