Remedy's live-service shooter Firebreak is getting its final major update

"We have done engineering work to ensure we can sustain the upkeep of the relay servers when the player volume is lower. Anyone who owns Firebreak can play with their friends for free through a new feature called Friend's Pass, and the game's price has been reduced to $19.99. Remedy says that Firebreak will stay online and continue to be playable for years to come."

"The new update is called Open House, and it includes a handful of new areas pulled from Control (Firebreak is a spinoff that takes place in the Control universe), along with what Remedy describes as gameplay improvements and balance changes aimed at making combat clearer, smoother, and more flexible."

"As Remedy's first online multiplayer game and our first self-published title, it has been quite the journey for the studio and a valuable learning experience for the teams involved."

Remedy is discontinuing new content development for its team shooter FBC: Firebreak following a challenging launch, but commits to keeping servers operational long-term. The final update, called Open House, adds Control universe locations and gameplay improvements. To sustain operations with a smaller player base, Remedy engineered efficient server infrastructure and introduced a Friend's Pass allowing free play with friends, while reducing the game's price to $19.99. This decision reflects broader industry struggles with live-service games. Firebreak represents Remedy's first multiplayer title and self-published game, marking a significant departure from the studio's traditional single-player focus.

Read at The Verge