Remedy's 13-Year Dream of Alan Wake 2 is Now a Reality

After the success of Control, Remedy could have easily created a sequel, but instead, the studio opted to develop a sequel to their 2010 game, Alan Wake. This decision was not driven by financial gain, but rather by the passion of the team, particularly creative director Sam Lake, who has been lobbying for the project for over a decade. The development of Alan Wake 2 began after Remedy acquired the publishing rights from Microsoft in 2019. The team worked on incorporating Alan Wake references into Control and eventually created a full crossover with the 2020 expansion, AWE. In 2021, Remedy released a remastered version of the original game, paving the way for a new Alan Wake title with Epic Games as the publisher. According to Lake, the team has been driven by a burning ambition to push the boundaries of the game. The introduction of detective gameplay and a new character, Saga Anderson, has allowed the team to create a more complex and engaging experience. The game has also shifted genres, becoming a survival horror game, which has enabled the team to tie the storytelling closer to the gameplay. The development of Alan Wake 2 has not been without its challenges, particularly with the COVID-19 lockdowns. However, the team has learned from their experiences with previous games, such as Quantum Break and Control, and has built upon those foundations to create a more approachable and enjoyable experience. Remedy is aware of the potential confusion with their "Connected Universe" concept, which includes the original Alan Wake and Control. To address this, the team has introduced a new character, Saga Anderson, who is not familiar with the supernatural events of Alan Wake, allowing new players to enter the world without prior knowledge. The game also includes Remedy Universe-related content that can be discovered through exploration, but it is not required to play the game. Despite the challenges and the crowded horror game market, the team is confident that Alan Wake 2 will stand out. The game's unique tone, which combines elements of horror and humor, sets it apart from other games in the genre. The team has drawn inspiration from various sources, including the anthology series True Detective and the works of Ari Aster, to create a stylized and art-house horror experience. With a development time of four years, Alan Wake 2 has been a long-awaited project for Remedy. The team has worked tirelessly to create a game that meets their vision, and they are excited to share it with the world. As Lake says, "Now we will show and make something exceptional… or at least try to; the judgment comes later."