In Control, the Oldest House is the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Control, and it is far bigger on the inside than it looks from outside. The building is split into sectors, and each one handles a different part of the Bureau's work, from administration and maintenance to research and containment. Control Ultimate Edition adds another sector with each of its expansions, The Foundation and AWE.
Content
Base Game
Executive
The Bureau's main office hub, centered on Central Executive and the Director's Office.
- Game Content
- Base game
- Notable Areas
- Central Executive; Dead Letters; Director's Office; Executive Affairs
- Access Route
- Central Executive is the main hub; use its Sector Elevator to travel to destinations as they unlock.
Maintenance
The Oldest House service wing, with the NSC plant, Black Rock Quarry and the Janitor's Office.
- Game Content
- Base game
- Notable Areas
- NSC Power Plant; Black Rock Quarry; Janitor's Office; Maintenance Access Corridor; NSC Control Room
- Access Route
- The main story reaches Maintenance Access Corridor through the Sector Elevator. Completing Directorial Override lifts the Internal Lockdown and opens travel to the other sectors.
Research
The Bureau's lab wing, centered on Central Research, Parapsychology and the Ashtray Maze.
- Game Content
- Base game
- Notable Areas
- Central Research; Parapsychology; Active Threshold; Ritual Division; Ashtray Maze; Hedron Chamber
- Access Route
- Use the Sector Elevator in Central Executive after the Internal Lockdown has been lifted.
Containment
The Bureau's containment wing, centered on the Panopticon and its altered-item cells.
- Game Content
- Base game
- Notable Areas
- Panopticon; Panopticon Entrance; Logistics; Ordinary AWE; Sealed Threshold Atrium; Transit Corridor North; Transit Corridor South
- Access Route
- Use the Sector Elevator in Central Executive after the Internal Lockdown has been lifted.
Content
AWE
Investigations
The AWE expansion's sealed investigation wing, with routes to Bright Falls, Eagle Limited and Fra Mauro.
- Game Content
- AWE
- Notable Areas
- Sector Head Office; Active Investigations; AWE Transit Bay; Eagle Limited AWE; Fra Mauro AWE; Bright Falls AWE; Shifted Passage
- Access Route
- Complete main Story Mission 7, The Face of the Enemy, then travel from the Executive hub by Sector Elevator.
Content
The Foundation
Foundation
The Foundation expansion adds cavern routes below the Oldest House, including the Warehouse and Collapsed Department.
- Game Content
- The Foundation
- Notable Areas
- The Nail; Warehouse; Collapsed Department; Crossroads; Deep Cavern
- Access Route
- After completing the main campaign, start the expansion in the Hotline Chamber and reach Foundation through Maintenance.
What Each Sector Does in Control
The base game's sectors are Executive, Maintenance, Research and Containment, and each one handles a different part of the Bureau's work. Executive is the administrative heart of the building, with Central Executive and the Director's Office. Maintenance keeps the building running, from the NSC Power Plant to the Black Rock Quarry. Research studies paranatural phenomena, and Containment holds the Bureau's dangerous objects, centered on the Panopticon.
How the Sectors Connect
Each sector has a large central area with several exits, and the Oldest House can shift and rearrange in ways a normal building never would. Signs on the walls point you toward the rooms you need, which helps when the layout feels confusing. Control Points are the main landmarks. They unlock once you clear the enemies nearby, and they double as fast travel points where you can upgrade skills and weapons or change outfits.
How to Unlock Sectors in Control
Sectors open up as you play, and two things decide when. Your security clearance rises as you progress, and each new level opens doors and rooms that were locked before, so something out of reach early on may be open later.
The story sets the other limit. After the Hiss spreads, the building goes into an Internal Lockdown, and lifting it during the Directorial Override mission in Maintenance is what opens Sector Elevator travel to the rest of the Oldest House. From then on, the Sector Elevator in Central Executive is the quickest way between sectors.
What Is the Foundation Sector?
The Foundation is the sector added by the first expansion, and it lies beneath the Oldest House as a cave system. You reach it through Maintenance once the main campaign is finished. The expansion brings new enemy types and side quests, along with a new ability called Shape that raises crystal platforms and a skill called Fracture for breaking crystals.
What Is the Investigations Sector in AWE?
AWE, the crossover with Alan Wake, adds the Investigations Sector. It was once home to the Bureau's Investigations Department, which looked into paranatural cases and could even oversee the Director.
A prisoner named Emil Hartman, who had merged with the Dark Presence, broke out and ran through the sector, and its main area was sealed off afterward. The Hiss reached it too. In AWE, you track Hartman down and retake the sector, and one wing has taken on the look of Bright Falls, the town from Alan Wake.
Which Sectors Matter Most in Control
For the main story, the base game sectors matter most, since the plot runs through all of them. AWE opens after the story mission The Face of the Enemy, and The Foundation opens once the main campaign is done. Both add new ground, side quests and enemies, and they're best saved until you've grown Jesse's abilities, since their fights are tougher.
How to Find Hidden Areas in Each Sector
Hidden zones run through the sectors, and they're often tucked behind breakable walls or piles of rubble. It's worth searching each sector thoroughly, because these spots can hold Mod chests and collectibles. Some stay out of reach until you've gained more clearance, so a sector you've already searched can be worth a second look.
FAQ
Where is The Foundation sector in Control?
It lies beneath the Oldest House as a cave system, and you reach it through the Maintenance Sector once the main campaign is finished.
When do you get the Shape ability in The Foundation?
Shape and Fracture both arrive during The Foundation's story. Until then, the blocked passages and chests you find in the sector are best left alone, since you'll need the new skills to reach them.
What is the Panopticon in Control?
It's a large complex of cells inside the Containment Sector, and Frederick Langston is its supervisor.
Can you explore Control's sectors in any order?
Mostly. Once the Internal Lockdown is lifted, the base game sectors can be explored at your own pace, so side quests and hidden zones can be taken on in any order. The main story still has its own sequence, so some areas open only when the plot reaches them.