IDEAS THAT CHANGE THE WORLD
Control Resonant is the sequel to Control, the action game developed by Remedy Entertainment, and will change our perspective on the original’s unusual supernatural world. We will play as Dylan Faden, brother of the protagonist Jesse Faden. Instead of a gun, you will wield a kind of shape-shifting sword. First announced at The Game Awards 2025, its gameplay was later shown at a PlayStation State of Play in February this year.
Control Resonant: release date and platforms
At June’s State of Play, it was revealed that Control Resonant would arrive very soon: on 24 September 2026. That is big news after years since the original’s 2019 release, with fans of Remedy’s best titles eagerly awaiting a sequel. It is confirmed for PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S at its September launch.
In a May 2026 Xbox Wire post, Remedy’s Miika Huttunen, Mikael Kasurinen and Anne-Marie Grönroos discussed Xbox Play Anywhere support, allowing play on PC, Xbox or a handheld. This interestingly means handheld optimisation at launch, although Steam Deck certification remains uncertain.
Nothing has been announced for Switch 2. Yet, with Nintendo’s new console gaining major games such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Cyberpunk 2077, there is hope Control 2 will join its upcoming titles. The original reached Switch via cloud streaming, so a version for Nintendo’s latest console remains possible.
What is the sequel about?
Control Resonant’s story differs from the first game because we play Dylan Faden rather than his sister Jesse Faden.
Years after the original, the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC) is locked down following an invasion by the Hiss. The sequel explores the aftermath in Manhattan, on the brink of paranormal annihilation. Creative director Mikael Kasurinen said New York “might as well be a portal to an alien dimension” for Dylan, who enters after years in the Oldest House, the FBC’s headquarters.
After the FBC’s containment protocols fail to contain the Hiss and keep them away from the public, Dylan must try to locate his sister Jesse Faden, now the FBC’s director. At the same time, he must use his new powers to fight a mysterious cosmic entity roaming the streets.
New to Control Resonant? You do not need to have played the original
Although it continues the first game’s events, Kasurinen reassured fans in a press release that playing Control is not necessary to appreciate Control Resonant.
“You do not need to know the first game to dive into the sequel; we have made this title easy to pick up and hard to put down”, he explains. “We are pushing the scale beyond anything we have achieved before, elevating combat, exploration and storytelling into a larger, more memorable experience. It is ambitious, a little crazy, and we cannot wait for players to lose themselves in it.”
Speaking to Xbox Wire, Kasurinen said: “I see these two games as siblings, each with its own identity, attitude and approach to the world. But it is still the same shared world, in the middle of a new crisis”.
A change of perspective
With the Faden siblings still “at the centre”, Resonant changes perspective. Kasurinen adds that the new direction “lets us offer a fresh view of the world” and that “there is no pressure” to play the original, because both games “work as standalone experiences, each with a protagonist who is a blank slate”.
The gameplay of Control Resonant will differ greatly from Control, as the sequel is an action-adventure RPG. Players have more freedom to explore and make meaningful choices affecting the overall story. As Dylan, you explore different areas of Manhattan and decide how his supernatural abilities manifest and develop.
In an interview about the main differences between Control and Control 2, Kasurinen said “players can create distinctive builds that suit their playstyle” with Dylan’s new powers. We at Enkey strongly recommend playing the first game too, because it is fantastic.
