Remedy CEO says GTA VI could spark a golden age for gaming, downplays release date overlap

Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI release date has been set for November 19, 2026, and the game is poised to be one of the biggest video game releases in history. Many developers and studios are worried about their own titles overlapping with GTA VI’s launch window, potentially sucking the oxygen out of the room from a coverage perspective.

Remedy’s new CEO is betting on a GTA VI-fueled renaissance for console gaming

However, Remedy’s new CEO, Jean-Charles Gaudechon, is betting that GTA VI’s release will instead usher in a golden renaissance period for console gaming, creating space for more video games to breathe and be played on current-generation home consoles, including Control Resonant.

Gaudechon previously worked as VP and General Manager of EA Asia Studios and as the GM and an executive at CCP Games, which is responsible for the massive MMO EVE Online. In February 2026, he stepped in as CEO and is already thinking about Remedy's future.

In an interview with The Game Business, he said, “It’s a pity; I think Alan Wake should have sold more. Control should have sold more, too.”

This doesn’t factor in FBC: Firebreak, which released on June 17, 2025, drew in a massive one million players (via Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus Extra), then saw a steep drop and eventually led to a non-cash impairment charge of nearly $17.4 million due to its weak actual sales. Ultimately, just nine months after release, FBC: Firebreak’s development roadmap was officially wound down. Still, Remedy hasn’t pulled the plug on the game.

During the wide-ranging discussion about sales, Gaudechon stated:

“To me, that’s one of the first things we need to fix, even before trying to make more games, to a certain extent. First of all, maximize the potential of the ones we have, because they’re incredible. And cross-media is going to help us do that.”

Considering Alan Wake and Control exist within Remedy’s interconnected universe, Gaudechon stressed that both franchises “could give a lot more” and “need to find their audience much, much further beyond the current audience.”

That’s a clear indication of Remedy’s strategic partnership with Annapurna to expand Remedy’s universe by co-financing Control Resonant and working together on film and TV adaptations using Annapurna’s Hollywood footprint.

Remedy CEO says Control Resonant will still release in 2026 despite GTA VI overlap

Given Remedy’s rich three-decade history, Gaudechon clarified that he has no intention of changing the studio’s identity. He stated, “Who am I to change the DNA of a 30-year successful game studio? I completely understand the fear. How could I crush the soul of a studio like Remedy?”

That said, Remedy isn’t worried about adjusting Control Resonant’s 2026 release window. Instead of obsessing about overlapping with GTA VI, Gaudechon believes this year will “raise the tide” for all game developers.

Control Resonant is planned as a digital-only release on multiple platforms for now. Users who want a physical copy of the title can only opt for the first title's Ultimate Edition, which is available on older platforms via Amazon.