In a nutshell: Following Alan Wake 2's somewhat slow sales momentum, Remedy Entertainment's first major Steam release in six years appears to have sparked solid growth. Control Resonant immediately eclipsed its predecessor's popularity on the platform, opening at the top of the sales chart and remaining in the top 10 days later.
According to SteamDB, the sequel to Remedy Entertainment's award-winning 2019 shooter has quadrupled its predecessor's peak player count on Steam mere days after its September 24 launch. Control Resonant peaked at approximately 42,799 players, compared with 9,193 for Control Ultimate Edition.
Control Resonant launched as Steam's top-selling game and currently sits at number 10, just behind Dressmaker. It has also earned a "Very Positive" rating on Steam as it approaches 4,000 reviews. Upon its initial launch, critics praised its writing, visual design, music, and action sequences.
– KAMI (@Okami13_) September 24, 2026
Even pirates are considering buying the game. In a Reddit thread announcing that Control Resonant had been cracked, one commenter drew numerous positive reactions after saying they would pay for the game to support Remedy.
Performance on other platforms also appears strong, with Control Resonant ranking among the PlayStation 5's top 10 sellers in 20 different territories. The game's success comes despite launching during a crowded season that included major releases such as Onimusha: Way of the Sword, The Blood of Dawnwalker, and Wolverine.
Things are about to get even more crowded, with The Witcher 3 Remastered, Ace Combat 8, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, and Gears of War: E-Day all launching before Grand Theft Auto VI, the industry's most anticipated game in years.
If Control Resonant can maintain its sales momentum on PC, it could contrast sharply with Alan Wake 2, which some have argued was handicapped by its exclusivity to the Epic Games Store. While Alan Wake 2 became Remedy's fastest-selling game soon after its late-2023 launch and reached three million units earlier this year, it took over a year to recoup its costs despite receiving warm reviews.
Remedy's next project is a remake of the first two Max Payne games. Although the company revealed the project, which will combine both entries into one game, in 2022, its launch likely remains years away. In 2024, the company also announced plans to adapt Control and Alan Wake for TV and film, but details about those projects remain scarce.