CONTROL Resonant New Game++: What Carries Over and When to Start
How New Game++ from patch 1.4.0 works, what carries over from your first run, the reported difficulty change, and the right moment to restart.
New Game++ arrived with update 1.4.0 on 1 October. Remedy describes it as an infinite number of runs with everything you have already earned carrying across. Because nothing resets, it is best used to clean up what you missed rather than as a harder mode.
How it starts
There is no separate menu entry to unlock. Once 1.4.0 is installed and you have finished the story, the game offers another run. Remedy’s wording is that you can now play an infinite number of runs in New Game++.
If you are on the launch version, update first. The mode did not exist before 1.4.0.
What carries over
Remedy’s own summary is that all accumulated abilities transfer fully into every following run. Players who tested it describe the same thing in more detail: your powers and progression come with you, so a second run starts stronger than the first.
The practical consequence is that a second run is not a fresh challenge. It is a faster pass through the story with the toolkit you already built.
What changes in difficulty
Players report that enemy density and aggression rise in a second run. One Reddit thread with 24 upvotes and 30 comments describes increased density, aggression and enemy level.
Remedy has not published numbers for this. Treat the reports as player measurements.
Why 1.4.0 also helps you decide
The same update moved the Build Power number to the bottom left of the Loadout screen. Remedy explains that being below the enemy level makes combat harder, and added the readout so players can see their power without digging through menus.
That matters before a restart. If your Build Power sits below the recommended level for the zone you are entering, a second run will punish you faster than the first.
When to start it
Finish the side content you care about first. Abilities carry over, so restarting early does not lose progress, but it does reset your position in the story and your map markers.
A reasonable order is: clear the side quests you want, check the new Build Power readout, then restart.
Two 1.4.0 problems that 1.4.1 fixed
Update 1.4.0 broke two things and the hotfix repaired both. Eating the Mold in The Park Resonant became impossible, and Dash canceling while using Elevate stopped working. If you started a run before 1.4.1 landed, update before continuing.
FAQ
Does anything reset? Remedy says abilities carry across, so the second run keeps your progression.
Is New Game++ harder? Players report more and more aggressive enemies. Remedy has not published difficulty numbers.
Can I start it before finishing the story? No. It follows a completed run.