17th March 2026 Final Major FBC:Firebreak Update, Open House, Released [Price Drop, New Endless Shift Locations, Friend's Pass]

Remedy has released a final major update for FBC: Firebreak. Despite being the end of an era, Open House introduces a wide range of improvements, including a new Friend's Pass system, five new Endless Shift locations, gameplay enhancements, weapon system rebalancing, and a major overhaul of the Perk system, among other changes. The update also includes a permanent price reduction, alongside a Steam sale. All of this is to ensure that the game is left on a high note and a complete package for new firebreakers jumping in. 

While the game is not going anywhere and will remain online, the studio is moving its efforts to its other projects. Mike Kayatta, Game Director, wrote about the decision on Steam, stating, “FBC: Firebreak was built by a team fueled by passion and experimentation. 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.”

You can see the Patch Notes for 1.9.1 below or on the game's Steam page, HERE.

PlayStation 5: 1.009.001
Xbox Series X|S: 1.9.1.0 
PC: 1.9.1
Windows PC: 1.9.1.0 

Patch Notes 

New Feature: Friend’s Pass 

Added Friend’s Pass 

• Players who own FBC: Firebreak can now invite friends using the free Friend’s Pass version (Free Trial on consoles) to join their sessions and experience the game together.  
  
  
• You can find detailed instructions on how to access Friend’s Pass here. 

New Maps for Endless Shift 

• Added five new Endless Shift arenas inspired by locations from Control:  
  
  
• Cafeteria, Aircon Room, Ranger HQ, Turntable, and Ritual Lobby. 

Gameplay Changes 

Harmful Conditions and Healing Improvements 

Harmful Conditions have been adjusted to make them clearer, less frustrating, and easier to manage during combat. 

Harmful Conditions 

• Burning, Glowing, and Shocked now linger on the player for a much shorter duration.  
  
  
• HUD indicators for all Conditions (Harmful and Beneficial) have been moved from the bottom corner of the screen to a more visible location.
  
  
• Damage values for Harmful Conditions have been rebalanced, so they remain dangerous but easier to manage due to the shorter duration.
  
  
• Glow buildup speed has been significantly reduced. 
  
  

Leech Slime (Infestation) 

• Leech Slime is now treated as a proper Condition with its own HUD indicator.
  
  
• The Condition now lingers significantly longer.
  
  
• Water no longer removes Leech Slime.
  
  
• Reminder: Being covered in slime protects players from Glowing. Slime is good for you!
  
  

 Papered and Moldy Harmful Conditions (Paper Chase and Outbreak) 

• When these Harmful Conditions reach maximum intensity, the screen will now gradually fade to black. 
  
  
• This provides a clearer warning that the player must remove the Harmful Condition before it becomes fatal. 
  
  

Pink Harmful Condition (Frequency Shift) 

• The Pink Harmful Condition has been made significantly more dangerous.
  
  
• When affected, being hit by gunfire or melee attacks will trigger small explosions.
  
  
• When the Harmful Condition reaches maximum intensity, it will detonate in a powerful explosion, damaging enemies and downing players. 
  
  

Healing Changes 

• All water sources now restore a tiny amount of health, including sprinkler water.
  
  
• Showers still remain the primary healing source. 
  
  
• The health bar now displays a more visible effect when the player is being healed. 
  
  

Heat Conversion Gun Mod 

• Healing provided by the mod has been increased.
  
  
• The mod now builds Fire status faster when used.
  
  
• The effect of this mod doesn’t kill you as easily anymore, but players must still be careful when using it at low health and catching fire. 
  
  

Hot Shot Perk 

• Now better indicates the [sic] that the enemy killed by the Cold Harmful Condition transfers the heat as Burning to the enemies around it.  
  
  

Asbestos Hands Perk 

• The perk has been updated so that pressing the wrong button during Emergency repairs still progresses the repair. (The in-game description still reflects the old functionality.) 

Perk Equipping Overhaul 

The Perk equipping system has been redesigned to simplify loadouts and allow more build flexibility. 

• Players can now equip only one instance of each perk.
  
  
• Each perk automatically activates at the highest level the player has unlocked. 

Example: 

• If you have unlocked Sprinting Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, equipping the perk now automatically grants Level 3 and takes only one Mod slot. 

Note: Because Level 3 Perks can resonate their effects to other players, up to 18 Perk effects can now be active simultaneously. The HUD can display only six of these effects at a time though. 

Developer Note: 

This is a significant change to how Perk builds work. 

Previously, players had to equip lower-tier versions of a perk in order to access higher-tier ones. This limited how many high-level perks could be active at once. 

With the new system, players can equip up to nine Level 3 perks simultaneously, enabling much stronger and more flexible builds. 

We’re looking forward to seeing the new combinations players come up with. 

Weapon Balance 

Heavy weapons (Rotary Cannon, Scattergun and Semi-automatic Rifle) were previously outperforming other weapon types, particularly on higher difficulty levels. We have rebalanced weapons and adjusted enemy scaling to create a more consistent experience across the arsenal. 

Changes include: 

• Buffs to several underperforming weapons
  
  
• Adjustments to enemy health, armor, and difficulty scaling
  
  
• Improvements to grenade damage and utility, particularly Gunpowder grenades (it got a big buff, try it out!) 

The goal is for all weapons to feel viable across all difficulty levels, while still maintaining their unique identities. 

Quality-of-Life Improvements 

• Closest Neutralizer is now always marked in the HUD
  
  
• Crawling speed while downed has been significantly increased
  
  
• Revive time reduced from 5 seconds to 3 seconds 

Bug Fixes

Gameplay 

• Fixed an issue where Hot Fix Recovery Objective heaters could set players on fire while appearing invisible.
  
  
• Fixed an issue where players could not start certain Emergency minigames while holding a carriable object.
  
  
• Fixed an issue where holding LMB or RMB prevented Emergency minigames from starting.
  
  
• Fixed an issue where Blackrock grenades sometimes failed to destroy Corrupted Items. 

Perks and Abilities 

• Fixed an issue where players could become unable to move and lose their character model after being revived by the Night Terrors perk while transforming into a Mold Walker or a Shuffler.
  
  
• Fixed an issue where the Hunter Gatherer perk gathered ammo faster from broken stations than repaired ones. 

Endless Shift Mode 

• Fixed an issue where equipped weapon skins did not carry over into Endless Shift sessions. 
  
  
• Fixed missing UI elements when players joined a Endless Shift session during the “Prepare for Wave” phase. 

 Equipment, Tools, and Altered Augments 

• Fixed an issue where the Teapot Augment timer stopped running when switching weapons. 

 Tutorial and Progression 

• Fixed an issue where task progress did not update when repairing the Gamma Emitter with the Wrench in the tutorial. 

UI and Visual Fixes 

• Fixed an issue where placing Sprays on bullet holes could produce corrupted textures.
  
  
• Fixed an issue where equipping augments caused the “Next Item” prompt and toolbelt highlight to disappear. 

Menus and System 

• Fixed an issue where intro videos could not be skipped when booting up the game on PlayStation 5.
  
  
• Fixed an issue where grenades were not centered in preview/inspect mode. 

Achievements 

• Updated outdated description criteria for the Steam achievements “What a Day” and “OSHA Compliant.”
  
  
• Corrected incorrect distance information in the description for the “Hands-Off Approach” achievement. 

Cosmetics 

• Fixed an issue where character fists could clip through armor while using certain poses in the customization menu. 

Additional Fixes 

• Various minor localization fixes. 

List of currently known issues not related to this patch here:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/2272540/discussions/0/500576489694044746/

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17th March 2026 Press Release: Major Update ‘Open House’ Now Available for FBC: Firebreak

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 17th, 2026 

Major Update ‘Open House’ Now Available for FBC: Firebreak 

Latest Content Update Brings New Arenas Inspired by Control, Friend’s Pass, Gameplay Improvements, and a Permanent Price Reduction 

(Espoo, Finland – March 17, 2026) – Remedy Entertainment today released Open House, a major content update for FBC: Firebreak, the three-player cooperative first-person shooter set in the Control universe.  The update introduces new arenas inspired by locations from Control in the Endless Shift game mode, gameplay and balance improvements, and Twitch Drops rewards.

The update also adds five new arenas inspired by locations from Control to the Endless Shift mode: Cafeteria, Aircon Room, Ranger HQ, Turntable, and Ritual Lobby. It also includes a wide range of gameplay and balance improvements aimed at making combat clearer, smoother, and more flexible.

To make the game more accessible to new players, Remedy is permanently lowering the price of FBC: Firebreak: 

• Base Game: $19.99 / €19.99 / £16.74
• Deluxe Edition: $29.99 / €29.99 / £26.74

The Open House update also introduces Friend’s Pass, allowing players who own FBC: Firebreak to invite up to two friends to join their sessions for free using a special version of the game (listed as “Free Trial” on console storefronts). 

Friend’s Pass players can experience the full game alongside the host player, though they cannot start new sessions or create their own lobbies. Friend’s Pass works across platforms and allows players to bring friends into the game with a simple invite or party code.

On Steam, the game will also be 20% off until the end of March to celebrate the release of Open House. 

Open House will be the last major content update for FBC: Firebreak. The game will remain online and fully playable.

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

“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,” he continues.

A new Twitch Drops campaign is also launching alongside Open House, allowing players to earn the Researcher Armor Set (Threshold Revision) and Overseer Armor Set (Threshold Revision) by watching FBC: Firebreak streams on Twitch. 

More details about the update and full patch notes are available here.

About FBC: Firebreak

FBC: Firebreak is a session-based, multiplayer PvE experience set within the acclaimed Control universe, delivering intense cooperative action. The game features highly replayable missions known as Crises, curated experiences with different challenges, objectives, and environments that require teamwork and adaptability.

The latest assets for FBC: Firebreak can be found here.

For Remedy Entertainment official news, please sign up here.

For the latest news and updates, visit the official channels:  

Steam
Discord
Bluesky  
X (Twitter)

Remedy Entertainment:
Thomas Puha, Communications Director
Phone: +358 9 435 5040
Email: thomas.puha@remedygames.com

For press related requests, please contact:
Miika Huttunen, Senior Communications Manager
Phone: +358 9 435 5040
Email: miika.huttunen@remedygames.com

ABOUT REMEDY  
Remedy Entertainment Plc is a pioneering, globally renowned video game company founded in 1995 and headquartered in Finland with an office in Stockholm, Sweden. Known for its story-driven and visually stunning action games, Remedy has created multiple successful, critically acclaimed franchises such as Control, Alan Wake and Max Payne. Remedy also develops its own Northlight® game engine and tools technology that powers its games. Remedy’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki’s main list. www.remedygames.com

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16th March 2026 Upgraded PSSR Rolling Out to Alan Wake 2 & Control Ultimate Edition

From today, PlayStation 5 Pro owners can explore Alan Wake 2 and Control Ultimate Edition with finer details and greater stability, thanks to a new PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) update rolling out.

The feature has been a part of the PS5 Pro console for years, with a simple flip of a settings option, though results were often mixed. This week's update is set to change all that, with promised improvements to the game's performance and quality. In a PlayStation Blog post, Sid Shuman (Senior Director at Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications) explains that players should receive "enhanced image stability, improved clarity in fine details, and more consistent performance across supported titles."

So, what is the PSSR? Sony describes the feature as an AI library that analyses each frame pixel by pixel as it upscales game visuals. AI is a loaded term, particularly in the industry, but the feature is built with developers in mind, with Sony stating that it allows them greater flexibility to balance performance and fidelity on the console. Of course, players can also choose whether to enable it in the settings menu. 

The algorithm and neural network used in the new update are based on co-developed technology with AMD, stemming from Project Amethyst. The collaboration has also fed into the AMD FSR 4's Super Resolution. If you're interested in the history and the nerdy details, check out Digital Foundry, which compared different versions of Silent Hill f, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Dragon Age. 

Writing on the PlayStation Blog, Tatu Alato (Graphics Technical Director at Remedy) describes how the new implementation of PSSR improves the experience. He states, "It is great to see PlayStation being able to push even further what is possible on the PlayStation 5 Pro hardware. The great thing is that these improvements will be available to all PlayStation 5 Pro owners. The upgraded PSSR improves image upscaling quality and stability. The improvements allow efficient stochastic sampling without sacrificing image stability. The new PSSR responds quickly to visibility changes in games, keeping motion clear while improving temporal stability. Control and, especially, Alan Wake 2 benefit from these improvements on the Pro, resulting in better, more stable image quality."

With the update rolling out in phases starting today, the PSSR upgraded versions of Control and Alan Wake 2 will be available to try as soon as your download completes. 

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11th March 2026 CONTROL Resonant Launching With Path Tracing & DLSS 4.5, Coming To PC and GeForce Now

Coinciding with GDC 2026, NVIDIA held a special Community Update highlighting how its latest RTX technologies can add a new layer of realism to the experience for the year's most anticipated games. To close out the showcase, we got some updates on CONTROL Resonant, including information on how you can play even if you don't have the latest tech. 

In the broadcast, we saw updates for 007 First Light, Samson, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, Tides of Annihilation and The Vernyhorn, before closing out with an exclusive look at CONTROL Resonant. 

Jeff Fisher (Senior Vice President of the GeForce business unit) introduced the trailer, stating, "Our friends at Remedy Entertainment have long been at the forefront of advanced gaming, from the early adoption of real-time Ray Tracing in Control to the addition of path tracing and mega geometry in Alan Wake 2. Their games continue to stand out as remarkable cinematic experiences." 

He goes on to reveal, "We are very excited to be partnering with Remedy once again to push visual fidelity and maximum performance. Let's step into the surreal world of Control Resonant. Launching this year on PC and GeForce Now with Path Tracing, Mega Geometry and DLSS 4.5."

Describing the partnership Tatu Aalto (Technical Director of Graphics at Remedy) stated, “The world of CONTROL Resonant is packed with rich detail, and path-traced lighting takes it to the next level. With DLSS 4.5 and Ray Reconstruction, players get outstanding image quality and stability along with performance that lets them fully enjoy the experience.”

That's not all, though! Despite being a passing mention, the announcement that CONTROL Resonant was coming to the GeForce Now catalogue was a big plus for us!

The GeForce Now is a cloud gaming system and an alternative to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Amazon Luna. With a subscription, players can stream over 4,000 games to their TV, Steam Deck, laptop, or mobile device, turning everyday devices into powerful PC gaming rigs. Powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell RTX servers, it helps players jump into the latest adventures without the need of expensive or specific hardware.

The basic GeForce NOW subscription is free, but it offers limited gaming time, just one hour. More hours and features are available in paid subscription tiers. For more information, we recommend checking out the page directly, HERE. The catalogue features a long list of Remedy adventures, including Alan Wake, Alan Wake's American Nightmare, Alan Wake Remastered, Alan Wake 2 (Premium), Control, Control Ultimate Edition, and FBC: Firebreak (Premium).

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