Alan Wake is now back on the Microsoft Store after a hefty thirty-two-month break!
Music had played a huge part in Alan Wake from radio broadcast to end of episode credits where it layered over the final scene. It's hard to think of the game without Poe's Haunted playing as Wake and Barry are lured into a trap, or the story drawing to an end with David Bowie's Space Oddity. So when it was announced that the game would be pulled from shopfronts in May 2017 due to expired music licensing, it was a shock. Fortunately, its disappearance was short-lived, and Microsoft, the original negotiator for the licensing, renegotiated an extension, allowing the game to return to stores.
The game returned to PC (including digital marketplaces such as Steam, GOG, and The Humble Store) in October 2018. For console gamers, that would be a little longer, with Remedy reassuring fans that "other digital platforms to follow". We reached out to Microsoft several times since the PC return asking about its absence but unfortunately never received a response. After such a wait, it was looking like it might not return.
However. Recently, eagle-eyed fan, @Kuraris_plus, caught sight of the listing on the Microsoft Store! A surprise and definitely welcome new addition.
Alan Wake is now available on XBOX 360 (and playable on XBOX One via Backwards Compatibility) for £14.99. For more information, check out the official listing on the Microsoft Store, HERE!
A huge thank you to @Kuraris_plus for sharing the news with fellow fans on Twitter!
18th December 2019
Alan Wake Returns To XBOX 360 and XBOX One After Removal Due To Licensing Issues
