FBC: Firebreak News

[p]It has been approximately four weeks since we launched FBC: Firebreak. During that time, we have released four patches that improve the game and partly address your feedback. Now that the game is live, our community plays a big part in shaping the future of the experience. This is just the start. [/p][p][/p][p]The updating cadence as well as our communications will slow down as we put more of our development focus on the first Major Update arriving in late September.  [/p][p][/p][p]So, before we go into more radio silence, let's talk a bit about what we are working on! [/p][p] [/p][p]While we want to provide you with detailed information on what's coming, the nature of game development is that things change frequently. Some features will make it, some won't, some will arrive later than planned, and some earlier! Giving away too much, too early when features aren’t entirely locked down can also get us into trouble. However, we want to remain transparent and keep you informed about what’s going to come. Even if it might change.  [/p][p][/p][p]The weeks since launch have given us a huge amount of feedback, from you, the community, as well as reviews, and the data we are looking at. Based on our previous development plans and taking all the feedback on board, we are excited about what our first Major Update, targeted for a late September release, will bring to FBC: Firebreak. Ultimately, we need to get you excited about what is coming.[/p][p][/p][p]The following isn’t everything that we are working on for the September Major Update, nor what comes after that, but these topics represent our focus for the upcoming months of development. [/p][p][/p][h2]Understanding the game [/h2][p][/p][p]We’ve seen many players come into the game and leave within the first hour. And that’s because our first hour can be frustrating; you feel ineffective and confused as to what to do. This needs to be improved. [/p][p] [/p][p]For many of you already playing FBC: Firebreak, us focusing on the opening experience may seem less exciting, but to keep the game healthy (and your matchmaking fast), we need to bring in more people with a better first-time experience than before. Here are a few things we’re doing to improve onboarding:[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Part of onboarding is understanding the world and your place in it. We have Control players hungry to see more of the Oldest House, but also people who’ve never played Control trying to comprehend its strange universe for the first time. No matter what you’ve played before, everyone playing should know where they are, who they are, and what they are trying to achieve as members of Firebreak. We’ve already started some of this narrative onboarding by placing an introductory video into the game and will continue down that path in the fall. [/p][p][/p]
• [p]Once you understand the world, we need to do a better job teaching you its core mechanics and features while leaving plenty to discover for yourself. We think that playing is the best way to learn and so we are building a playable tutorial level. [/p][p][/p]
• [p]In addition to our playable tutorial, we want to improve the “pop up” tips you receive while playing by offering important information at relevant times.  [/p]

[p][/p][h2]Gunplay[/h2][p][/p][p]We have, from the outset, wanted to get a good balance between pure, good old-fashioned first-person shooter gunplay and using each Crisis Kit’s tools and the environment (water sprinklers and fire, for example) as viable alternatives in dealing with the crisis in each Job. [/p][p][/p][p]Our current upgrades can make guns feel weak early on, and only generically better later on. We still want you to feel more powerful over time but, to fix things, we want to change our focus to giving you control over how that happens.  [/p][p] [/p]

• [p]We don’t plan to become a game with 100 guns because we don’t believe that’s the right focus for our experience. That said, it’s important for us to deliver on meaningful variety, so we are adding three new heavy guns to round out your arsenal. [/p][p][/p]

• [p]As we bring in these new guns, we also plan to drop all “generic” upgrades from equipment (guns and tools) and start players with a playable and powerful version of everything a Firebreak needs from the beginning. [/p][p][/p]

• [p]To replace the generic upgrades we’re removing, we are developing a Mod system that lets you tweak how you want your guns to work and the ways in which they become more powerful over time. We’ll have more to share about this before September. [/p]

[p] [/p][h2]New Ways to Play [/h2][p] [/p][p]We are making big changes to the way you access Jobs and to the content of Jobs themselves, giving you more ways to play and a more surprising and exciting way of getting there. [/p][p] [/p][p]Letting you choose how and how long you want to play remains an important priority for us, but we want the game to show you the fun rather than ask you to hunt for it. Firebreak was formed to manage an ongoing crisis, after all, and as a first responder, you should be reacting to dynamic, unpredictable dangers, not being asked to create danger for yourself. [/p][p] [/p]

• [p]To accomplish this, we are replacing Clearance and Corruption Levels with pre-made, exciting (you’ll have to take our word for that for now) variations of Job experiences that can still be short or long or filled with Corrupted Items, but also a whole lot more. We are weeding out our least fun experiences, focusing on our best experiences, and adding brand new modes with plans for adding even more in the future. As part of this change, we’re also reevaluating our matchmaking flow, making it clearer and segmenting player pools more effectively, to ensure more and better matches.  [/p]

[p] [/p][p]We're calling this feature the “Crisis Board.” This is not just repackaging our current Jobs but fundamentally changing how you experience FBC: Firebreak content and setting the game up for even more ways to play in the future. [/p][p][/p][h2]More Things to Do [/h2][p][/p][p]When we think about content variety, we aren’t just looking at how much is there, but also what it’s like to replay what is there. When it comes to objectives, always knowing what to expect is counter to the fantasy of being a crisis responder. So, while we still want you to know what type of experience you’re stepping into, we want to mix up what specific things you need to do there to proceed through zones (especially zones 1 and 2), making runs a lot more dynamic and surprising. [/p][p] [/p]

• [p]We’re looking at other randomizations beyond objectives as well, including placement of key items, like showers, ammo stations, suspension lines, and more.  [/p]

[p] [/p][p]Finally, we know you want more Jobs because you want more to play and that’s the only type of content we have shown you. But as we move forward from here, we’re seeing a lot more possibilities for what to do with levels and, therefore, are thinking up a lot of ways to both expand how much we have and how you play it. We expect to learn a lot more about what you want and don’t want after you see what we can do. [/p][p] [/p][p]Having said that… [/p][p] [/p][h2]New Job [/h2][p][/p][p]This first Major Update will bring a brand-new Job into Firebreak, requiring you to identify and eliminate and hopefully not eat strains of mold using something we internally call “the sushi train” ... but more about that later. For now, just know that we’re bringing in a new handcrafted level, three Zones, a new status effect, two more enemies to deal with, and all the rest you’ve come to expect from a new Job.  [/p][p] [/p][h2]What’s Next [/h2][p][/p][p]As we hope has become clear, we are pushing a lot of improvements and changes into the game for our first Major Update. Some of these ideas were improvements that we weren’t able to add before launch, but all were decided on and developed based on what we heard from you (listening to feedback) and seen from you (looking at data). [/p][p] [/p][p]We are extremely excited about these changes and about delivering even more than we’d originally been planning, but changes now also mean changes later. We need to see what’s working for you and to hear from you again before we can be certain that we’re prioritizing the right things.  So, while we are still planning on the next Major Update in the winter, and the next one after that, the specific focuses and features are a lot more nebulous. There are a variety of topics that we are discussing and researching, but for now, we are heads down working on the first Major Update. [/p][p] [/p][p]Thank you for your feedback and patience!  [/p][p] [/p][p] The FBC: Firebreak team[/p]

[p]PlayStation 5: 1.004.000 
Xbox Series X|S: 1.4.0.0  
PC: 1.4.0 
Windows PC: 1.4.0.0 [/p][p] [/p][h3]Overview [/h3][p]This update focuses on improving how the game communicates key information through audio and UI. Weapon, movement, and combat-related sounds have been updated for better clarity, including critical prompts, damage feedback, and enemy spawn cues. The UI has been adjusted to improve HUD readability, tutorial timing, and consistency across different languages. [/p][p]Additional changes address bugs related to visual effects, perks, mission progression, and multiplayer stability. [/p][p][/p][h3]Patch notes [/h3][p][/p][p]Audio [/p]

• [p]Weapons sound better and more powerful across the board. [/p]
• [p]Player presence sounds more immersive: [/p]
  • [p]Improvements in player melee, loadout, item, pickup and movement sounds. [/p]
• [p]Gameplay audio feedback is sharper: [/p]
  • [p]Improved critical prompts, player and enemy damage sounds, shield and health feedback, and enemy spawn sounds. [/p]
• [p]Better spatial clarity: [/p]
  • [p]Sound placement and balance have been improved to help you understand where threats are coming from. [/p]
• [p]Lost Assets and Research Samples are less intrusive:  [/p]
  • [p]Their pickup sounds now have more variation and sit better in the audio mix. [/p]
• [p]Improved ambient cues: [/p]
  • [p]You’ll now hear the fans in Hot Fix powering up before they become dangerous, and using faucets and ammo stations is now more audible. [/p]
  • [p]The BOOMbox now has new SFX when broken and turned off. [/p]
• [p]Added or updated SFX for objects like the resonator panel, Glow harmful condition, and new enemy death types. [/p]
• [p]General audio improvements across the board. [/p]

[p]  [/p][p]User Interface & Tutorials [/p]

• [p]Adjusted tutorial triggers to show up sooner or only when relevant. [/p]
• [p]Improved HUD clarity. [/p]
• [p]Fixed bugs in objective tracking, Crisis Kit selection, and unlock notifications. [/p]
• [p]Corrected several issues affecting UI scaling and text in multiple languages. [/p]
• [p]Visual improvements to Hank’s speech window flicker and Corrupted Item highlighting. [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where players were able to navigate in Requisitions and Research menus during tutorials. [/p]
• [p]Ping system updated. You can now ping grenades and ammo boxes. [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where players would see the previously equipped Crisis Kit in the match end screen after changing it to another one in the elevator during a Job. [/p]
• [p]Fixed and issue with party creation so that "Generate a Party Code" text box now always appears without the game returning players to main menu.[/p][p]  [/p]

[p]Visual Effects & Graphics [/p]

• [p]New damage VFX added to power and repair emergencies to highlight that they are being damaged. [/p]
• [p]Added new VFX for Powerful Enemy overshields and death. [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue in Meltdown where the flare effect could cause distortion effect to corrupt the screen. [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue in Frequency Shift where the Pink Goo visual effect could stay and obstruct the view after player death. [/p]
• [p]Fixed issues with the Submachine Gun model sometimes not displaying correctly in third-person perspective. [/p]
• [p]Updated player backpacks with improved geometry and textures. [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where Lost Assets could get stuck in environments and ceilings or go out-of-bounds when the player dies in a Shelter. [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where enabling DLSS while playing on PC didn’t disable Global Reflections and SSAO settings, leading to visual issues. [/p]

[p]  [/p][p]Player Movement & Physics [/p]

• [p]Fixed edge cases where players could get stuck or fall out of bounds. [/p]
• [p]Improved revive reliability and interaction with world objects in tight spaces. [/p]

[p]  [/p][p]Game Progression & Unlocks [/p]

• [p]Fixed trophy visibility on PlayStation 5. [/p]
• [p]Resolved issues with perk unlocking and mission progression resets. [/p]
• [p]The Hunter Gatherer perk now reliably picks up all the Lost Assets dropped by Powerful Enemies. [/p]
• [p]The Pocket Dimension perk now increases ammo reserves, as it should. [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the Desperate Measures perk was activating even if player still had some ammo left. [/p]
• [p]Added more grease to the Greasy Fingers perk so that it now increases equipment swap speed as intended. [/p]

[p]  [/p][p]Enemies & Combat [/p]

• [p]Improved tutorials for Crisis Kit features. [/p]
• [p]Fixed the Duck Corrupted Item so that it now correctly follows players. Quack! [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where you could push the Trooper Powerful Enemy out-of-bounds in Zone 3 of Paper Chase. [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where Powerful Enemies in Ground Control could survive falling out of the jobsite area and block evacuation or advancing to the next Zone. [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the Hiss Breaker enemy could ignore the Shock harmful condition and still damage players when they are attacking its weak spot. [/p]

• [p]Charging Splash Kit Ejector for big single shot now causes heat build-up.[/p]

[p]  [/p][p]Multiplayer & Connectivity [/p]

• [p]Further improved session stability. Players should reconnect more reliably and rejoin Quick Play matches. [/p]
• [p]Fixed visual bugs in loading screens, objective markers, and nameplates. [/p]
• [p]Addressed backend errors and inconsistencies in party states and match transitions. [/p]

[p]  [/p][p]Items & World Objects [/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue in Ground Control where in some cases you might not find enough Pearls to proceed to the next step of the Job. [/p]
• [p]Lowered healing speed when drinking from the faucets. It still heals the same amount, just a bit more slowly. [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with missing vibration feature on Dual Sense controller when playing on Windows PC. [/p]

[p][/p][p]List of currently known issues not related to this patch here: [/p][p]https://steamcommunity.com/app/2272540/discussions/0/500576489694044746/[/p][p][/p]

[p]We are currently hard at work on the next patch for FBC: Firebreak, which will be released early next week. It includes audio & sound fixes, improvements and more quality-of-life updates. Full patch notes will be coming next week.[/p][p]While we are waiting for that, let’s talk briefly about Crisis Kits.[/p][p]By now, you’ve hopefully picked a favorite Crisis Kit or at least tested a few. If you haven’t, check out our previous blog for a full breakdown of each one: [dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]This time, we’re going hands-on: how the Tools and Improvised Devices of each Kit actually work in the field and why upgrading them early on makes a big difference.[/p][p]Let’s break it down kit by kit.[/p][p][/p][h3]Jump Kit: Electro-Kinetic Charge Impactor[/h3][p]Your Impactor isn’t just for charging generators. It’s one of the most versatile tools in the game.[/p]

• [p]Charge it up and strike machines like shower heaters to warm the water, or Ammo Station generators to collect ammo faster from the station.[/p]
• [p]In combat, use the Impactor to stun and electrify enemies - especially effective if they’re wet from the Splash Kit or standing under a sprinkler.[/p]
• [p]At Level II and III, you can jump with it. Charge it up by holding down Right-Mouse Button (RMB) / Left Trigger (LT) / L2, aim at the ground, and release to launch yourself into air. Perfect for dodging danger or reaching high ground.[/p]
  • [p]Fun fact: You can use this new push functionality to push enemies away as well. Try pushing and electrifying enemies at the same time.[/p]

[p]Improvised Device: BOOMbox[/p]

• [p]Place it in a chokepoint, charge it up, and enjoy the music. Enemies will be drawn to it and, when it takes enough damage, it explodes.[/p]
• [p]Great for softening up enemy waves or setting up traps. Bonus points if you combo it with a grenade.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Fix Kit: Wrench[/h3][p]If something’s broken, hit it with the Wrench. It really is that simple.[/p]

• [p]Use it to fix showers, fuse boxes, Job objectives, and even broken elevator levers. If you’re unsure, try hitting it with the Wrench.[/p]
  • [p]Fun fact: The Wrench stores elemental effects - hit a Wet or Shocked enemy, and your next swing applies that effect, letting you douse fires or power up devices.[/p]
• [p]In combat, the Wrench does melee damage and knocks enemies back. Level II and III upgrades make it more lethal.[/p]
• [p]Level II also unlocks a rush attack which allows you to rush forward in a straight line and knock down any enemies caught in your path. It has a short cooldown, so time it carefully. Rush by holding down Right-Mouse Button (RMB) / Left Trigger (LT) / L2.[/p]

[p]Improvised Device: Swivel Cannon[/p]

• [p]Deploy it, then assemble it by hitting it with the Wrench. It’ll target enemies and shoot at them on its own.[/p]
• [p]Deals splash damage, so don’t stand next to it when it fires - especially in close quarters.[/p]
• [p]Excellent for locking down corridors or drawing aggro while you repair or revive.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Splash Kit: Crank-Operated Fluidic Ejector (COFE)[/h3][p]The Ejector is your utility MVP, especially once you upgrade it.[/p]

• [p]Puts out fires, cleanses harmful effects, and soaks enemies in water for electric combos. Putting out fires is important because it lights you and your teammates on fire, which is bad, and because fire buffs Hiss making them faster and more dangerous.[/p]
• [p]Level I fires globules of water: tap for small shots, hold for bigger blobs.[/p]
• [p]Level II unlocks full-auto spray. Crank up the Ejector by holding down Right-Mouse Button (RMB) / Left Trigger (LT) / L2 and shoot with Left-Mouse Button (LMB) / Right Trigger (RT) / R2. You can still fire single shots if you want with using just LMB/RT/R2.[/p]
• [p]Shooting at your feet cleanses yourself, which is vital if you’re burning, irradiated, or affected by some other harmful effect.[/p]

[p]Improvised Device: Humidifier[/p]

• [p]Deploy it and fill it up with the COFE. Once filled, it sprays a healing mist that also cleanses and soaks.[/p]
• [p]Use it between fights to top off health - or during combat if you’ve got cover.[/p]
• [p]If you’re using the Teapot Augment (which super heats water to set things on fire), shooting the Humidifier with it results in an awesome flaming sprinkler instead. Just be careful not to do it when you or any of your teammates are standing nearby.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Quick Tips for All Kits[/h3]

• [p]Upgrade your Tool first by upgrading your Crisis Kit in the Essentials Requisition. You’ll feel the difference immediately in both utility and combat.[/p]
• [p]Unlock your Improvised Device early. These are powerful tools that can shift a battle or save a failing objective. You can unlock in the Essentials Requisition.[/p]
• [p]Don’t forget to unlock your Altered Augment in the Essentials Requisition. The Augment provides additional firepower against hordes of enemies when you need it.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Crisis Kits Are Built to Synergize[/h3][p]No single kit is good at everything, but together, they cover all bases.[/p]

• [p]Splash can cleanse and prime enemies for Jump’s electric effects.[/p]
• [p]Fix can make quick repairs, keep the team moving, and hold down a position.[/p]
• [p]Jump can close gaps, quickly charge generators and is very effective destroying wet sticky notes.[/p]

[p]Whether you're zapping, wrenching, or hosing things down, learn your kit, upgrade it smartly, and support your team. You’ll notice the difference.[/p][p] [/p][p]The FBC: Firebreak Team[/p]

[p]We’ve deployed a small hotfix on all platforms to improve connection stability and added backend support to enable future updates without downtime.   [/p][p]Hotfix v1.3.1 [/p]

• [p]Improved connection stability, fixing issues related to the automatic reconnect feature introduced in patch 1.3.0.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where a countdown briefly and incorrectly appeared after a completed match.[/p]
• [p]Added additional backend support to enable future updates without requiring downtime.[/p]

[p][/p]

[p]PlayStation 5: 1.003.000 
Xbox Series X|S: 1.3.0.0  
PC: 1.3.0 
Windows PC: 1.3.0.0 [/p][p][/p][h3]Overview [/h3][p]Patch 1.3 includes numerous bug fixes as well as quality-of-life updates. [/p][p]We are targeting another patch (1.4) for the third week of July.  [/p]

• [p]We have added the “Surviving the Workplace” series introductory video to the game explaining the Firebreaker’s mission. For both current and prospective players! [/p]

• [p]New unlockable items in the Requisitions and Perks menus are now visually highlighted. [/p]

• [p]Lost Assets (unlock currency) and Research Samples (used to unlock higher-tier Perks) players are carrying are now shown as a number in the HUD. [/p]

• [p]Perks economy rebalancing [/p]
  • [p]Our statistics show that slightly less than 5% of our player base owns a Level 3 Perk. That is a different stat from actually equipping it. For a variety of reasons that we need to address, players are not using higher-tier Perks, and this is not just due to their unlocking costs. This economy rebalancing is just one step we are taking to improve. [/p]
  • [p]Please read our blog post about how the Perks system and economy here: [/p]

[p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

• [p]The Twitch Drops issue has been resolved on the backend. It is not part of the patch, but we figured this is a good place to communicate this. [/p]
  • [p]The Overseer Armor Set (Threshold Revision) that is part of our Twitch Drops launch campaign has now been granted to all players who connected their Twitch account to their FBC: Firebreak account but didn't receive the armor set.  [/p]
  • [p]Anyone who connects their account after today's patch will also be granted the items automatically at the end of each day until July 22nd [/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Patch notes [/h3][p] [/p][p]General [/p]

• [p]Added the “Surviving the Workplace” series introductory video explaining the premise of the game. [/p]
  • [p]Localized subtitles are missing from the video; they will be added in a later patch. [/p]

• [p]Updated PS5 Cloud Streaming to the latest version [/p]

• [p]Fixed the outdated descriptions for “What a Day” and “OSHA Compliant” Achievements/Trophies to actually describe what players have to do. [/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue with “Veteran” and “Firebreaker” Achievements/Trophies, which prevented them from unlocking. [/p]

• [p]Improved the in-game notification messaging for when maintenance happens. [/p]
  • [p]Previously, players only received the maintenance message if they were in the main menu. Now, if you are playing a match and go back into the main menu, the message will be resurfaced to you, so you don’t miss it. [/p]

[p]Network [/p]

• [p]Various fixes and performance improvements for backend and online services. [/p]

• [p]Improved backend connection stability so that players disconnecting from a match happens less frequently. (Error codes 22001 and 22002) [/p]

• [p]When backend maintenance happens, players can now finish the Job they are currently playing instead of being disconnected from the game.  (This one needs a bit more time in the oven.)[/p]

[p]Economy Changes [/p]

• [p]Perks economy rebalanced.  [/p]

[p]Balancing [/p]

• [p]Swivel Cannon (Fix Kit Improvised Device) now has 3200 health (up from 1000).  [/p]
  • [p]As the cannon does splash damage, it damages itself when shooting nearby enemies and was destroying itself too often. This change should make it more durable and allow it to make a few more shots at close range before being destroyed. [/p]

• [p]Improved enemy behavior [/p]
  • [p]Enemies rush less into areas their compatriots got killed in making enemy behavior a bit more exciting.  [/p]

[p]Audio [/p]

• [p]Updated the idle sounds of all Corrupted Items to make them more identifiable and easier for players to pinpoint by sound.  [/p]

[p]User Interface and HUD [/p]

• [p]The exact number of Lost Assets and Research Samples that the player is carrying are now displayed in the HUD during a Job. [/p]

• [p]Added tutorials for the secondary function of each Crisis Kit Tool (activates when the Tool is level 2 or 3). [/p]

• [p]Added the player’s Reputation Level indicator to the bottom of the Research menu. [/p]

• [p]Added visual notification to the Main Menu when players have new items or Perks that they can unlock in the Requisition or Research menu. [/p]
  • [p]Also added visual notifications to new items in the Requisition menu and Perks in Research menus that the players can afford to unlock. [/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where turning off the camera shake from the menu didn't actually turn it off. [/p]

[p]Gameplay & Performance [/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the Hunter Gatherer Perk didn't pick up Research Samples. [/p]

• [p]Fixed a crash which could happen when the Night Terrors Perk is activated. [/p]

[p]Visuals and Rendering [/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the Lost Asset and Research Sample visual highlight only disappeared for the player picking them up and remained visible for other players. [/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the “Jasper Post Box” Corrupted Item could spawn inside other objects. [/p]

[p]  [/p][p]List of currently known issues not related to this patch here: [/p][p]https://steamcommunity.com/app/2272540/discussions/0/500576489694044746/[/p][p] [/p][p] [/p]