Although Alan Wake was a massively hyped project at its inception, it was relegated to hidden gem shortly after its release in 2010. Originally announced at E3 2005 as an open-world survival game, it would take five years for it to finally release, this time as a linear, episodic action-adventure title for the Xbox 360 and PC. The result was a game that received praise from critics and gamers alike while also selling over 3 million copies, despite releasing in the same week as Rockstar Games‘ smash hit Red Dead Redemption.
While Alan Wake made a return in Remedy’s latest game, Control, it has yet to receive a proper sequel. A previous attempt was scrapped by Remedy, but fans have still clamored to any hope of the game’s return. Interestingly, Alan Wake 2‘s chances of surfacing may be greater than they’ve ever been. It could take several years, but here’s what we know so far about Alan Wake 2‘s status and potential release.
What Happened with Alan Wake Previously?
After Alan Wake‘s release in 2010, Remedy Entertainment did not immediately begin work on a sequel. Rather, it made Alan Wake’s American Nightmare for the Xbox 360 and PC in 2012. Following the first game’s story, this was a standalone adventure, with a major tonal shift that utilized pulp and black comedy elements. At the time of its announcement, Remedy clarified that it wasn’t a proper sequel to Alan Wake but that Alan Wake 2 would eventually release. As it turned out, the developer announced in 2013 that the sequel would be postponed because the first game was not a major financial success. The company would instead focus on working on another Microsoft collaboration, Quantum Break.
In 2018, Remedy reported that any chance of a sequel would require Microsoft Studios’ permission, as the publisher still owned publishing rights on the series. However, in 2019, the developer was able to fully acquire the rights to Alan Wake from Microsoft, which allowed it to utilize the property in its next game, Control. Originally, Control merely featured Easter eggs related to Alan Wake, but the game’s second expansion, AWE, was a full crossover between the two franchises. This didn’t appear to be a one-off inclusion, either; in March 2020, Remedy established a two-game partnership deal with Epic Games and would later note that one of the two games would exist in the “Remedy Connected Universe” that included Alan Wake and Control.
Alan Wake 2 Rumors
Speculation about Remedy’s future titles has persisted, as it’s unclear what this “connected universe” game will entail. While it has not been formally announced if this new project will be a sequel or not, gaming insider Jeff Grubb has reported that Alan Wake 2 is in development, with Epic Games acting as the publisher. This lines up with the announcement that one of the two games in the publishing deal – previously noted to be a large, AAA-style project – would be part of the “Remedy Connected Universe.”
Remedy Entertainment itself has naturally been silent on the possibility of whether it’s making Alan Wake 2, but in its latest investor report, the developer did confirm that both games in the Epic Games partnership deal are progressing well. Remedy further noted that the larger AAA project had moved into full production. After well over a decade of waiting, gamers may be closer than they’ve ever been to seeing Alan Wake 2 become a reality.
When Might Alan Wake 2 Release?
As Alan Wake 2 has not been formally announced by Remedy, it’s difficult to set a definitive release date for the game. None of the recent leaks have noted anything about a potential release date, and Remedy did not clarify when the AAA game project entered full production. Furthermore, Remedy currently has a bevy of projects in development with different publishers. Beyond the Epic Games deal, CrossFireX is in development with Xbox Game Studios and several Control projects are in the works with 505 Games. Thus, it’s difficult to grasp when Alan Wake 2 could release.
When the Epic Games deal was signed in 2020, Remedy noted that the two projects would release “in the next few years.” That’s a vague window, and the lack of clear news makes it difficult to assess a potential date. The company has noted that the AAA project will release on PC as well as next-gen consoles, but it’s unclear whether it could release on last-gen platforms as well. Hopefully, more news will come soon, and fans will be able to play the Alan Wake sequel they’ve waited so long for.