Postmodernism and New Weird in Remedy’s Control

The critically acclaimed Remedy’s Control is the latest creation of Sam Lake, the mastermind behind some of the classics of videogames Max Payne and Alan Wake. In Control, Sam Lake was aiming to create a similar work to that of the 2000s postmodern sub-genre of New Weird. A movement of the second wave of postmodernism, the New Weird focuses on science-fictional and fantastical elements to deliver a complex narrative on the supernatural phenomena in the modern world. This paper will analyze this game as a work of fiction through the lens of VanderMeer’s definition of New Weird and Barry Lewis’ division of postmodern writers into two waves and will observe to what extent Control has followed these literary trends. Furthermore, it will denote that this work of fiction is enriched with more diverse postmodern features and by considering Henry Jenkins’ theory of Transmedia Storytelling, this videogame has moved beyond the borders of New Weird. Rather, by using techniques such as intertextuality, playfulness, stream of consciousness, and transmedia storytelling, the game has turned into what VanderMeer hopes for, the Next Weird, an innovative follow-up to New Weird.

Keywords:

Game Studies , the New Weird , Postmodernism , Remedy’s Control ,