Programming Alert: I Interviewed a Control Resonant Developer

The New York Videogame Critics Circle is hosting a Playing With Purpose charity livestream on September 19, 2026, to support educational initiatives for underserved New York City high school students. The event aims to raise $2,500 to fund free writing courses, scholarships, and internships for youth interested in pursuing careers within the video game industry and games journalism.

The broadcast features a variety of industry figures, including a pre-recorded interview with Arhi Makkonen, a senior level designer at Remedy Entertainment. The discussion focuses on Makkonen’s professional trajectory, his contributions to the original Control, and his current work on the upcoming title, Control Resonant. The conversation serves as a human-interest profile, highlighting the career path of a developer at a prominent studio rather than focusing on marketing or promotional hype for the new game.

The event includes appearances from other notable industry professionals, such as Cliff Bleszinski and Abubakar Salim. The livestream is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM, with the interview segment slated for the 6:00 PM hour. This initiative underscores the ongoing efforts of industry organizations to foster professional development and provide pathways for the next generation of talent through charitable programming.