Remedy Entertainment has announced Control: Resonant, the follow-up to IGN’s 2019 Game of the Year, Control at the 2025 Game Awards. It’s due out in 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S, and it aims to be anything but a straightforward sequel.

For starters, you’re not playing as Jesse Faden anymore. Instead, it’s seven years later and you’ll take control of her younger brother, Dylan. He was taken by the Federal Bureau of Control at age 10, ending up in a coma after being inflicted by The Hiss. And speaking of The Hiss, it’s escaped The Oldest House where the first Control was set, spilling out onto the streets of Manhattan and turning it into a very bizarre place (as you can see in the trailer), overrun and literally twisted and folded by supernatural forces.

But the protagonist and setting aren’t the only significant departures for Control: Resonant. The style of combat differs as well. You won’t be wielding Jesse’s transforming Service Weapon. Instead, Dylan gets up close and personal with a crude, transforming melee weapon called the Aberrant, which will be augmented by Dylan’s supernatural special abilities. At first glance, it reminds me a bit of the lightsaber/Force powers combo in Respawns Jedi Fallen Order and Jedi Survivor games. I asked Remedy about the combat feel of Control: Resonant, and creative director Mikael Kasurinen told me: “Our combat is quite unique, and it has that Control DNA. It's push-forward, fast, and proactive. You master the combination of weapon blows and supernatural abilities, and chase enemies down. Dylan is nimble and light on his feet; movement is integral to our combat loop.

“Preparation is also crucial, creating a build that clicks with you; and a huge part of the experience is tactical thinking: How to combine shape-shifting melee attacks with supernatural abilities while in motion.

“There are intricacies to how you shape your character, and a lot of different progression systems that allow you to become more versatile, and stronger.”

So yes, you’ll be able to customize your builds. You’ll also encounter side quests and other factions to contend with. Meanwhile, enemies will have paranatural attacks, and they can traverse the environment as quickly as you can.

Remedy says that you don’t have to have played the first Control to understand the story here, and that the two games are, well… siblings.

"This is not a safe sequel," Kasurinen promises.

Be sure to check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2025 for more, as well as the winners list in full.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

The Dungeons & Dragons franchise has been steadily making more attempts to expand into video games, and we're seeing that next effort with Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons, a new open-world single-player action-RPG that's all about wielding dark magic to battle foes.

Just revealed at The Game Awards 2025, Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons is the next project from developer Invoke Studios, the creators of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance. Set in the D&D universe, Warlock focuses on the adventures of the warrior Kaatri, who embraces newfound dark powers to unleash some otherworldly magic in her fight against the forces invading the land.

"Warlock is a third-person action-adventure game built around immersive, expressive magic where you use spellcraft to solve challenges and take down monsters — and you do it all in your own creative way across all facets of the game," said Jeff Hattem, creative lead at Invoke Studios.

​Prior to the reveal, we got an early look at Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons and learned from the developers about the game's approach to "immersive, expressive magic" in its third-person combat and exploration across a connected open world. In the CG trailer, we get to see a variety of foes, such as undead warriors and even a Beholder monster that has been the bane of many D&D veterans.

​According to the developers, the new action-RPG is all about stepping into the "warlock fantasy," and the main narrative will be leaning into the lore of the D&D universe to focus on the story of Kaati — played by Tricia Helfer of Battlestar Galactica fame — as she goes down the path of the warlock. As it goes with D&D, warlocks form bonds with otherworldly beings known as Patrons, and the relationship between Kaatri and her patron will be one of the campaign's core stories.

​The developers stated that the gameplay would lean into player agency, with players using Kaatri's abilities and magic to overcome challenges. Though the team would not say outright whether it has immersive-sim qualities, they pointed to their previous work on games like Watch Dogs, Deus Ex, and Far Cry for the type of experiences Warlock aims to channel.

That freeform nature is a critical part of the traditional tabletop experience. However, the devs were clear that this new action-RPG is not really a traditional RPG. They also believe that its player-agency-driven experience will serve as a solid entry point for newcomers to the D&D universe.

"We're not trying to simulate the tabletop RPG experience, so there is no dice-rolling in the game — we're trying to really deliver a video-game experience first," said Dominic Guay, studio lead at Invoke Studios. "If you are not familiar with Dungeons and Dragons, you are not going to feel friction, like in that you're missing details of the world. But if you are a fan of the universe, you are going to be really excited about what we are doing with the lore of the series for Warlock."

After we only got a look at the CG trailer, the developers stated that a larger gameplay reveal is set for later in summer 2026. For more on reveals from The Game Awards 2025, check out our roundup of all the announcements from the show.

Be sure to check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2025 for more, as well as the winners list in full.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Even after two years since its reveal at The Game Awards 2023, Archetype Entertainment's sci-fi action-RPG Exodus is still something of a mystery. Set in an original sci-fi universe from Wizards of the Coast – of Dungeons & Dragons fame – Exodus focuses on the accelerated evolution of human and alien civilizations, with players deciding the fate of different factions and humanity within the warring galaxy. Also, Matthew McConaughey will play a pivotal character who will guide players on that journey.

Prior to the reveal of the newest trailer at The Game Awards 2025, we got an early look and learned from the devs how the time dilation system will influence the player's story, in what they refer to as an adventure that feels like "Indiana Jones meets Interstellar."

"We try to give players a lot of agency in everything they do. Our goal is to almost make them feel like co-authors in the story, and not just along for the ride," said Chris King, game director on Exodus. "When it comes to Jun's story, you basically make a ton of moral choices, and then you see them play out across multiple generations due to time dilation."

With sci-fi author Peter F. Hamilton working with Wizards of the Coast to build the history and lore of Exodus, along with developer Archetype Entertainment having many former-Bioware devs on board, it's certainly tapping into the same tone and scale of the much-loved Mass Effect series. But in Exodus, the developers aim to present player consequences in a different way, with time as a constant force.

Set in the Centauri Cluster in the far future, Exodus follows humanity as it struggles to survive in its new home, Lidon, after the collapse of Earth. With their new home world also collapsing, lone human scavenger Jun discovers they have the ability to control mysterious artifacts from a powerful alien force known as Celestials, which allows him to help give humanity a chance at survival. But over the course of their journey, Jun will first see the results of their choices, shaped by interstellar time dilation, forcing them to directly confront the positive and negative consequences in the ever-changing galaxy.

The latest trailer offers a clearer glimpse of the stakes driving Exodus' main story, which sees protagonist Jun explore the galaxy with their allies and encounter factions shaped by their choices – including some human factions that have evolved into alien-like races over generations. Much like the Mass Effect series from BioWare, Exodus leans into player choice, and this also includes options for players to customize Jun's appearance and gender to fit their type of story.

During the developer interviews, the creative team explained that, in addition to narrative choices, the core combat and traversal will also offer options, such as going all out with Jun's arsenal of weapons and celestial powers, or using more stealthy tactics to overcome rival factions and complete complex tasks.

According to Drew Karpyshyn, narrative director on Exodus and former BioWare writer on both the Mass Effect series and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the main story will show Jun's growth as an interstellar explorer and wielder of ancient alien technology tied to his lineage as a "Traveler."

"You begin the game as a lonely scavenger, but [Jun] has a connection to a powerful 'traveler' dynasty, and they also have access to some powerful alien tech, which only they can use," said Karpyshyn. "Over the course of the game, Jun reclaims their traveler heritage and becomes a champion, leader, and hero of the people, and ultimately, Jun is the only character able to stop the destruction of the human homeworld. I think people are really going to see the story of Jun when they get a chance to play it."

Exodus will also feature a variety of companion characters that can help in battle and help flesh out the story, and can even form some romances with. One particularly interesting companion from the trailer is an alien octopus who rides in a mech suit. Though this particular character is not romanceable, other allies will have opportunities to form deeper bonds in the story.

But one key character that is still something of an enigma is the ally played by Matthew McConaughey. Known as C.C. Orlev, he was once a legendary human explorer who went missing. Jun will eventually interact with Orlev, but only when they're needed the most. The trailer showed off a bit more of McConaughey's role in the game, and while it is a familiar wise elder type of archetype, it is still intriguing to see the actor make his video game debut with such an ambitious role.

Be sure to check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2025 for more, as well as the winners list in full.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Game Awards 2025 kicked off with a huge announcement: Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic.

Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is led by Casey Hudson, former director of the much-loved Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and the Mass Effect trilogy. The development studio is Edmonton, Alberta-based Arcanaut Studios.

It's described as a narrative-driven, single-player RPG and spiritual successor to Knights of the Old Republic. Lucasfilm insisted Fate of the Old Republic is not a direct sequel or continuation of KOTOR, and will introduce new characters for an all-new story. It's said to be in the early stages of development. The teaser trailer is below.

Here's the official blurb:

Players step into the role of a Force user in a galaxy on the edge of rebirth. Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic will blend innovative storytelling, memorable characters, and heart-pounding combat for an unforgettable experience where every decision deepens the player’s journey toward light or darkness.

“Working on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was one of the defining experiences of my career,” Hudson said. “With Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, we’re telling a completely new and different story with everything we’ve learned since - crafting an adventure about choice, destiny, and the timeless struggle between light and dark. It’s a dream come true to once again collaborate with Lucasfilm Games.”

“We look for partners who have the drive and the leadership to build something groundbreaking, and that’s what we see in Casey,” said Jay Ong, President of Disney Games Group. “Under Casey’s direction, Arcanaut Studios is assembling a team with a deep passion for storytelling and building immersive worlds. Their vision for Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is exactly the kind of ambitious, high-quality experience we want to deliver for our players.”

"The Old Republic era is a rich and beloved part of the Star Wars™ galaxy, and we are thrilled to be exploring a fresh story that we’ve never seen before in Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic,” added Douglas Reilly, VP and GM of Lucasfilm Games. “Arcanaut Studios shares our enthusiasm for the galaxy far, far away, and their plan for this new narrative is inspiring. We believe fans will be delighted by the journey that awaits them, and we can't wait to share more."

Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is in early development for PC and consoles. Be sure to check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2025 for more, as well as the winners list in full.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Rockstar has claimed the employees it recently fired were dismissed because they leaked game features for upcoming and unannounced titles in Discord, not because they were trying to unionize.

34 members of staff at Rockstar were dismissed, 31 in the UK and three in Canada, sparking protests outside the office of GTA 6 developer Rockstar North in Edinburgh, Scotland, and outside parent company Take-Two’s office in London. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which is representing the affected staff in the UK, has refuted Rockstar's claim that they were dismissed for leaking information, saying that workers "only communicated in private and legally-protected trade union channels."

Last month, the IWGB said 220 letters signed by staff at Rockstar were delivered to management at the company demanding the fired employees were immediately reinstated. All the employees who signed the letters are members of the IWGB, it said.

In a new statement provided to IGN, a Rockstar Games spokesperson said:

“Rockstar Games took action against a small group of individuals, across the UK and internationally, who distributed and discussed confidential information (including specific game features from upcoming and unannounced titles) in a public forum, in breach of company policy and their legal obligations. Claims that these dismissals were linked to union membership or activities are entirely false and misleading.”

Rockstar’s statement comes after UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the case “deeply concerning," and pledged that ministers would investigate.

The layoffs, which took place at the end of October, were raised in the UK's Parliament during this week’s session of Prime Minister's Questions by Rockstar North's local MP Chris Murray.

"The video games company Rockstar in my constituency last month fired 31 employees without providing evidence or union representation," Murray told the Prime Minister. "The [Independent Workers Union of Great Britain] IWGB alleges union busting. Having met Rockstar they failed to reassure me they are following employment law and I share concerns about union busting.

"Given this government is responsible for the biggest increase in workers rights in a generation," Murray continued, "does the Prime Minister agree all companies regardless of profit size must follow UK employment law and all workers have the right to join a union?"

"It's a deeply concerning case," Starmer replied. "Every worker has the right to join a trade union and we're determined to strengthen workers rights and ensure they don't face unfair consequences for being part of a union. Our ministers will look into the particular case that he [Murray] raises and will keep him updated."

IGN has contacted the IWGB for further comment.

In a statement sent to IGN this week, MP Chris Murray shared eyebrow-raising detail of his attempts to discuss the matter with Rockstar itself, including a joint meeting alongside fellow Edinburgh MPs Tracy Gilbert and Scott Arthur at Rockstar North's offices which began with a standoff over the need to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

"The meeting began with us as MPs refused entry unless an NDA was signed, a request they eventually withdrew after it being made clear this would not be signed," Murray said.

He continued: "The meeting only entrenched my concerns about the process Rockstar used to dismiss so many of their staff members. I was not assured their process paid robust attention to UK employment law, I was not convinced that this course of action was necessary, and alarmingly, I did not leave informed on exactly what these 31 people had done to warrant their immediate dismissal."

As for Rockstar's now-former staff, the IWGB has formally taken up their case and filed legal claims against Rockstar Games, alleging that their dismissal constituted "trade union victimisation and blacklisting." The first step on this legal journey will see the IWGB's claim examined by a tribunal who will determine whether the ex-employees are eligible for any interim relief. IGN recently questioned Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick on the matter, who answered by defending the company's culture and saying that Take-Two was "incredibly proud of our labor relations."

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.