5 months after launch, cooperative shooter FBC Firebreak finally has integrated voice chat, but its Vampire Survivors-style wave mode is delayed until next year

Firebreak corrupted items - Shooting Hiss

(Image credit: Remedy)

While a lack of voice chat wasn't the biggest problem with FBC: Firebreak when it released in June, it was certainly one of the issues that led it to fall flat with myself and players in general. Given Firebreak is a cooperative shooter where teamwork is crucial to survival, being able to communicate with friends verbally is kinda important. True, there are plenty of third-party options for voice-chat these days. But sorting that out can be a pain in the arse, especially when you're playing across multiple platforms.

Better, if you're making a dedicated cooperative experience, to ensure voice chat is integrated into that. It took five months, but Firebreak has finally done this. In a Steam post Remedy announced that it has added "cross-platform voice chat" into all versions, letting you finally gab with your pals in the Oldest House without migrating to Discord.

Sadly, it isn't all good news on the Firebreak front. In the same post, Remedy also explained that Firebreak's next major update, Rogue Protocol, has been delayed into 2026. Remedy originally planned to release this alongside voice chat, but explains the mode needs "a bit more time" in the oven. This is because Rogue Protocol will introduce a whole new game mode to Firebreak, so Remedy believes a slightly longer development "will help us make sure everything feels right: polished, balanced, and worthy of your time."

Remedy provided some insight into how the new mode will work, however. It's called Endless Shift, and from the sounds of things, it's basically a wave-based survival mode. According to Remedy, players will be dropped into a "sealed area" of the Oldest House with minimal equipment, tasked with holding off a large incursion of Hiss. Eliminated enemies drop a substance called Corruption, which "can be spent between rounds to unlock powerful upgrades, weapons, and enhancements".

An image of the Vampire Survivors' style skill choices in FBC: Firebreak's new game mode. — (Image credit: Remedy Entertainment)

These upgrades can be straightforward power boosts, or they can "twist your abilities in unexpected ways." Upgrades also stack, which Remedy says results in "wild, game-breaking synergies" that you'll deploy against new enemy combinations and elite foes. The mode comes with its own system of rewards, too, some of which can be brought into the existing, Left 4 Dead-ish game mode.

In short, it's Firebreak by way of Vampire Survivors. Hardly the most original idea in the world, but it could be a smart one, nonetheless. Age of Empires 4 recently introduced a similar mode in its latest DLC, and that proved a big hit with fans. Hence, it's entirely possible Endless Shift could be the shot in the arm Firebreak needs.

And Firebreak really does need it. The recent Breakpoint update failed to restore player confidence in Remedy's shooter, and as such the studio has been forced to eat a non-cash impairment of €14.9 million. If anything, I'm surprised Remedy continues to support it, so I hope its dedication pays off next year.

Rick has been fascinated by PC gaming since he was seven years old, when he used to sneak into his dad's home office for covert sessions of Doom. He grew up on a diet of similarly unsuitable games, with favourites including Quake, Thief, Half-Life and Deus Ex. Between 2013 and 2022, Rick was games editor of Custom PC magazine and associated website bit-tech.net. But he's always kept one foot in freelance games journalism, writing for publications like Edge, Eurogamer, the Guardian and, naturally, PC Gamer. While he'll play anything that can be controlled with a keyboard and mouse, he has a particular passion for first-person shooters and immersive sims.

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