Remedy's Control Resonant "does not use generative AI content at all," but the studio isn't ruling it out for the future

Control Resonant is high on my personal wishlist, so confirmation that it’s keeping gen-AI assets out of the process is music to my ears. Jesse Faden’s trek through the Oldest House ended up as my favorite Remedy game, and while spinoff FBC Firebreak didn’t make the splash the developer was hoping for, the sequel looks to be a serious contender in 2026. During the latest Remedy earnings briefing, interim CEO Markus Mäki and CFO Santtu Kallionpää discuss the action game’s development, Remedy’s new boss, and the general feelings on AI tools at the studio.

Control Resonant is, in all but name, the Control 2 I’ve been quietly hoping for since I wrapped up my time with the original. Creative director Mikael Kasurinen has reassured us that this is “not a safe sequel,” shifting the focus to Jesse’s brother Dylan, spreading its supernatural action out from the walls of the Oldest House and across Manhattan, and adopting a more “open-ended world.” Naturally, as with any new release, questions about generative AI use are rife, and it’s something Mäki is eager to clear up.

“This is a topic that people really like to make [into] headlines right now,” he remarks. “First of all, I’m a big believer in player value, so doing things that really add something to the gameplay experience, the player experience. I’m also a big believer in the creative people in our team, and that they know the best ways to add that value.” He then stresses, “I can say that, for example, Control Resonant does not use generative AI content at all.”

Mäki does, however, note that “making far-reaching promises about the future is pretty hard at this point.” He adds, “There is varied interest in different crafts at Remedy in investigating these AI tools,” and explains, “we are actively following the development [of gen-AI] and seeing if there is anything that really is ethically in the right place and also is something that really can add player value, and that our teams want to use. Then, of course, that’s an easier decision.” You can listen to his comments from the 36:20 mark in the presentation.

When asked about Google’s Project Genie, a tool designed for ‘interactive worlds generated in real time,’ Mäki responds, “Technology’s advancing super, super fast, and it’s really impressive what they’ve been able to achieve. But I still think that the market reactions, for example, on some of the tech providers were a bit ahead of their time, at least. It’s pretty far out to be able to build a full-fledged entertainment product with [it] that people would be ready to pay for, both on the cost side and the technology side.

“We are, of course, following where the world is going,” Mäki continues. “I do believe that, at some point, whether it’s five years or ten years, that we might stop rendering triangles and start generating the final image with some kind of control and direction. That’s something that, when the time comes, when the platforms are there, we’re in a good position to do that as well.” For now, he doesn’t think Project Genie “changes that many things… yet.”

The pair also discuss the appointment of new Remedy CEO Jean-Charles Gaudechon, whose arrival has caused some concerned rumblings among fans of the developer. Aiming to course correct after a 2025 that saw the disastrous launch of co-op shooter FBC Firebreak, Gaudechon brings a background including time at EA, CCP Games, and fantasy sports app Sleeper. He promises to “protect what makes [Remedy] special, deliver exceptional games, and scale it in a way that builds lasting value.”

Mäki is asked whether this appointment could lead to a change in direction at Remedy. “It’s the teams and the creatives that develop the games,” he responds. “The CEO is of course a critical part of the company and the decision making, but we also chose a CEO that can nurture and take care of our culture, and loves the kind of games we are doing, so I don’t expect any radical changes on that side.”

As for when we can expect the Control Resonant release date to fall, Mäki hints, “Obviously we’ve said that the game is coming out in 2026. We are also aware of what else is coming out in 2026,” presumably referring to the scheduled November launch for GTA 6. “So I think people can fairly closely guesstimate the launch windows; we’re not going to tell [you] anything about those. But we are confident that we will get the game out in 2026, at high quality – at spectacular quality.”