Remedy Entertainment has faced significant challenges following the disappointing sales of their first self-published game, FBC: Firebreak. CEO Tero Virtala has resigned, leading to the appointment of Markus Mäki as interim CEO. The developer reported a notable 32% drop in revenue year-over-year, mainly attributed to lower development fees compared to the previous year. With the disappointing performance of FBC: Firebreak, which saw a €14.9 million impairment charge on its development costs, the company is adjusting its financial expectations, anticipating a revenue increase but a negative operating profit. Despite these setbacks, there were indications of technical success in the multiplayer launch, and the team aims to reallocate resources for future projects.
What happened to Remedy Entertainment's CEO and the game FBC: Firebreak?Remedy Entertainment's CEO, Tero Virtala, resigned following disappointing sales of FBC: Firebreak. The company reported a significant revenue decrease and plans to reassess its financial outlook, despite acknowledging some technical successes with the game's multiplayer features.
FBC: Firebreak was Remedy's first foray into self-publishing and aimed to expand their portfolio beyond single-player experiences like Control and Alan Wake. The game was intended to provide a cooperative shooter experience, but it ultimately failed to meet commercial expectations, struggling with sales on platforms such as Steam. This change in direction may impact the development of future titles as Remedy recalibrates its strategy in light of recent challenges.
Comments
Man, self-publishing is a brutal learning curve, but at least they're smart enough to pivot quickly when a project underperforms. Here's hoping this stumble fuels their next big narrative hit.
Oof, tough break for Remedy, but you gotta respect a studio that can take a multiplayer L and immediately start planning their next single-player masterpiece. Sometimes you just have to go back to what you do best to find your footing again.