For anyone who enjoys grabbing physical copies of video games, there have been a few noteworthy deals during this Amazon Prime Day. Continuing that trend, Xbox Series X owners can now grab a physical copy of Alan Wake 2 for $38.04 at Amazon.

That's a 37% discount on Remedy Entertainment's 2023 horror game. Players also get both DLC expansions bundled in, adding new stories that further flesh out the Remedy Connected Universe. There is no telling how long physical copies of Alan Wake 2 will remain in stock at this price, so act fast!

Why should you buy Alan Wake 2?

If you haven't played it yet, Alan Wake 2 is Remedy Entertainment's long-awaited sequel to the 2010 Alan Wake. The game has players following along with two protagonists. FBI agent Saga Anderson seeks to uncover the cause behind several murders, while titular writer Alan Wake works to escape the terror of The Dark Place.

This game delves further into horror than any prior Remedy game, with survival-focused combat and resource management unlike the studio's prior titles.

It's a thrilling, arthouse-esque experience that I enjoyed when I reviewed it at launch, noting how even the story delivery could be messy, it still stood out with amazing highlights that included gorgeous visuals and a phenomenal soundtrack.

In addition to the main story, this physical edition of Alan Wake 2 also bundles in two expansions. The first, Night Springs, tells three different standalone stories with different characters dealing with extraordinarily distinct scenarios.

The second expansion, The Lake House, is more narrative-driven, diving into an overrun FBC facility and furthering the game's connections to other Remedy works.

As part of the Remedy Connected Universe, Alan Wake 2 is set in the same world as Control, FBC: Firebreak, and the upcoming action-RPG Control 2. Without any spoilers, the Lake House DLC seems like it greatly hints toward what is coming next in Control 2, and I highly recommend playing it.

While the limited physical edition of Alan Wake 2 is usually $60, this Amazon Prime Day sale brings it down to $38, making it a must-buy for anyone who needs a copy for their game collection. It is important to note that this obviously won't be compatible with an Xbox Series S or an Xbox Series X Digital Edition, since it's an actual game disc.

Amazon Prime subscribers get numerous benefits during Amazon Prime Day, with faster shipping and access to some exclusive offers that aren't available for regular users.

Of course, subscribers also have access to Prime Video year-round, which includes original shows like the upcoming second season of the Fallout TV series, which is set to arrive in December.

Remedy Entertainment's survival-horror game Alan Wake 2 has passed 2 million copies sold and is now turning a profit. That comes via the Finnish developer's latest financial results, which confirm that Alan Wake 2 has started to earn royalties. Until now, Remedy was still recouping its development and marketing costs for the game, which first launched back in October 2023 and quickly became Remedy's fastest-selling game ever.

Remedy Entertainment supported Alan Wake 2 in the months after launch, releasing bug fixes and updates that added features like Photo Mode. The game also received two DLC expansions, Night Springs and The Lake House, with the former telling three anthology-style stories, while the latter doubled-down on the game's horror elements.

In my review of Alan Wake 2, I wrote that "Remedy Entertainment crafts a suspenseful journey full of twists, examining its title character in spades. It's a messy, imperfect narrative that doesn't even try to wrap up every plot thread, but delivers a raw, emotional ride."

Remedy's lineup is stacked for the years ahead

Looking ahead, Remedy Entertainment's hands are full across multiple projects. The company is currently in full production on the Max Payne 1 + 2 remake, which is being funded and published by Rockstar Games. Remedy also confirmed on Wednesday that its upcoming action-RPG Control 2 is entering full production at the end of February, with the pre-production planning period drawing to a close.

Remedy acquired the publishing rights to its Control franchise from 505 Games. Remedy recently reached an agreement with Annapurna, with the latter providing 50% of the development costs for the game. In exchange, Annapurna gets the rights to Remedy's properties for film and TV adaptations.

More immediately, Remedy is working on FBC: Firebreak, a self-published three-player co-op, player vs. environment spinoff of Control. FBC: Firebreak tasks a crew with stopping breaches in the Oldest House by using teamwork and a variety of strange weapons. Remedy's prior financial reports indicate that FBC: Firebreak needs to sell around 3 or 4 million copies in order to be profitable.

FBC: Firebreak doesn't have a release date right now, but we shouldn't be waiting much longer to learn more, as it's currently slated to launch at some point in 2025 across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5. It'll also be available in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PlayStation Plus Extra at launch.

What you need to know

• Alan Wake 2 first launched across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5 back in October 2023. 
• Since then, developer Remedy Entertainment has shared a number of free improvements, including photo mode and New Game+, as well as the paid Night Springs DLC.
• Alan Wake 2's next DLC pack is called The Lake House, and it's taking players into an abandoned research facility filled with monsters.
• During the October 2024 Xbox Partner Preview, we learned that Alan Wake 2: The Lake House is set to launch on Oct. 22, 2024.

The horror of Cauldron Lake continues unabated. 

During the October 2024 Xbox Partner Preview, developer Remedy Entertainment showed up with a new look at The Lake House, the second paid DLC for the team's 2023 survival-horror title Alan Wake 2. In the presentation, we see an unsuspecting agent (and playable protagonist) investigating the Lake House research facility, only to discover monstrosities that are stalking the facility.

Unlike the oft tongue-in-cheek Night Springs DLC which arrived earlier this year, there's no laughs to be found in The Lake House, with Remedy making it clear that this is a "chilling survival horror experience" for players. The Lake House is set to launch on Oct. 22, 2024.

Alan Wake 2's DLC packs are both available exclusively for owners of Alan Wake 2: Deluxe Edition. If you bought the regular edition of the game, you can also buy the Deluxe Edition upgrade on all platforms.

Alan Wake 2 is available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (exclusively via the Epic Games Store), and PlayStation 5.

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Horror for Halloween

Alan Wake 2 getting more DLC geared specifically around horror is perfect given the time of year we're in.

A new playable character is interesting, and I'm thrilled that this DLC isn't holding back on the scares, but instead appears to be doubling-down on the base game's survival-horror focus. I also can't help but wonder about possible connections to Control 2, which is one of Remedy's next big upcoming games. 

In my review of Alan Wake 2, I wrote that "Alan Wake 2 is raw, making it a brutal experience that shouldn't be missed by longtime Remedy fans or newcomers drawn by promises of terror. It's a story that examines what it means to be a writer and balance expectations from an audience, matched with satisfying combat that bloodily earns its place as a horror game."

What you need to know

• Xbox's Partner Preview events are semi-regular showcases of upcoming games for Xbox and Windows PC.
• Typically showcasing third-party titles, the show offers a platform for developers of all sizes to give us a glimpse of what they've been working on.
• We understand that the showcase will detail titles like Alan Wake II's next expansion, "The Lake House," as well as new trailers for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, the soulslike Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, "multiple world premiers," and much more.
• It all goes down on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 1PM ET and 6PM BST (UK) across Xbox's channels on YouTube and Twitch.

The rumors are true! Xbox is having a shiny new Partner Preview showcase on October 17, 2024, at 1PM ET / 6PM UK.

Microsoft's most recent Xbox Partner Preview event took place last March if you're not counting the third-party heavy Xbox Showcase from last June. The difference here is that these Partner Preview events are usually entirely comprised of third-party content, giving Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC players a glimpse at the future of the platform.

Last March, Microsoft showed off games like Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Frostpunk 2, The Alters, Persona 3 Reload DLC, and The First Berserker, which should give you an idea of the expectations you should set for this event. To that end, Microsoft also offered a glimpse at what is on the docket for this October's event.

We should be getting new trailers for Alan Wake II DLC, "The Lake House," as well as Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. We're getting a boss battle trailer for the dark Chinese soulslike Wuchang: Fallen Feathers and a range of new Xbox Game Pass inserts to boot. Microsoft says there will be "multiple world premieres," too.

Alan Wake 2 is a survival-horror and investigative narrative adventure from Remedy of Max Payne and Control fame. The game has been grabbing a steady stream of DLC post-launch to pack in additional story beats, and The Lake House is the latest part. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a soulslike in essence set during the Ming Dynasty period in China and could be Xbox's answer to Black Myth Wukong, which is still conspicuously missing from the Xbox platform.

There's every possibility that Microsoft may use the event to drop some hints about upcoming Xbox platform features as well. Xbox president Sarah Bond recently revealed that Xbox Cloud Gaming will finally get "bring your own game" and buy-to-own Xbox game features starting in November. Perhaps Microsoft will detail exactly which games will be included in the first wave of accessible titles will be, given that our sources indicate it won't be the full library of Xbox games, at least not to start with.

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So, how can I watch the Xbox Partner Preview October 2024 event?

The Xbox Partner Preview (October 2024) event goes live on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM BST, across all of Xbox's main streaming platforms. You can watch it on YouTube.com/Xbox as well as Twitch.tv/Xbox, and across all the regional Xbox channels on YouTube as well. Microsoft is also streaming the event on LinkedIn for all you 'LinkedInfluencers' out there at LinkedIn.com/showcase/Xbox.

For accessibility, Microsoft will also have an American Sign Language offering at Twitch.tv/XboxASL. There will be a British Sign Language version up on YouTube.com/XboxOn. Subtitles will be offered in: Arabic (MSA), Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Czech, French, Canadian French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, Mexican Spanish, and Turkish.

If you can't watch the stream live, we'll be running a blog post here on Windows Central to capture all of the Xbox and Windows PC trailers and details for you, so stay tuned for that.

Microsoft might be saving the truly "huge" Xbox game announcements for The Game Awards, which is slated for December 12, 2024. Microsoft has a variety of upcoming Xbox games from first-party for the near future, including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Avowed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, as well as a major timed exclusive in Stalker 2.

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What you need to know

• Developer Remedy Entertainment is currently working on a number of projects, including Control 2. 
• After acquiring the rights to the Control franchise from publisher 505 Games, Remedy Entertainment is now self-publishing Control 2. 
• Remedy is teaming up with Annapurna Interactive to accomplish this self-publishing, with Annapurna helping to develop and produce film and TV versions of Alan Wake and Control. 

One of the most unique game developers in the worth is taking a big step in its multimedia ambitions. 

Finnish studio Remedy Entertainment shared on Thursday that the company is teaming up with Annapurna Interactive. This team-up will allow Remedy to self-publish it's upcoming game Control 2 thanks to a co-finance effort from Annapurna Interactive, while also allowing the companies to develop and produce film and TV adaptions of Alan Wake and Control under Annapurna Pictures.

“At Remedy, our primary focus continues to be what we do best—crafting industry-defining video games that have earned us global recognition. Now, the time is right to expand the reach of Remedy's beloved franchises to an even broader global audience through film, television, and more," says Tero Virtala, CEO of Remedy Entertainment. 

"In Annapurna, we have found an outstanding partner who shares our ambition and passion for immersive storytelling. We are excited to see them bring the universes and characters we have created to life in new mediums, thanks to this unique deal.” 

This news comes on the back of Remedy Entertainment acquiring the rights to the Control franchise from 505 Games, which published Control back in 2019. 

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Analysis: Remedy expands its reach in a smart way

Remedy Entertainment has been doing well the past year, launching Alan Wake 2 to critical acclaim as the company's fastest-selling game ever, though it does have yet to turn a profit. 

Annapurna already has its hands in games, film, and TV, making it the perfect partner for Remedy's blend of works. Few other game developers take a true filmmaking approach to developing games the way that Remedy does, and Alan Wake 2 is one of the closest things we've ever gotten to a big-budget arthouse film in the gaming space, especially since it actually has a short film viewable within it. 

I'm looking forward to seeing how this partnership progresses and learning more about Control 2, as well as Remedy's other projects like the Max Payne remakes and Project Condor. 

In my review of Alan Wake 2, I wrote that "Alan Wake 2 is raw, making it a brutal experience that shouldn't be missed by longtime Remedy fans or newcomers drawn by promises of terror. It's a story that examines what it means to be a writer and balance expectations from an audience, matched with satisfying combat that bloodily earns its place as a horror game."

What you need to know

• Remedy Entertainment's Alan Wake 2 first launched back in October 2023.
• Remedy promised that the game would get a photo mode, but didn't have an exact date in mind. 
• The latest update for Alan Wake 2 brings photo mode, allowing players to explore their inner photographer and capture the game's haunting beauty. 
• Night Springs, the first story DLC for Alan Wake 2, is also available as of today.

The Dark Place is calling again. 

The latest update for Alan Wake 2 is now available on all platforms, bringing the promised photo mode alongside a number of fixes for the game, particularly for Xbox console players. 

This update also comes alongside the launch of Night Springs, the first DLC for Alan Wake 2 that was shown off just a day earlier during the Summer Game fest live show. Night Springs is included in the Deluxe Edition of Alan Wake 2, but standard edition buyers can simply upgrade to the Deluxe Edition in order to access it. You can find the full patch notes for Alan Wake 2's latest update below:

• Night Springs Expansion
• Added Photo Mode
• Increased manual save slots from 3 to 6
• Added Razer Chroma support on PC
• Improved Xbox Series S game stability
• Improvements to Xbox Series audio synchronization issues
• Improved lighting in several areas of the game
• Multiple minor fixes and improvements for a better experience 
• Chapter Select: Added a missing chapter combination for the end game (Return 7 – Initiation 9)
• Fixed a rare instance of player character becoming unresponsive when falling on the ground after a sequence of attacks (Removed realism, check.)
• Fixed an issue that would bring up Saga’s Mind Place UI prompts when loading into a session with Alan. (This was not an intentional meta play.)
• Fixed multiple instances of camera clipping issues on ultrawide monitors on PC

Analysis: Going back to the loop

Alan Wake 2 was one of my favorite games of 2023, and it's been amazing to see its reception, from garnering awards to becoming Remedy Entertainment's fastest-selling game ever. I hope more people hop in now that photo mode is here, and I always look forward to seeing the impressive captures players are able to achieve using that tool. As for me, I feel a replay coming on once I go through Night Springs, which looks absolutely wild in the best possible way as its stories branch across three very different characters.

In my review of Alan Wake 2, I wrote that "Alan Wake 2 is raw, making it a brutal experience that shouldn't be missed by longtime Remedy fans or newcomers drawn by promises of terror. It's a story that examines what it means to be a writer and balance expectations from an audience, matched with satisfying combat that bloodily earns its place as a horror game."

Alan Wake 2 is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via the Epic Games Store), and PlayStation 5. A physical deluxe edition and collector's edition are currently in available for preorder.

What you need to know

• Alan Wake 2 is an award-winning survival thriller from Remedy and Epic Games Publishing.
• The first DLC for Alan Wake 2, Night Springs, was revealed during the Summer Game Fest 2024 showcase.
• The Night Springs DLC expansion will be available to play on consoles and PC on June 8.

Geoff Keighley, the host of the Summer Game Fest showcase and creator of The Game Awards, pre-empted the 2024 summer showcase with a warning for fans to temper their expectations toward what may be shown. However, that may have been premature, as Remedy and Epic Games Publishing revealed the first DLC for the award-winning survival horror sequel, Alan Wake 2. 

Remedy previously shared that Alan Wake 2 fans could look forward to two full DLC expansions to the game post-launch. Night Spring is the first DLC to drop as part of that commitment to post-launch content, adding three new episodes and "what if" scenarios to Alan Wake. The trailer for Night Springs took a "Twilight Zone" aesthetic, showing off the new episodes featuring recognizable cast members as playable characters from previous Remedy projects, including Quantum Break's Shawn Ashmore. 

The Night Springs DLC for Alan Wake 2 will be available on Xbox Series X|S consoles, PlayStation 5, and via the Epic Games Store for PC on June 8. Creative Director Sam Lake took the stage during Summer Game Fest to announce that physical standard and collectors editions for Alan Wake 2 are also on the way.

What is Alan Wake?

Formerly a Microsoft-published game, Alan Wake is a dark thriller set in the fictional mountain town of Bright Falls. The eponymous writer, Alan, has arrived in Bright Falls with his wife, Alice, in an attempt to reset his creative juices. Alan has struggled to produce new writing material for a while, and the couple hope that visiting Bright Falls for a change of scenery and a change of pace will help. 

Bright Falls is inspired quite heavily by David Lynch's Twin Peaks, and pays homage to the horror soap opera repeatedly throughout the game. If you've seen Twin Peaks, you have a good idea for how Alan Wake ultimately plays out. Supernatural forces coalesce in and around Bright Falls, and Alan discovers that a horror novel he can't remember writing seems to be coming to life before his very eyes — and he is the unwilling main character. 

Alan Wake launched originally on the Xbox 360 in 2010, but was recently remastered and upscaled to modern tech in the form of Alan Wake Remastered. Alan Wake Remastered is currently on sale, making it the perfect time to jump in and play. 

Why you should play Alan Wake Remastered before playing Alan Wake 2 (no spoilers)

Alan Wake 2 launched on October 27, 2023, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, 13 years after the original game. Alan Wake 2 also takes place 13 years after Alan Wake 1, and puts you in command of new character Saga, who has arrived to investigate a series of grisly murders in and around Bright Falls. 

In our full Alan Wake 2 review, we detail how Remedy has doubled down on horror for the sequel. Right from the opening, Alan Wake 2 pulls no punches in ramping up tension, fear, and gory spectacle — while also calling back to the original game. 

Without spoiling Alan Wake 2, it's my belief that players should, if possible, aim to complete Alan Wake Remastered before diving in. Alan Wake 2 follows on from Alan Wake 1, and I imagine some of the early story delivery could be utterly bewildering without experiencing the ending of the previous game. 

That being said, Saga is a new character in the series, and she's new to Bright Falls. Her experiences could be similar to that of a new player since she's just as confused as you might be while playing through the game's initial sequences. Still, Alan Wake 2 delivers a ton of easter eggs for players of Remedy's previous games, it might even be worth playing through Control as well — although to a much, much lesser extent. Remedy has previously confirmed that they're building a "cinematic universe" of sorts through its mainline games, and as such, there are plenty of connections players of those games could make while experiencing Alan Wake 2. 

I won't go as far as to say your experience will be ruined if you skip Alan Wake 1. Indeed, the game offers a ton of context through Saga's experiences and the people she meets. Alan Wake 2 stands as its own experience, taking place in new events thirteen years after the original game. But undoubtedly, I feel as though my experience is elevated as someone who has played Alan Wake, and I think yours will be too. You could always grab a recap of the original game on YouTube if you don't fancy buying it. This Alan Wake recap from GameSpot is a good shout for example, or this one as told by writer Sam Lake himself on IGN. 

However you decide to experience Alan Wake 2, the game is absolutely incredible, and has raised the bar for visuals on Xbox Series X|S and PC, and will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of 2023. 

What you need to know

• During Opening Night Live at Gamescom 2023, Remedy Entertainment showed a new trailer for Alan Wake 2.
• The trailer is focused on Alan Wake, who is trapped in the Dark Place.
• Alan Wake 2 is scheduled to launch on Oct. 27, 2023.

Ready for a glimpse of the Dark Place?

To close out the show for Opening Night Live at Gamescom 2023, Remedy Entertainment showed up with another trailer for Alan Wake 2. Unlike the Summer Game Fest 2023 gameplay, which focused on co-protagonist Saga Anderson, this trailer is all about the horror that titular writer Alan Wake is currently trapped in, which seems to include the world of the mysterious Mr. Door.

In classic Remedy style, the trailer also fuses live-action scenes with bits of gameplay, adding to the surreal nature of everything happening. You can check out the trailer below:

During the trailer, we also hear mention of Alan's doppleganger, the illusive Mr. Scratch. There are monsters coming after Alan, who is desperate to escape the Dark Place and be "written out of the story."

Alan Wake 2 is slated to arrive on Oct. 27, 2023, after being delayed by just a few days. It'll be available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 as a digital-only release.

Analysis: Scratching at my brain

Remedy is providing more and more teases, and while none of these trailers have been substantial in nature, it's clear there's a big mystery at the heart of the narrative. In particular, I'm curious about how everything with Mr. Door falls into place, as he seems to be hosting a talk show in the Dark Place that Alan is an unwilling guest on. 

And just what is Mr. Scratch up to?

What you need to know

• During Summer Game Fest, Remedy Entertainment showed up to reveal some gameplay footage from Alan Wake 2. 
• The gameplay shows survival horror as the second protagonist, Saga Anderson, is attacked by a monster in the body of a murder victim.
• Alan Wake 2 is currently slated to launch on Oct. 17, 2023, where it will be available across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5.

The latest story from the creators at Remedy Entertainment is shaping up to be their spookiest yet. 

During Summer Game Fest 2023, Remedy Entertainment revealed some new gameplay footage for Alan Wake 2, showing how Saga Anderson (a new playable character) is attacked by a monster born from a murder victim. You can take a look at the gameplay footage below:

Creative director Sam Lake explains that the game is split between the two protagonists, Saga and Alan Wake, "50-50" and that "there are no right ways" to go about swapping between the two. Saga and Alan will both face unique challenges and dangers, with connections between them revealed as the story unfolds.

Alan Wake 2 is currently scheduled to arrive on Oct. 17 across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5. The game is a digital exclusive, and is not currently getting a physical release.

Windows Central's take

Yes, yes, yes. Remedy has been hyping up how this game will be the studio's first true survival horror game, and while I wish the gameplay demonstration had been longer, it still looks like everything I want. 

It took me far too long to experience Alan Wake for the first time. Originally released in 2010, I completed the first Alan Wake game *checks notes* three days ago. I was able to play this legendary survival horror game (including its two DLC expansions) at its very best thanks to the excellent Alan Wake Remastered edition, which is currently massively discounted on Xbox. You're welcome.

Alan Wake continues to be one of the best Xbox games of all time for fans of the steadily growing survival horror genre, thanks to its innovative gameplay, fascinating narrative concepts, and stellar writing. Don't believe me? Check out our Alan Wake Remastered review from when the game was released for all the details.

The remastered edition is the classic spooky game polished to a sheen, with updated visuals that stand the test of time on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. It's a fantastic game that I thoroughly enjoyed, and it made me very excited for what's coming later this year. After over a decade of waiting, Alan Wake fans (which now includes me) are getting a full sequel. Alan Wake 2 is coming later this year.

Do yourself a favor and buy Alan Wake Remastered on Xbox. It's 60% off, meaning you're only paying $11.99 for 15 or so hours of wonderful survival horror gaming. Do it even if the game will sit in your backlog for a while, as you have plenty of time before Alan Wake 2 releases for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 on Oct. 16, 2023. Oh, after you inevitably fall in love with the Alan Wake franchise, you can preorder Alan Wake 2 right now.

What you need to know

• Alan Wake 2 was officially revealed at The Game Awards in 2021 as a long-awaited sequel to the legendary horror game.
• After great anticipation from fans, the latest PlayStation Showcase confirmed that Alan Wake 2 will be released in 2023.
• Alan Wake 2 is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Windows PC on October 17, 2023, with preorders available now.

Fans of the cult thriller Alan Wake have been waiting over a decade for a sequel. While the franchise initially started as an Xbox 360 exclusive, Alan Wake Remastered brought the atmospheric hit to additional platforms to prepare a broader range of players for the highly anticipated follow-up. After a lengthy wait, the writer returns in 2023 alongside FBI agent Saga Anderson in Alan Wake 2.

Today’s PlayStation Showcase featured several notable multiplatform releases, including Alan Wake 2, the rumored Metal Gear Solid 3 remake, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and many more. For Xbox fans concerned about PlayStation’s aggressive exclusivity practices, it was confirmed that Alan Wake 2 will be launching on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Epic Games Store on October 17, 2023. While the team has previously assured fans that Alan Wake 2 would hit its 2023 targets, this is the first hard date provided to players.

The latest gameplay trailer presents a haunting look at the updated engine from Remedy Entertainment. Unlike its predecessor, Alan Wake 2 is an M-rated psychological horror title, and based on the small glimpses of footage we’ve seen so far, it appears to heavily embrace the darker side of this universe. With titles like Silent Hill 2 and Texas Chain Saw Massacre on the horizon, 2023 is shaping up to be an incredibly stacked year for horror video games. Make sure you have an excellent gaming headset secured to immerse yourself in ultimate terror.

What you need to know

• Alan Wake 2 is being developed Remedy Entertainment and published by Epic Games.
• Speaking on a podcast, voice actor Matthew Perretta indicated that Alan Wake 2 is slated to launch in October 2023. 
• Remedy Entertainment previously reiterated that Alan Wake 2 will be arriving at some point in 2023. 

It's that time again, where a game's potential release window might be innocuously revealed in an offhand comment.

Speaking on the Monsters, Madness and Magic podcast, Alan Wake voice actor Matthew Perretta revealed that Alan Wake 2 is being readied for an October 2023 launch.

"That's supposed to come out in October, we're in the middle of working on it now. In fact, I was just in Finland the last week. That's where the company is from, Remedy, amazing people," Peretta said. You can check out the full podcast below (the conversation regarding Alan Wake starts at about the 16:30 mark). 

In case this gets taken down, I've embedded the audio clip below, courtesy of @Wario64 on Twitter. 

Matthew Perretta has been the voice of Alan Wake throughout the original game and his reappearance in the connected Control, in addition to the upcoming game. Meanwhile, actor Ikka Villi has provided the motion capture and has portrayed Alan Wake in live-action ads and cameos across other games. 

The long-awaited Alan Wake 2 was first revealed back during The Game Awards 2021, with director Sam Lake revealing that this will be Remedy Entertainment's first true horror game. The studio originally intended to show a demo of the game last summer, before deciding instead to continue focusing as deeply as possible on the full development of the game. 

Whenever Alan Wake 2 arrives, it'll be available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC, and PS5.

Windows Central's take

"Actor says something they probably weren't supposed to" remains one of my favorite subgenres of news, it never gets old. 

This definitely makes sense though. Remedy's been keeping things close to the chest, which is one of the reasons I do believe this game makes it out this year, but it definitely won't be early on in the summer. With Alan Wake 2 being a full horror game, an October release date certainly makes sense, and nicely matches the release window of the remaster two years ago.

What you need to know

• Remedy Entertainment has changed its studio logo after over 20 years. 
• The change is meant to encompass the fact that Remedy is now known for far more games than just Max Payne. 
• Alongside the change in logo, the studio again reiterated that Alan Wake 2 is scheduled to arrive later in 2023.

If you've been used to Remedy Entertainment's iconic logo of the last few years, it's time for a shake-up. 

The storied developer shared a new logo on Friday (as picture above), the first time the logo has been changed in over 20 years. Remedy posits that the reason for the change is how the company has also changed over time. The bullet design of the former logo was an honorific for Max Payne, but now Remedy has made numerous other games. 

Alongside this new logo, Remedy again noted that Alan Wake 2 is slated to launch later in 2023. While we still haven't seen gameplay footage of the highly-anticipated sequel — the developers originally planned to show gameplay in 2022 but opted to only show Alan Wake 2 concept art in order to let the team focus on making the game — Remedy has reiterated at every point that the game will make its 2023 launch window.

While Alan Wake 2 does not yet have an official release date, we know that it's ramping up the scare factor. While the original Alan Wake pulled from the writings of Stephen King to create a creepy atmosphere, creative director Sam Lake has confirmed that Alan Wake 2 will be a full-fledged horror game. We also know that it's launching across Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC, and PS5. 

Outside of Alan Wake 2, Remedy Entertainment is also working on Max Payne and Max Payne 2 remakes, Control 2, a Control spinoff, and a live-service game. All of these games are currently much further out than Alan Wake 2. 

Windows Central's take

Logo changes are always interesting to me. I know a lot of people don't care for them, but I'm always curious regarding the decision-making progress and what a studio or publisher is trying to convey. 

Outside of that, Remedy seems extremely confident that Alan Wake 2 makes it this year. I certainly hope so, as a massive fan of the original, I've been waiting for a long time. A Summer Games Showcase gameplay reveal and an October release window would certainly make sense to me.

We're celebrating video game music this week at Windows Central and iMore, from the tracks to the composers that created them. For more music appreciation, click here.

Like the game it's backing, the Alan Wake soundtrack is an eclectic mix. There's hardcore rock 'n' roll, swooning melodies, and piano-based lullabies. It's a combination of a gorgeous score composed by Petri Alanko and a roundup of music from artists like Roy Orbison, Poe, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and David Bowie. It’s the kind of soundtrack so full of great artists that almost threatened to have Alan Wake removed from stores due to licensing issues.

One noteworthy band that pops up on the soundtrack is called the Old Gods of Asgard. It's a band with only four songs in its repertoire, according to Spotify, but six albums from the 1970s, according to oldgodsofasgard.com. This fansite also explains that the Old Gods of Asgard is "the best band in the history of mankind" thanks to hits like Children of the Elder God. But a music act with such a short catalog doesn't seem like the best candidate for best band. Or does it?

Children of Remedy

If you haven't heard of them before that's because it's actually a band created by Remedy Entertainment that began with its 2010 title Alan Wake. It has since crossed over into Control, which as we found out in the latter take place in the same universe. 

In the Remedy universe, the Old Gods of Asgard is a group comprised mainly of two siblings: Odin and Tor Anderson. When we as players first meet them, they're old men with dementia who've been committed to the Cauldron Lake Lodge, a sort of institution or rehabilitation center for struggling artists run by the corrupted Dr. Emil Hartman. They not only help Alan escape the lodge but also tell him that they have a song that can help him find his wife and fight the Dark Presence that lurks in Cauldron Lake. 

As anybody that has played Alan Wake understands, artists have the potential to shape the world with their creations, and the Old Gods of Asgard was no exception. They obtained moderate success in the 1970s, but were ultimately local folk who lived on the Anderson Farm and made moonshine from the water from Cauldron Lake. At some point, they did come into contact with the Dark Presence and defeated it, but at the cost of their own mental faculties. 

Despite this, their songs still have power for Alan. Children of the Elder God is a certified headbanger that shrieks out from giant speakers on an old stage in the middle of a field as the player fights against a sea of Taken. Meanwhile, the Poet and his Muse is a softer ballad that flat-out details what Alan needs to do.

"And now to see your love set free / You will need the witch's cabin key / Find the lady of the light, gone mad with the night / That's how you reshape destiny."

The band seems to have a knack for correctly identifying key plot points throughout the Remedy universe. In Control, the band makes an appearance as one of hero Jesse Faden’s favorite bands from her childhood and in a blink-and-you-miss-it album cover in the Ordinary section of the Oldest House. There are many connections made between Control and Alan Wake made in the later game, but the revelation that the Old Gods of Asgard exist across a multiverse is one of the most fun. 

The Old Gods also get to show off another one of their songs, called Take Control, which most people might recognize as the Ashtray Maze song. The tune itself goes hard, making the heart pump and blocking out the sounds of the Hiss as Jesse makes her way through an ever-changing maze. It’s one of the best levels in the game, and a lot of it is due to the sound design. 

The Ashtray Maze is a stop gap as you traverse throughout the Oldest House. It’s very likely a player will stumble across it too early and not be able to continue, instead getting redirected back to the beginning of the level. It’s only after you get a cassette player from janitor Ahti that you can get through. As Game Director Mikael Kasurinen said in an interview with GameSpot, “Music is the key to getting through the maze.”

Most impressive about Take Control, the track that plays through the headphones, is how it seems to go on forever. No matter how long you take in the maze, the song continues to play with no obvious breaks, skips, or repeats. In a way, it sounds almost as impossible as the maze itself feels. 

Meet the band behind the gods

A lot of the success of the Old Gods of Asgard comes down to the partnership between Remedy’s audio team and Finnish rock band Poets of the Fall. Whenever you hear the Old Gods of Asgard, you’re actually listening to this band rocking out in time with a surreal Remedy story.

This collaboration goes all the way back to Remedy’s time with the Max Payne series. Frontman Marko Saaresto told Gamereactor that he and studio creative director Sam Lake are childhood friends, and that he was brought in to write music on Max Payne 2. Thankfully, he had also just formed a band, Poets of the Fall. 

Lake and Saaresto worked closely together to create tracks for the game, one of which resulted in the end credits song Late Goodbye, which at this point as much a part of Max Payne lore as Max Payne himself is. The tune can be heard intermittently throughout the game, but players get to hear the full version at the end. It's a beautiful acoustic tune, bringing to life the feeling of loneliness on a dark, winding road in the middle of a desert.

Saaresto told PC Gamer that Lake wanted an original track for the game, but hadn't written lyrics before. Lake gave Saaresto one of his poems, which became the basis for the song.

Like many of the songs that would go on to define the Poets of the Fall/Remedy relationship, Late Goodbye is tied in with the world and the characters as much as it is just on the soundtrack.

“Coming up with these stories is a winding road,” Lake told PC Gamer. “You try something, it doesn’t work, and then you go a different way. Early on, the idea was that Max would be involved in some kind of traumatic event and forget all about it — except for a snippet of a song called Late Goodbye.”

Poets of the Fall and Remedy’s long history has certainly contributed to how well the two entities mesh together, but Saaresto said that Remedy also gives the band a lot of freedom to create, with the latter often adapting the game to the songs.

“Apart from having a brief for the story and musical style, we've had every creative freedom while working on these songs. The creatives at Remedy understand that it's usually best to allow creative minds free rein to get the best results,” he said. 

For Take Control, Poets of the Fall had a slightly difference experience and had to work directly with the audio team to create a song that could be broken down into pieces that the team could then rearrange and use throughout the level. It actually adapts to the player’s actions, which is why it sounds infinite. 

“Basically, we had to make sure the song follows in a kind of arc, through certain kinds of motions,” Kasurinen said of Take Control. “At the same time, we need to be able to react to whatever the player doing. He or she might stop at any given time and the song has to just kind of work with that, whatever happens. Yet, at the same time, it needs to sound natural like a normal song we expect to hear in a club or somewhere. So it couldn’t break that immersion, couldn’t break that sense of illusion of what we are creating.”

A studio and its muse

Luckily for Remedy or other horror game fans, it looks like this collaboration might continue. While it hasn’t been confirmed that the band will be returning, Poets of the Fall was very excited about the Alan Wake 2 announcement, and new Old Gods of Asgard merchandise dropped in 2021 (along with a new Twitter account). While this could’ve been timed to the release of Alan Wake Remastered, it also could indicate the studio isn’t ready to let Odin and Tor go wandering off into retirement just yet. 

The Old Gods of Asgard mythos is one that fits in so well with the Remedy universe, it feels almost made by the Oldest House itself. A duo of seemingly unhinged Viking nerds make some metal music in the 1970s and go on to confront a supernatural, unknowable force. Then, they help a struggling author and a new bureau director take out some bad guys. The fact that they’re the result of a successful pairing of game studio and rock band feels all the more appropriate and expansive. Poets of the Fall is just as much a part of the Remedy style as anything else.

Alan Wake 2 is here. Developer Remedy Entertainment revealed Alan Wake 2 in December 2021, confirming that at long last, a sequel to the 2010 cult classic title is on the way. The game is now available for players everywhere, and it seems to have been worth the wait.

It took a while for Alan Wake 2 to come together, with Remedy sharing some key details in the years leading up to its release, including how this will be a much darker story. With Remedy fully embracing horror as a genre, this is a big shift for the studio, while also a fitting shift for Alan Wake as a character. Here's everything you could want to know about Alan Wake 2.

What is Alan Wake 2?

Alan Wake 2 is the sequel to Alan Wake, a 2010 title that blended the action-adventure genre with psychological thriller storytelling. Alan Wake 2 is being developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Epic Games Publishing, the latter of which also published Alan Wake Remastered in 2021. 

Alan Wake Remastered brought the original game to modern platforms, including Xbox One and PS4. In my review, I noted that it wasn't a perfect remaster, but is still easily the best way to play one of Remedy's best games.

The original Alan Wake told the story of a burned-out mystery writer named Alan Wake. While on vacation with his wife, Alice, Alan was lured in by a Dark Presence, an entity that brought a terrifying story to life in the Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls. The people of the town were slowly possessed by darkness, turned into The Taken, creatures that could only be harmed after being stripped of said darkness with light. Alice was abducted by the Dark Presence, who promised he could have his wife back if he finished his latest story.

Alan also learned that this had previously happened to another writer named Thomas Zane, as the Dark Presence seeks to amplify and embody the writing that happens near it, using the writing to reshape the world and tell its own stories. After much difficulty, Alan managed to defeat the presence and save Alice, but in doing so became trapped in the Dark Place, something he realized is far bigger than he ever imagined with the haunting words, "It's not a lake, it's an ocean."

In Alan Wake 2, the story is split between two protagonists. Alan is still stuck in the Dark Place, while the game also introduces Saga Anderson, a woman in the FBI who is investigating Bright Falls. 

Alan Wake 2 trailers

The first trailer for Alan Wake 2 from Remedy Entertainment revealed the game during The Game Awards 2021 on Dec. 9, 2021. While there's no actual gameplay, as it's a CGI trailer, the trailer sets the appropriate creepy tone, introducing Alan in a nightmarish world, while granting glimpses of Bright Falls from the original game. You can watch the trailer on YouTube.

"We all come to a story with hopes and expectations, looking for an answer. Sometimes it would be better to live with that hope, without ever finding the story. This is not the story you want it to be. This story will eat you alive. This story is a monster and monsters wear many faces," Alan warns.

One trailer gave us a small bit of gameplay, while also giving the game's initial release date before it would change slightly in the following months. We also got a trailer during Opening Night Live at Gamescom 2023, where we saw glimpses of the terror that Alan is faced with. 

Alan Wake 2 actor

No, that isn't Jake Gyllenhaal in the announcement trailer. The actor's name is Ilkka Villi, a Finnish actor and writer. He portrayed Alan Wake in the original Alan Wake and associated live-action media such as the song War by Poets of the Fall. Meanwhile, American voice actor Matthew Porretta is also returning to voice the writer. So yes, Remedy got both of the original actors for Alan Wake back.

Alan Wake 2 gameplay and features

You can take a look at the gameplay reveal from Summer Game Fest 2023 below:

Remedy confirmed that this is the studio's first survival-horror game, meaning resource management might be even more important than in the original game. Alan Wake 2 is confirmed to be a third-person game, in line with Alan Wake, Quantum Break, Control, and the majority of Remedy-developed games.

"We are diving deeper than ever, into an ocean of darkness," creative director Sam Lake notes. Remedy notes that as a full survival-horror game, that there are even worse things lurking in the dark than the Taken of Bright Falls, adding that Alan Wake 2 will be a "chilling experience with familiar psychological horror elements."

"We are pushing further into the horror aspect of it, but also exploring the depth of the character," Lake added "We are pushing him further than ever before, and that's part of a horror story as well, putting the character through the ringer."

There are unique gameplay elements for both protagonists. Saga Anderson has access to the Mind Place, where Saga can piece together clues she's found so far.

Speaking with IGN, Lake also adds that there are small portions of the original concept for Alan Wake 2 (from years ago) that are in this game, but most of it is new ideas. Lake adds that the switch to survival-horror has brought in a lot of new "fresh, exciting ideas."

Alan Wake 2 is also rated M, as opposed to the T rating of the original game. Lake says this is a design choice, one that is "liberating" for the team in not having to hold back on any ideas or themes, fitting with the recurring focus here on making Alan Wake 2 a great horror game.

Is Alan Wake 2 connected to Control?

Yes. Alan Wake 2 takes place in the "Remedy Connected Universe" which, so far, is confirmed to include Alan Wake and the 2019 title Control. This was solidified with the Control: AWE DLC. Remedy notes that playing these games isn't required for understanding Alan Wake 2, though naturally it will help provide context, especially for the titular character and the situation in which he finds himself.

So, far we've seen connections such as mentions of Mr. Door, who is hosting a show of sorts in the Dark Place that Alan is meant to guest star in. Mr. Door was previously mentioned in Control, and there will undoubtedly be more connections hidden away.

Alan Wake 2 concept art

In a May 2022 update, Remedy Entertainment shared some Alan Wake 2 concept art. The art is dark, literally, focusing on the horror aspects of the game.

Alan Wake 2 platforms

Remedy Entertainment is developing Alan Wake 2 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC via the Epic Games Store, and PS5. This means Alan Wake 2 is a current-generation exclusive title, so it won't be held back by the Xbox One or PS4. Remedy calls Alan Wake 2 "a truly next-generation experience."

Being built for this hardware means Alan Wake 2 can take full advantage of the ultra-fast SSDs in the latest consoles, as well as being designed around CPU and GPU hardware that's far superior to the prior generation of consoles. This means higher frame rates, more intense visual effects, and faster loading times across the board, or perhaps even the elimination of loading times entirely.

Like Quantum Break and Control, Alan Wake runs on Remedy's proprietary Northlight engine, which Lake adds is allowing Alan Wake 2 to be "by far be the best-looking, most beautiful Remedy game ever." This is also the same engine being used in the upcoming remake of Max Payne and Max Payne 2, which is being developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Rockstar Games. That remake will also be exclusive to current-generation consoles.

When is Alan Wake 2's release date?

Alan Wake 2 is currently scheduled to arrive on Oct. 27, 2023. This comes after Remedy Entertainment chose to go dark throughout 2022, only sharing lots of details on the game in 2023. 

Originally, the studio planned to share more information about the game at some point in Summer 2022. This changed in May 2022, when Remedy Entertainment revealed that the team didn't want to spend time creating a dedicated gameplay slice. Instead, the studio is (for now) focused on simply making the game, though the team did share some concept art.

"Everything is going really well. A great deal of the game is playable, we are iterating it. But we've been talking the past couple of months, and we've come to the decision that we will not be showing anything big this summer," Lake said at the time. "We want to make sure that we are creating the best possible experience, the best, first survival-horror game from Remedy. We don't want to pivot the team away from that focus to work on a demo right now."

What you need to know

• Remedy Entertainment announced Alan Wake 2 at The Game Awards 2022.
• While the studio originally wanted to share more details over the summer, that won't be happening anymore.
• Remedy Entertainment did share some new concept art for the game.
• The developers also shared that AMC has purchased the rights for an Alan Wake TV show.

There won't be any Alan Wake 2 news over the course of the summer, but we do have a couple of interesting things to take a look at right now.

Remedy Entertainment shared on Thursday that while the studio had originally intended to talk more about Alan Wake 2 over the summer period, that won't be happening anymore. This will allow the developers to focus on making the game for now. With that in mind, Remedy Entertainment did share some new concept art for the game.

Source: Remedy Entertainment

Source: Remedy Entertainment

"We are pushing further into the horror aspect of it, but also exploring the depth of the character," says creative director Sam Lake.

In addition to this update on the game, Lake also shared that AMC has purchase the rights to an Alan Wake TV show, though there's no other update on that front right now. AMC Networks is known for major series such as Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead. You can watch the full conversation below:

Alan Wake 2 is currently slated to launch at some point in 2023. Whenever the game arrives, it'll be available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, and PS5.

During The Game Awards 2021, one of the big reveals of the night was Remedy Entertainment's Alan Wake 2. While the first game had horror elements, Remedy lead Sam Lake announced it would be the studio's first ever survival horror game. You can watch the reveal trailer on YouTube.

"We know this is going to be a pretty scary experience," Lake said at the awards, adding that the team has been interating on the concept for a while now. "Now we are convinced everybody is ready."

The trailer shown off at The Game Awards shows Alan talking about stories while we flash through multiple scenes, including one that looks like Bright Falls during the festival from the previous game. "This is not the story you want it to be," Alan says. "This story willl eat you alive."

In a press release, Lake added that the move to survival horror is a great way to "dive deeper than ever before into building an intense atmosphere and a twisted, layered, psychological story."

The game is set to release in 2023 and will be available on Epic Games Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, meaning it's a fully next-gen experience. Remedy will be revealing more information about the game this summer.

A sequel to the 2010 psychological thriller, the game focuses again on the titular writer, who previously showed up in the Control AWE DLC. This DLC officially merged the worlds of Control and Alan Wake, creating a "Remedy Connected Universe."

Originally an Xbox 360 exclusive, the first Alan Wake was later ported to PC, before making its way to PlayStation platforms as well with the launch of Alan Wake Remastered earlier in 2021. In our review, we noted that Alan Wake Remastered isn't a perfect experience and more could've been done in modernizing the game and that "A few more extras would've been nice but this is the best way to play through Remedy's horror adventure."

Alan Wake, both the titular writer and the game, are going through a fascinating journey. While long lauded among the best works of storytelling prodigy Remedy Entertainment, it never saw the same commercial success, spending years as something of a cult classic. Now that it's back through Alan Wake Remastered, I hope some people who skipped out take the plunge with its revival.

Rough around the edges as it was, Alan Wake remains a personal favorite of the Xbox 360 years. It weaves a dark tale of nightmarish writing coming to life, a story both far-reaching in its terrifying scope, yet oddly personal in its characters. I loved it all those years ago and going through Alan Wake Remastered only cemented that feeling.

This remaster doesn't go quite as far as I'd have liked in some ways but the core story remains riveting and the gameplay holds up. There's a lot of Xbox games dropping this fall but if you've never played Alan Wake before, or you're a veteran pondering a return trip to Bright Falls, this isn't one to miss.

Disclaimer: This review was made possible by a review code provided by Epic Games Publishing. The company did not see the contents of the review before publishing.

Alan Wake Remastered: What I liked

There are two camps of people that might be interested in Alan Wake Remastered: curious newcomers and those who have played it before. For the sake of the former, I'll keep everything ahead spoiler-free, as the story is paramount to what makes Alan Wake so memorable. The events unfold around a burnt-out mystery writer, worried he's already past his prime, unable to pen anything new since his last huge book.

On a getaway vacation in the calm Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls, his wife Alice goes missing, and Alan loses a week of his memory. He keeps finding pages of a manuscript that seem to have been written by him, while contents of those pages seem to be happening in front of him. That's only the beginning of a descent into horror, as there's darkness following Wake, both alive and very, very hungry.

At its core, Alan Wake was and still is a third-person shooter. You collect various guns, flares, and flashbang grenades, using light, = often in the form of your trusty flashlight, to strip away the shadowy armor of the "Taken." If the darkness isn't removed from the Taken — people, animals, and objects that completely succumb to the dark — they can't be stopped. Your batteries are every bit as valuable as your bullets.

I previously wrote about how Alan Wake Remastered is a chance for newcomers to experience an overlooked classic, and every word of that rings even more true at launch. Drawing on other works like the Twilight Zone, Twin Peaks, and the tales of Stephen King, Alan Wake delves into horror by presenting a very personal, grounded world. The people Alan converses with by day might become bloodthirsty, hollow shells by night.

This tension is woven into the gameplay, as any source of light becomes a literal beacon of hope, a refuge from the unending hordes of Taken. In a genre of games where horror is dominated by zombies and other monsters, the unearthly void that is Alan Wake's terror just stands out as truly unique. Alan Wake is a personal tale of burnout, desperation, and hope, something that sticks with me now more than ever before. Alan Wake was one-of-a-kind back in 2010. Years later, that unique balance still works just as well as before.

I also have to mention the score, which includes several stellar licensed tracks, including some particular standouts from Finnish rock band Poets of the Fall.

Source: Windows Central

The game's story is divided into eight "episodes," with the first six composing the original game, and the final two being post-launch DLCs that were later available. Using this episodic structure, the game's pacing remains particularly strong. The game doles out combat encounters and the story reveals at just the right rate, with the documents you find providing excellent foreshadowing of what may come around the corner.

As far as technical improvements go, this is explicitly a remaster, not a remake. There's a slate of components that are polished to provide a smoother experience. The resolution is vastly improved over the original Xbox 360 release while running at 60 frames-per-second (FPS) on the latest consoles. The world environment is certainly a tad dated but it still looks good, with the thick fog and crisp Pacific forest providing a solid backdrop to the horrors lurking in the dark.

However, the character models and lip-syncing see incredible improvements, all vastly superior to the original version of the game. There's more detail and expression on everyone, with mouths actually matching recorded dialogue, though it does mean we get less of Alan's iconic slack-jawed look.

Alan Wake Remastered: What I didn't like

While just being a remaster is fine, there's definitely a sense that more could've been done for Alan Wake Remastered. A lack of proper HDR support and ray-tracing is a particular shame as the game already features such dark, eerie scenery that more striking contrasts would've been a natural fit. It's not a dealbreaker but if you've played the game on PC before, you've already experienced it at a higher framerate, which is one of the major improvements here.

The gameplay is similarly fine, though it's also a shame that Alan's jumping remains as clumsy as ever. Allowing him to pull himself up or refining the jumps a bit would've made the game's (thankfully rare) platforming sequences much more palatable. Alan also still runs out of breath very quickly while sprinting, something that isn't too bad during normal gameplay but definitely can become a headache when you're heading off the beaten path to find more collectibles.

Alan Wake Remastered: Should you play it?

If you're in the camp that never played Alan Wake before, grabbing this remaster is just a no-brainer. The story and characters are every bit as gripping as before and while the gameplay may not reach the heights of time-bending adventure Quantum Break or the surreal world of Control, it's strong enough to keep up with the horror tale being told.

For anyone that has played Alan Wake before, especially on PC, the somewhat limited technical improvements make it a bit harder to justify. However, if you're wanting to jump into Alan Wake in 2021, it's worth the time and money. It's no secret that Remedy is working on another title with Epic Games, and now is the right time for players to jump back into the dark lake of Alan Wake. The implications of the story have long gone unanswered, and like any good horror story, that's for the best.

Now, bring on Alan Wake 2.

*Alan Wake Remastered is set to launch on Oct. 5, 2021 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, PS5, and PS4.

Alan Wake is a great game. Originally released on the Xbox 360 in 2010 with a PC port arriving later, it told the story of titular writer Alan Wake as finds himself in a Stephen King-esque nightmare, where a story he can't remember writing comes to life after his wife goes missing. If Max Payne proved Finnish developer Remedy Entertainment could walk, Alan Wake proved it could run.

Unfortunately, Alan Wake is also a game that many people missed when it first launched, partially due to launching alongside a little title from Rockstar Games called Red Dead Redemption. While it's certainly become a cult classic and reached more people thanks to the aforementioned PC port and, years later, hitting Xbox Game Pass, it never reached the heights that it deserved. Alan Wake Remastered has the potential to change that as it joins the huge catalog of Xbox games.

What makes Alan Wake worth playing?

I really liked Control and its unique blend of horror, action, and general weirdness, and that game helped expose Remedy to a broader audience. However, there's simply something special about Alan Wake. Remedy's proven more and more capable in its gameplay since then as the studio branched out its combat later on through time-bending adventure Quantum Break and the eerie halls of Control. Yet, Alan Wake remains to me the pinnacle of the studio's excellent storytelling.

Alan Wake works because while there's absolutely a creepy story, there's almost as much character building and plot development during broad daylight as there is amidst the pure terror at night. By many standards it's a great horror game but it's also a well-paced thriller. The narrative is woven perfectly into the (admittedly simple) combat: Alan uses some guns but he has to first weaken threats with light. His health is refilled in the light and it grows to reinforce safety. At any point while playing through the day, there's a clock ticking in the back of your head, realizing that eventually, night will again fall and the monsters will come.

The unease of making your way through the day, trying to understand what's going on free of the dark shadows that attack at night, provides a tense juxtaposition. It's a slow-burn framing for the story and one that pays off in spades. True thrillers are rare enough in video games in general, but as far as higher-budget titles go, Alan Wake is in a class of its own.

This is reinforced by just what Alan deals with. He's not fighting horrific monsters but shadowy corruptions of everyday people, things and animals. It feels more grounded, like a waking nightmare world that slips in and out of existence. Characters you trust, people Alan cares for, are all vulnerable to it. The story is lent a more personal terror than simple zombies or other commonplace horror fodder.

Why Alan Wake deserves that remaster

Overall, the presentation of the game holds up over 10 years later, which is why Remedy has opted for a remaster here instead of a full-on remake. Enhanced resolution and frame rate, along with some other effects, are all helping to present the game in its best light possible, but this is the same Alan Wake fans like myself know and love.

I understand the concern some potential players might have with the gameplay not receiving any real changes, but as much as the concept of requiring a flashlight for weaking foes is neat, the gameplay was never the real focus. Not choosing to overhaul that aspect isn't going to detract from what makes this experience so tense and interesting.

The combat is simple but since the basic premise for fighting remains the same all throughout the game, massive overhauls weren't needed.There are some incredible moments I still don't want to spoil if you've avoided knowing them all this time, but let's just say one encounter backed up by an in-universe song from Finnish band Poets of the Fall still puts a smile on my face.

That special story deserves to be seen more, and the announcement of Alan Wake Remastered could deliver that broadened exposure. One thing that helps is the (relative) quiet into which this remaster is launching. Even with a handful of major games this holiday season, the numerous delays of high-profile AAA titles means that things are a little sparser than usual — though of course there's still plenty of games — so this remaster has a fair bit of room to breathe. Certainly, it has more than the original game had.

Remedy has quite a few games in development right now, including a proper follow-up to Control and a multiplayer-based spinoff title. There's also another game signed with Epic Games, one that is reportedly a proper Alan Wake sequel. With the events of Control's AWE expansion tying the Remedy universe together, now is the right time for players to acquaint (or re-acquaint) themselves with Remedy's slackjawed wife guy writer. If a sequel truly does pan out, it's also a great time for Remedy to draw on what the team first created that drew players — and Alan himself — to Bright Falls.

Alan Wake was always a great game, but it took many people a while to realize it. Now that Alan Wake Remastered is coming, I hope people don't miss out on it again.

*Alan Wake Remastered is currently scheduled to launch on Oct. 5, 2021 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, PS5 and PS4. *

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Alan Wake was an Xbox 360 exclusive that reverted to the game's creator, Remedy Entertainment, after Microsoft decided not to fund a sequel. Since then, there were hints from Remedy that the franchise would come back in some form, fuelling rumors of a sequel. Now, we've got a glimpse of the first Alan Wake project in the post-Microsoft era for the franchise, and the game is heading to PlayStation for the first time.

As spotted by Wario64 on Twitter (definitely drop a follow) Alan Wake Remastered was outed on Rakuten Taiwan, complete with an October 5 launch date. Our sources have confirmed to us that this is indeed real, and the game was slated to be revealed in the very near future regardless. Wario64 discovered store listings for Xbox, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. It's natural to assume this will also come to PC, too.

Alan Wake tells the story of the titular Alan, a writer who travels to the Pacific North West in America to find inspiration for his next novel. While in the fictional town of Bright Falls (filled with references to cult TV show Twin Peaks), Alan discovers a mysterious force at work in the town, twisting the inhabitants into shadowy, psychotic reflections of their former selves. What's worse, everything Alan Wake writes seems to be coming true, except he can't remember writing the events creating this strange town-wide upheaval.

In Alan Wake, players use light sources to defeat enemies. The original game had some of the most impressive lighting effects for its time as a result, complete with Remedy's great writing and signature tight gunplay. With Alan Wake Remastered hitting stores, hopefully, we'll see a revival of interest in the franchise, eventually leading us to that long sought-after sequel. After all, there are indeed rumors that the game Remedy is working on with Epic Games could indeed be Alan Wake 2.

What you need to know

• Alan Wake is a popular third-person action game from Remedy Entertainment.
• It originally launched on Xbox 360 many years ago.
• The title is coming to Xbox Game Pass on May 21 according to the developer.
• DayZ has also found new success after hitting Xbox Game Pass.

Xbox Game Pass is a monthly game subscription service from Microsoft that gives you access to over 200 games for $10 a month. If you buy Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you gain access to not just Xbox Game Pass, but also Xbox Live Gold.

Today, Remedy Entertainment revealed that Alan Wake was coming to Xbox Game Pass on May 21. It's unclear if this was to be revealed since the official Xbox Game Pass Twitter account usually teases such announcements. Either way, it's happening!

Xbox Game Pass has also proven to be quite beneficial for DayZ. Today, developer Bohemia Interactive sent Windows Central the following press release.

It seems like another game, called Golf With Your Friends is also coming to Xbox Game Pass soon. It should be available on May 19 from the looks of it, when it launches on all platforms. Cities: Skylines may also be returning in a few days. Lastly, Xbox Game Pass for PC is getting Plebby Quest: The Crusades.

Are you going to play both games on Xbox Game Pass? What titles do you want to see join the service? Let us know.

One of Microsoft's biggest missed opportunities can be found in the Alan Wake IP. The horror-thriller title with nods to the likes of Twin Peaks and Silent Hill wasn't a huge hit in its first outing but amassed a dedicated cult following when it launched back on the Xbox 360. Microsoft declined to fund a sequel, sadly, owing to the fact the original game sold only around 3 million copies.

Update July 1, 2019: I have amended some of the language in this article to emphasize the fact that it is the publishing rights that were acquired. Remedy always owned the IP.

GI.Biz is reporting that Remedy, known for Quantum Break, Max Payne, and the upcoming sci-fi action game Control, has acquired the publishing rights to the Alan Wake IP from Microsoft, meaning that they can now publish the game for themselves. Previously, despite Remedy owning the IP, all publishing rights to Alan Wake belonged to Microsoft, preventing a sequel from being made.

Alan Wake followed the tale of a writer, struggling to pen his next best-seller. In an attempt to gain some fresh perspective and inspiration, he travels to the sleepy town of Bright Falls for a relaxing vacation with his wife. Things quickly turn south, however, with supernatural phenomena, possessed crazed townfolk, and endless nightfall thrusting Alan Wake on a desperate search for his wife, who has gone missing. Disturbingly, it seems as though pages from a horror story he can't recall writing, are also becoming true.

Alan Wake had evocative visuals and polished combat for its time, but failed to meet Microsoft's expectations for returns, perhaps owing to lengthy development cycle and pretty high-profile marketing campaign. Alan Wake 2 had been in development, but Microsoft declined to fund it. Remedy instead built Quantum Break, which similarly failed to meet Microsoft's expectations.

It's my belief that with proper nurturing and sequels, both Quantum Break and Alan Wake could have grown into pillar IP for Microsoft, but Microsoft seems to find single-player narrative games to be too big of a risk in today's multiplayer-service-heavy times. Hopefully, with Remedy back in the driving seat, Alan Wake can find its true potential with another publisher in the future.

Remedy is currently working on Control set for debut on August 27, 2019, which is a supernatural action game with some awesome-looking superpowers and destructible environments.

A few months ago, Alan Wake — the renowned cult classic from Remedy Entertainment — was delisted from various storefronts like Steam and Xbox Live. This was mostly due to the fact that licensed music deals had expired. Renewing them is a lot of work, and it looks like the studio and Microsoft worked it out with those who gave them permission to use their music.

Today, Remedy announced that Alan Wake was back on the Steam store on Twitter. According to the studio, other platforms should follow very soon as well. You can read the company's statement below.

The game features Alan Wake, a best-selling thriller author, who has been suffering from writers block and unable to continue his latest novel. In an attempt to rekindle his mind, he and his wife, Alice, travel to the mountains for a short vacation in a desolate cabin. As Alan returns from a night walk in the woods, he arrives to find his wife being pulled down into the lake by an unknown force. That's when the adventure begins.

If you haven't played Alan Wake already, be sure to check it out alongside Alan Wake's American Nightmare. They're both great and eerie experiences even to this day. The game is currently discounted to just $3 on Steam. Considering its age, even modest devices can run it really well.

See at Steam

Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!

Alan Wake is a cult classic that has garnered numerous fans on Xbox and PC platforms. Unfortunately, Remedy Entertainment has been developing experiences like Quantum Break in recent years, and the franchise has been put on hold. It's unclear if Microsoft even wants to make a sequel.

Fans of the franchise may be able to get their fix through another medium though. According to a report in Variety, an Alan Wake live-action television series is in development with Peter Calloway as the showrunner and game creator Sam Lake as executive producer. You may remember Calloway from critically-acclaimed shows like "Cloak and Dagger" and "Legion".

Speaking with Variety, Lake said the following.

Hopefully the show will be just as good as the game. It's unclear if it's going to be a prequel or pick up after the events of the games. We'll keep you posted as soon as we know more about the project.

See at Amazon

Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!

Quantum Break and Alan Wake are two Xbox titles crying out for a sequel, sequels Microsoft apparently doesn't want to make, according to Remedy.

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz (via COGConnected) about Remedy's next game, Control, the Finnish independent studio discusses the fate of Alan Wake and Quantum Break, and the pain of not being in control (heh, pun) of the worlds the studio has built.

Alan Wake

Remedy CEO Tero Virtala implied in the interview how the studio had intended to create a long-term franchise with both Quantum Break and Alan Wake, working hard to flesh out the characters, their backstories, and the worlds attached to them. The way Quantum Break is littered with easter eggs that call back to Alan Wake speaks to that fact. Virtala notes that Microsoft doesn't want to take either franchise "further."

Both Alan Wake and Quantum Break finish in a way that leave them wide open for a sequel. While it sounds as though both games struggled to obtain the commercial success Microsoft hoped for them, both titles enjoy a loyal fanbase and could easily achieve wider success with a few tweaks.

Quantum Break is an action thriller that follows Jack Joyce on a mission to prevent the collapse of time itself, following a failed time travel experiment. Alan Wake is a psychological horror that draws heavy inspiration from Twin Peaks and similar TV shows, which challenge the idea of "reality" itself. Both games are available to buy on Xbox One, and are well worth every penny.

Remedy's next game: Control

Microsoft recently added five new studios to its first-party portfolio, specifically with the goal of addressing the central criticism of Xbox as a platform: here are not enough high-quality exclusive "AAA" games. Quantum Break or Alan Wake sequels, complete with addressed feedback, would be prime candidates to help build out Microsoft's first-party offering. But for whatever reason, it looks like we'll never get them.

• See Quantum Break at Microsoft Store
• See Alan Wake at Microsoft Store

Remedy Entertainment has announced a massive 90 percent discount sale on Steam for thriller Alan Wake will run from May 13 through May 15. Unfortunately, the circumstances around the sale are less than ideal: Remedy will be pulling the game from digital and retail stores on May 15 because of a music licensing issue.

On its forums, Remedy says that it is working on relicensing the music for Alan Wake, but there's no timeframe available. The 90 percent off sale will cover both the base game, as well as all of its DLC and Alan Wake's American Nightmare. Fortunately, American Nightmare will remain on sale in stores after May 15.

Play your favorite Steam games on any TV in the house with a Steam Link for $20

Alan Wake was first released in 2010, and it received broad acclaim for its psychological horror-infused plot. If you're even vaguely interested in the game, it might be worth picking up for a future playthrough before it is removed from digital storefronts (including Xbox) on May 15. At just a few bucks after its 90 percent discount, it'd be hard to justify not adding it to your Steam library.

The sale starts on May 13.

See at Steam

If you already own Remedy's previous game Alan Wake, but have never gotten around to getting the game's two DLC expansion packs, you don't have an excuse anymore. Both The Signal and The Writer are now free to download for Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners.

Alan Wake, along with the expansion packs, were recently made available to play on the Xbox One via backwards compatibility. Also, people who pre-ordered Remedy's new Xbox One game Quantum Break got Alan Wake and DLC packs for free. Alan Wake itself is still priced at $19.99 in the Xbox Store.

See at Xbox.com

Xbox One owners officially have four more older Xbox 360 games they can play on their current-gen console. Microsoft has expanded its Xbox One Backward Compatibility to include LEGO Batman, Alan Wake's American Nightmare, Sam and Max Beyond Time and Space, and Trials HD.

That means people who already own either the digital or disc versions of those Xbox 360 games can play them on the Xbox One as well for no additional cost.

A few days ago, some Xbox One owners were also able to download and play Red Dead Redemption and some other games, but Microsoft later said those games are still in testing and their public release was an error. The games were later blocked from being accessed on the Xbox One.

Check out all of the Xbox One Backward Compatible games

Pre-ordering Quantum Break will bag you Alan Wake's American Nightmare, an Xbox 360 survival horror game that is backwards compatible with Xbox One. The title was released back in 2012, but now you'll be able to enjoy it on Microsoft's latest console as you join Alan Wake in rewriting reality.

If you pre-order Quantum Break for Xbox One, once the game is released you'll receive a promotional code within a week that will unlock access to American Nightmare. The package included with pre-orders not only contains the backwards compatible title, but also The Signal and The Writer add-ons.

If all this wasn't enough already, you'll also get the Windows 10 version of Quantum Break for free. Hit the link below to be taken to the Xbox Store where you can place an order.

Pre-order at Xbox.com

Source: Major Nelson

According to the game's writer, we'll eventually see a sequel to the Xbox 360 console exclusive Alan Wake.

Sam Lake, credited with creating Max Payne and the upcoming Xbox One exclusive Quantum Break, confirmed the news in a new interview with Game Informer.

Alan Wake launched in 2010 as a Xbox 360 console exclusive, eventually hitting PC in 2012. The game follows the eponymous best-selling writer, Alan Wake, as he visits the fictional town of Bright Falls on vacation. While there, events from a psychological thriller written by Alan Wake begin coming to life, sending him on a terrifying supernatural quest to solve his wife's disappearance.

Alan Wake won praise for its detailed visuals, unique gunplay mechanics and survival horror leanings. Sadly, Alan Wake's ending and DLC left the game wide open for a sequel that has yet to materialise. Since the announcement of the time-bending Quantum Break, Alan Wake fans have been eager to know what Remedy Entertainment plan to do afterwards. Thankfully, it could well be Alan Wake 2.

The interview took place in the form of 100 quick-fire questions, which saw various other snippets of information come to light.

• When asked if we'll ever get to play Alan Wake 2, Sam Lake simply replied "yes."
• Sam Lake also hopes to see Quantum Break on PC
• Apparently, Quantum Break will feature dinosaurs
• Sam Lake isn't aging backwards
• Sam Lake's favorite game is Half Life 2
• Quantum Break has no Kinect support
• Quantum Break's powers are upgradable
• Out of all the games he's made, Sam Lake is most proud of Alan Wake
• Quantum Break's in-game TV show has four episodes
• The live action episodes don't require any controller interaction

Be sure to check out the full (and rather hilarious) interview from Game Informer here.

Remedy Entertainment are independent, but Microsoft own the rights to Quantum Break. It seems like the game would be a good title to put in the Windows 10 Store to boost its core offering. I've seen Quantum Break running live on a Xbox One at a couple of events, and each time I've come away impressed. Quantum Break blends a live-action TV show with third-person shooting and time-manipulation powers. Given what we've seen of the game so far, it seems like a total step-up for the Finnish studio, who are well renowned for crafting memorable, cinematic experiences. This time, apparently, with dinosaurs.

After Quantum Break, it seems likely that we're going to get an answer to all those ambiguous questions posed by Alan Wake's DLC and ending. If you haven't played Alan Wake yet, it's highly expected to be joining the Xbox One as part of its initial backwards compatibility offering - set to be revealed in full on November 9th.

Are you an Alan Wake fan? Are you ready for a sequel? Let us know below.

Source: Game Informer

Remedy's Twin Peaks love letter Alan Wake spent 5 years in development before lighting up the Xbox 360 back in 2010. The survival horror game was received with critical acclaim, both from Remedy fans and reviewers alike, leaving many to wonder about a sequel.

Remedy are working on Quantum Break right now, a time bending Xbox One exclusive thriller, but that doesn't mean Alan Wake 2 isn't on the table.

Speaking at length with Polygon, Remedy's Sam Lake outlined the Alan Wake 2 prototype that never saw the light of day, but also paved the way for Quantum Break.

To say Alan Wake ends on a cliff-hanger would be an understatement. Without spoiling the plot, Alan Wake closes on a note that leaves it feeling incomplete, for reasons outlined by Sam Lake above. So then, what about that sequel?

Sam Lake provided a proof-of-concept video, which shows a documentary maker retracing the steps of Alan Wake who finds himself deeper and deeper in a personal war with the evil forces of the first game. Some of elements of the above prototype ended up in other games; Arizona was used as the setting for Alan Wake's American Nightmare, and the pockets of frozen reality can be found in the upcoming Xbox One exclusive Quantum Break.

Remedy own the rights to Alan Wake, and they sent the prototype around to various publishers before hitting up Microsoft again. Conversations with Xbox head Phil Spencer would eventually lead to Quantum Break.

Quantum Break was originally slated for 2015 release, and has since been pushed into 2016 to allow Remedy to fine-tune, and avoid the deluge of Microsoft exclusives slamming our wallets during this holiday season. I saw Quantum Break running on Xbox One at last year's Gamescom, and it certainly took the prize for leaving me the most jaw-dropped. I remember glancing around the press event wondering how people were calmly and professionally containing their inner nerd.

You should check out the full interview on Polygon.com here, but the key take away is that Sam Lake sees a future for Alan Wake.

If you haven't had a chance to play the award winning psychological horror game, Alan Wake, from Remedy Entertainment and Microsoft Game Studios - do it now. The terrifying title is currently available for download from the Xbox LIVE marketplace for less than five dollars.

The game features Alan Wake, a best-selling thriller author, who has been suffering from writers block and unable to continue his latest novel. In an attempt to rekindle his mind, he and his wife, Alice, travel to the mountains for a short vacation in a desolate cabin (you already know this sounds like a bad idea). As Alan returns from a night walk in the woods (seriously, dude?), he arrives to find his wife being pulled down into the lake by an unknown force; he runs after her into the lake, only to black out - this is where the horrific adventure begins.

Check out the game trailer above and let us know what you think of the game if you already own it! If the title isn't already in your library you can purchase the game for Xbox 360 by clicking here.

Enjoy your nightmares...

Source: Consumer Camp