Remedy Entertainment, the developer behind Alan Wake and Control, has made a significant decision regarding its project lineup. The studio has decided to pull the plug on its mysterious multiplayer project, codenamed Kestrel, in order to focus its resources on established franchises.
Their statement said: “Codenamed Kestrel showed great promise, but the project was still in its early stages. Our other projects have progressed well and are moving into the next stages of development, and the increased attention to them is providing us with benefits. We can reassign talented Kestrel developers to these other game projects, and many of our support functions focus more on their operations. This is yet another way to ensure that our gaming projects continue to move forward. I would like to thank our Kestrel development team. Although we decided to pause the project to benefit from broader benefits from Remedy, our team did a good job and provided us with valuable learnings. I would also like to thank Tencent for their partnership thus far. They were very professional and supportive,” Remedy CEO Tero Virtala said in a statement.’
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Originally envisioned as a premium cooperative multiplayer game, Kestrel was in development with Chinese publisher Tencent. However, Remedy CEO Tero Virtala announced that the project has been discontinued to prioritize other ongoing endeavors, such as remakes of Max Payne 1 and 2, Control 2, and a multiplayer spin-off from Control titled Condor. Virtala explained that while Kestrel showed early promise, it was still in its early concept stage, and the studio’s other projects were progressing well.
This move allows Remedy to reallocate talented developers from Kestrel to its other game projects, reducing overall recruitment needs and providing additional focus on their operations. Despite the cancellation, Virtala expressed gratitude to the Kestrel development team for their efforts, stating that the project provided valuable insights despite its short-lived nature.
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The decision to cancel Kestrel underscores Remedy’s commitment to nurturing its existing franchises and ensuring their continued success. With the recent acquisition of the full rights to the Control franchise from 505 Games, the studio now has complete control over the future of both Control and Alan Wake. Virtala stated that growing and expanding these series will be a key part of Remedy’s future.
With Kestrel now off the table, Remedy’s upcoming pipeline includes Project Condor, Control 2, and remakes of Max Payne 1 and 2. Project Condor, a four-player cooperative “player versus environment” game set in the Control universe, is nearing completion and is expected to launch soon.
Despite the cancellation of Kestrel, Remedy remains optimistic about its future projects. The studio continues to explore self-publishing and partner publishing models, with a focus on delivering engaging and innovative gaming experiences to its audience. As Remedy moves forward, fans can look forward to exciting developments in its established franchises and new projects on the horizon.
What do you think of Remedy Entertainment Canceling Kestrel?
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