Hi everyone! Antonela here, Senior Brand Community Manager at 505 Games working on Control. I’m here to tell you more about AWE, the second and final downloadable expansion for Control, launching today on Epic Games Store. 

Control has been on quite the journey since we launched back in August 2019. Last year we unveiled a roadmap highlighting future Control content to come and from the moment this was published, many of you have been speculating what AWE means. While AWE actually stands for Altered World Event, our players made the assumption that our second expansion was somehow, in some way, related to Alan Wake.

And they were right! 

FIGHT BACK WITH LIGHT

In AWE, we’re back in the Oldest House and about to head into a long unvisited area known as the Investigations Sector. Once upon a time, the Investigations Sector specialised in studying Altered World Events, events that occur when paranatural forces breach our world. Some in minor ways, other major. For years now, this area has been shut off from the rest of the Bureau and it’s up to Jesse Faden, our Director of the Federal Bureau of Control, to reclaim the area once and for all.

The time has now come to investigate these AWEs, including one from a town known as Bright Falls. (Sounds familiar, right?) Doing so however will result in coming face to face with a creature of darkness that has been lurking within the Bureau, since the area went into lockdown. 

Top tip, Jesse is going to need more than just weapons to defeat it!

SURGE

As part of the AWE expansion, we’re introducing a new Service Weapon form to Control, known as Surge. Surge allows Jesse to launch up to three explosives at one given time and can be remotely detonated, proving hugely advantageous for taking down enemies and causing significant damage to her surroundings. How you use it is up to you.

Want to see it in action? Be sure to check out Remedy’s recent AWE Twitch stream.

AIRBORNE RANGER

Get ready to put your new Service Weapon form to use against an all-new enemy, known as the Hiss Airborne Ranger. With shotgun in hand and levitation capabilities, this new Hiss type will add to the challenge as Jesse progresses through the Investigations Sector.

ARCADE MACHINES

If you saw our AWE announcement trailer, you’ll have spotted the arcade machines featured within it. These are Altered Items, found only in the Investigations Sector within AWE. Activating them will allow Jesse to replay boss fights she’s already encountered from the main game, as well as the option to replay Ashtray Maze, something we know our community have been requesting for quite some time. What’s more, we’re also introducing a new horde mode, as well as a time trial mode. Oh and don’t worry, your efforts won’t go unnoticed! There are rewards up for grabs including a new outfit for our Director.

FREE AUGUST UPDATE

Finally, we’re also releasing a FREE August update today, which will be available to all owners of Control. Players can expect several additional features, including an unlockable Multi-Launch ability upgrade to Launch, allowing Jesse to launch up to three objects at once, additional checkpoints added to various fights, added Control Points closer to boss fights and an all-new Assist Mode. These new set of features can be enabled or disabled separately from one another within the Control Options menu. Players will be able to influence several options, including Jesse’s energy and how quickly it regenerates, how soon the Service Weapon reloads, how much damage Jesse takes, how much she deals and more! 

Once again, a HUGE thank you to this incredible community for their continued show of love and support for Control. It means so much to our team. 

We hope you enjoy our second and final expansion for Control and whatever you do… stay in the light!