01What happened

The story, straight

Kotaku published a hands-on preview of Control Resonant, the sequel to Remedy's 2019 cult hit Control. Creative director Mikael Kasurinen described the game's aesthetic as rooted in 'new weird' internet culture — creepypasta, the Backrooms, and urban myths — rather than traditional Stephen King-style horror. The original Control carved out a niche combining brutalist architecture, mundane office spaces, and weird fiction, and the sequel appears to lean further into that formula.

kotaku dropped a hands-on with control resonant, the sequel to remedy's 2019 weirdo hit. creative director mikael kasurinen says the game is going all-in on 'new weird' internet lore — creepypasta, the backrooms, urban myths — over classic stephen king horror. the original's whole thing was brutalist offices meets SCP Foundation energy, and the sequel is doubling down.

02Spread timeline

Where it actually started

2019Origin
Remedy releases Control, blending brutalist aesthetics, office spaces, and creepypasta-inspired weird fiction to cult acclaim.control drops and becomes a cult classic — brutalist offices meets SCP Foundation vibes
source
Jun 20, 2026
Kotaku publishes hands-on preview of Control Resonant. Creative director Mikael Kasurinen confirms the sequel leans deeper into 'new weird' internet lore and creepypasta aesthetics.kotaku's hands-on drops — kasurinen confirms the sequel is going harder on internet-native horror
source

03Source receipts

Every claim, linked

04What's solid, what isn't

What's solid and what isn't

Confirmed
  • Control Resonant is the sequel to 2019's Control, developed by Remedy.
  • Creative director Mikael Kasurinen is returning to lead the sequel.
  • The game's aesthetic draws from 'new weird' internet culture including creepypasta and the Backrooms.
Disputed
  • Release window, platforms, and pricing for Control Resonant.
  • Specific gameplay changes or new mechanics in the sequel.

05Why it matters

The editorial take

Control became a cult classic by blending AAA production values with internet-native horror aesthetics that mainstream publishers largely ignored. Control Resonant doubling down on that formula — with Kasurinen explicitly crediting creepypasta and the Backrooms as influences — signals Remedy betting that 'new weird' has moved from niche to commercially viable. For a studio that's consistently punched above its weight class, it's a confident play.

remedy's whole brand is punching above their weight with weird, specific ideas that shouldn't work but do. the fact that kasurinen is naming the backrooms and creepypasta out loud in press previews means they think 'new weird' is ready for prime time. either this cements remedy as the studio that figured out internet-native horror for AAA, or it's the moment they overcorrected. either way, worth watching.