I agree with the above that it would have been amazing to get the release date in August, but we must remember that Control doesn’t compete with every single game, and conversely, all other game releases don’t automatically take players/buyers away from Control. Still, it’s good to recognize that the release window is crowded, as is typical for Remedy. If the Day 1 sales and that couple-of-month window before the GTA release don’t generate a strong enough sales curve, there’s a risk that GTA will steal all the attention and everyone’s money for the rest of the year, pushing sales into 2027 and beyond. Still, I’m not that worried about this setup—this is Remedy’s first launch across all storefronts simultaneously, they’ve gained visibility, and wishlists are looking good at this stage. The stepping stones are basically in place, so let’s see what Remedy achieves before the release date (keeping in mind they are gaining experience in self-publishing).
On the other hand, one must remember that releasing a broken game in August is always a worse option than releasing a polished game in September, even if there is significantly more competition for visibility (assuming one month can save it).
Apparently, physical copies (Physical release / Steelbox) can’t be ordered from the EU yet? Give a shout if they become available, and I’ll go grab one for the shelf.