If you tuned into the PlayStation Showcase, you may have noticed some familiar faces. After thirteen years, we have the first glimpse of gameplay footage for Alan Wake 2 and brand new details about what awaits us and our favourite tweed-wearing writer. There's a lot to get through with this post, with a brand-new trailer, to a new promotional image, new details from the PlayStation Blog, Sam Lake's letter, and so much more!
The most important thing to note from the night is that Alan Wake 2 will launch digitally on October 17th 2023, for PC (Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. We have a fixed release date and platform.
Before we delve in, if you want to watch the livestream in full, you can do so on the PlayStation YouTube channel!
Alan Wake 2 Gameplay Trailer
If you were hoping that the sequel picks up with a warm, cosy, reunion and lighthearted jokes, that might not be... entirely what the studio has in store. Warning: things get spooky, and stabby with this trailer. While we see the return of Ilkka Villi (physical actor) and Matthew Porretta (voice actor) in their role of Alan Wake, they're not the only familiar names that Remedy fans will recognise. Check out the trailer below...
Official Synopsis
"Saga Anderson, an FBI profiler with a reputation for solving unsolvable cases, arrives in Bright Falls to investigate a string of ritualistic murders. The case slides into a nightmare when Anderson discovers pages of a horror story, a horror story that starts to come true…
"Alan Wake, a lost writer trapped in a nightmare prison beyond our world, writes a dark story to shape reality in a desperate bid to escape. Hunted by an insatiable horror, Wake struggles to retain his sanity and beat the devil at his own game.
"Anderson and Wake, two heroes on two desperate journeys. Two separate realities connected in ways neither of them can understand. Echoes become reflections. Reflections that can reach out to each other.Trapped in a horror story where there are only victims and monsters, can they break out to be the heroes they need to be?"
New PlayStation Blog Article
If you're interested in more Alan Wake 2 information, make sure to check out Thomas Puha's (Director of Communication at Remedy) new article on the PlayStation Blog. In the post, he introduces another important character, and the game's secondary protagonist, Saga Anderson (played by Melanie Liburd). With a reputation for solving the most impossible of cases, Anderson is called into Bright Falls to investigate a series of murders.
"Our team has hand-crafted several unique locations for players to explore. Anderson’s story takes place in the Pacific Northwest, consisting of three hubs: the small town of Bright Falls, the stunning primordial forest surrounding the mysterious Cauldron Lake, and the run-down town of Watery. And finally, the Dark Place is a shifting, looping reality where Wake’s story takes place."
Read the full article on the PlayStation Blog, HERE.
Letter from Sam Lake
New Remedy, who dis? Along with the recent logo refresh, the new Alan Wake 2 trailer also allowed for a potential shake-up. The official Alan Wake page is now adorned with a new look featuring images from the sequel, and a new article from Alan Wake 2's Creative Director and Lead Writer, Sam Lake.
In my time here at Remedy, over 28 years now, I have been fortunate to be able to take part in the creation of several games I’m hugely proud of, but I have never been quite as thrilled as I am now about the game we are making and the vision behind it. There has almost been this fever and hunger, madness even, a drive to push every aspect of this story-focused experience not just a step but a leap forward, taking the foundation of what we have done before...
Read the full letter on the Alan Wake website, HERE.
New FAQ
Over the night, we had a lot of information dropped. Fortunately, the FAQ covers the questions you have and the questions that you might have in the future. As pre-orders opened up, they talked about the choices for going digital-only, whether you need to play the original (you don't have to but you should), and what platforms it covers.
The page is packed full of details, so if you have questions about pre-order bonuses or were even just curious about the general premise of the game, make sure to check it out!
Visit the new Alan Wake 2 FAQ page, HERE.
Pre-Orders
If you've been lured by the temptations of serial murders in sleepy towns, or just was always going to buy the sequel because... Alan Wake, pre-orders have now begun! As the game is set to be launched digitally, there are two versions of the game available; Standard and Deluxe.
The Standard Edition is for those who just want the base game experience. The price for just the game is set at £39.99.
The Deluxe Edition comes with the base game and the Expansion Pass (with story content including Night Springs Expansion" and "Lake House Expansion"). There are also a number of exclusive costumes including a Nordic shotgun skin, a Crimson windbreaker, and a Lantern Charm for Saga. For Alan, he gets a Parliament shotgun skin and a fancy Celebrity suit.
