Remedy rolls back Control update that forced players to use the Epic Store launcher

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The photo mode update also disabled Steam controller support.

Control tips
(Image credit: Remedy)

The update that brought Photo Mode to Remedy's outstanding shooter Control today also delivered another, unexpected surprise. A small number of users on Reddit (via USgamer) noticed that, after the update was applied, it was no longer possible to launch the game directly through the executable file or their Steam library: It was only accessible through the Epic Games Store launcher.

Even worse for these players, the update also disabled for Steam Controllers and other Steam-supported peripherals, and as you might imagine not everyone was happy about it. Numerous commenters took the change as a stealthy insertion of DRM and while nobody seemed quite sure who to blame—Remedy, or publisher 505 Games, or the Epic Games Store—the situation didn't help alleviate the persistent suspicion that surrounds Epic for some gamers.

As it turns out, the whole thing was a mistake. Remedy issued a statement saying that the intent was to use the Epic Store launcher "to validate future paid expansions, not to force you to play online or to remove Steam controller support." To address the issue, Remedy will roll Control back to the previous version as soon as possible, which unfortunately means Photo Mode will also be going away. But hopefully only briefly: Remedy said the update will be restored "as soon as we can fix the issues that came up."

"We will have more information to share as soon as we sort this out," the studio said, "No need to blame Epic for our mistakes."

Andy Chalk
Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.