Remedy Entertainment has been a notable name in the video game industry for quite a while, but Control has undoubtedly opened a lot of doors for it. The eldritch action-adventure shooter was a major hit, and luckily for fans looking for more adventures related to the Federal Bureau of Control, Remedy is preparing to expand on this world significantly, thanks to plans for a direct sequel and a multiplayer co-op spinoffs. The value of a Control sequel is clear after the gripping story that the first game told, but a multiplayer-driven spinoff may need to innovate to succeed, since it may not be equipped to tell quite the same story.
Obviously multiplayer games can have a strong story, as the Borderlands franchise has long proven, but a Control spinoff is specifically at risk because it'll probably lack Jesse Faden, the Bureau's new director and the driving force behind the IP. Jesse may appear as an NPC, but it would be hard to make her a balanced playable character, considering how influential and powerful she is. In order to occasionally put great power into the Control spinoff's players, however, it could add an asymmetrical mode that lets fans play as paranatural entities that Bureau agents have to fight off.
Possible Asymmetry in Control's Project Condor
Remedy has already implied that Project Condor, the codenamed multiplayer game, will cast players as Bureau agents battling paranatural threats. Shortly after Condor became public knowledge, Remedy released a piece of concept art showing four bored-looking Bureau agents waiting in an office space with a body bag at their feet. While Remedy hasn't revealed any details about the game, Control lore provides plenty of possibilities. Players might guard the Oldest House from strange entities attacking through Thresholds, or they might travel around the world investigating paranatural events and battling emerging monsters.
While that concept sounds great for a multiplayer co-op game, Remedy could enhance the experience with an asymmetrical mode. Players will presumably usually fight AI beings, but it would be a nice change of pace if players could drop into a Dead by Daylight-esque mode where one player gains control of a powerful Lovecraftian monster and others have to survive its attacks. Games like Dead by Daylight often make their "killer" invulnerable, but Project Condor could lean into a more Evolve-like experience where the monstrous player grows in power over time, meaning the Bureau agents have limited time to stop it.
Having asymmetrical play as an option could be a huge selling point for Project Condor. The last few years have seen developers experiment with asymmetry in all kinds of ways, from the frantic puzzle game Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes to Bandai Namco's upcoming title Dragon Ball: The Breakers. Condor could gain a lot by offering its own two cents to this game style, whether it leans into Control's surreal horror elements or opts for a more action-packed experience. Since the game is already built around multiplayer, Remedy would have a good basis for a mode like this too; with a few tweaks to their kits for PvP, the playable Bureau agents could be ready to go for an asymmetrical mode.
It'll probably be a long time before Remedy reveals anything concrete about Project Condor. Remedy's deal with 505 Games to make Project Condor and the Control sequel is relatively fresh, and in the meantime, Remedy has major projects like Alan Wake 2 and the Max Payne remakes to worry about. Nevertheless, Remedy's plan to double down on the Control universe is a good sign for the future of the IP. As long as Remedy goes out of its way to innovate in its multiplayer niche, such as by introducing its own take on the asymmetrical game trend, Project Condor could be a great way to broaden Control's world.
Control is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
