Several months ago, Remedy Entertainment formally revealed that it was working on a major sequel to Control. Since then, the game hasn't seen the light of day, but it's still just exciting to know that an ambitious sequel of some kind is in the making. Remedy Entertainment was already known for Alan Wake and Max Payne, but Control really helped define its identity for a new generation of fans. Now that Remedy has found a strong new franchise in the form of Control, it's at liberty to start experimenting with the idea. The Control 2 could feature all kinds of strange new adventures that take Jesse into an even more complicated world than before.
No matter how mysterious or bizarre Control 2's plot is, however, there's a decent chance that Control 2 won't change its setting. Control famously takes place almost entirely inside the Oldest House, a mysterious and ancient building that's often beyond the Bureau's control, in spite of their attempts to do so. The Oldest House already offers such a flexible and deep setting that Remedy may not feel inclined to send Jesse Faden somewhere else, and the plot of Control gives Jesse such strong roots in the Bureau headquarters that it might be hard to justify her leaving for an extended period of time.
Why the Oldest House Might Lead Control 2
Sequels to breakout IPs generally send the protagonist somewhere new as a means of expanding the IP's universe, but Control 2 may not be at liberty to do so. That's because Jesse Faden is currently the Director of the Bureau, meaning she has a lot of responsibilities on her shoulders that tie her down at the Oldest House. If Jesse were to leave the Oldest House and fight supernatural forces in New York City or elsewhere on Earth, then the Bureau would be left leaderless. The Bureau can't easily appoint a stand-in either, since the Service Weapon impacts the Bureau hierarchy. Control 2 may have no choice but to set the majority of its story and gameplay inside the Oldest House again.
Aside from narrative obligations, Remedy may frankly not need to use a new setting in Control 2. The Oldest House is often described as living and malleable; Jesse sees it change before her very eyes as she battles the Hiss that have invaded it. Control 2 can introduce all kinds of new areas within the Oldest House thanks to the Thresholds that cross over with it on occasion and the Oldest House's ability to reshape itself. The malleability of Control's setting means that Jesse is hardly trapped within the Oldest House. She can still see lots of new places without straying far from her base of operations.
The Oldest House in Control 2's Story
There are both upsides and downsides to Control 2 likely focusing on the Oldest House again. Reusing the first game's setting means that Control fans sadly wouldn't get the opportunity to explore real-world locations of note; fighting the Hiss in different famous cities on Earth would be a good way to raise the stakes. On the other hand, reusing the Bureau's home base would allow Remedy to spotlight the supporting characters of Control more effectively. It would also mean Jesse is never far from supernatural events, since the Oldest House is always verging on another dimension.
Overall, the Oldest House still seems like it has a lot to offer the Control franchise. Its nature will likely never be fully understood, but Jesse could still try to plumb its depths in Control 2. The Oldest House gives Control a wonderfully unique map, so it wouldn't be so bad to return there in the sequel, as long as Remedy crafts some Thresholds and new floors that diversify Control 2's exploration and quests. Emphasizing the Oldest House's boundless mystery will make it a worthy place to return to in Control 2.
Control is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
