Following the PlayStation Showcase, Remedy kickstarted their Alan Wake 2 marketing with new interviews, new trailers, and new pre-order details. Today we're going to be taking a deep dive into what the two pre-order packages offer and the discussions around the game going digital-only
A Digital Launch. In recent weeks, there's been a lot of talk about Remedy and Epic Games' approach to distribution with Alan Wake 2, with the studios choosing to make the game digital-only for PC (via the Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Their FAQ addresses the decision stating that "There are many reasons for this. For one, a large number of players have shifted to digital only. You can buy a Sony PlayStation 5 without a disc drive and Microsoft’s Xbox Series S is a digital only console. It is not uncommon to release modern games as digital-only. Secondly, not releasing a disc helps keep the price of the game at $59.99 / €59.99 and the PC version at $49.99 / €49.99. Finally, we did not want to ship a disc product and have it require a download for the game - we do not think this would make for a great experience either." They then clarified that there are no boxed editions underway.
Why A Physical Edition Might Matter. Over the past few years, we've been moved further into a digital future. Personally, while I prefer a boxed edition for console games, when it comes to PC, I find myself using Steam and Epic Games Store more for purchases. Buying digitally is easier in many ways; it's quicker, you can pre-download purchases, and if you're on Steam, you get incredible discounts. It's also cheaper and more environmentally friendly, particularly with the reduced plastic needed to make the boxes.
That being said, there are several factors why it feels more appropriate for an Alan Wake 2 boxed edition. Back in 2010, the game had a beautiful collector's edition which featured a book-like design and was packed with goodies including a hardback version of The Alan Wake Files. When the game came to PC two years later, Nordic Games (now THQ Nordic) published two physical editions with new content. On top of that, Alan Wake's American Nightmare was originally digital-only, but received a boxed edition following its launch on PC. Dropping the physical edition of Alan Wake 2 feels like having an uncompleted series on the bookcase. It's also a game which has been highly anticipated for over a decade, picking up a lot of interest, and potentially making it an exception to the rules for those who purchase digital games, especially if there was a collector's edition available.
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| The Alan Wake Limited Edition Collector's Edition from 2010. |
For transparency, I tend to buy games digitally, and Remedy going digital for this adventure doesn't impact my excitement for the game, but I would have bought the boxed edition if possible. Physical editions hit differently, so I can understand both sides. I love my Kindle and take it everywhere, but those special books, I like to have on my bookcase too.
GamesIndustry.biz. Following the decision, a number of media outlets wrote their own perspectives, including gameindustry.biz who published an article entitled, "Are Remedy and Epic right to make Alan Wake 2 digital-only?" which analysed the market and compared the approach to that of Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol. In the article, Christopher Dring makes an interesting point about the launch window writing that "the other element that surprised me about the decision is due to the release window. Alan Wake 2 arrives in the middle of October, which is a strong period for physical retail sales due to the upcoming holiday sales period. It’s also a good distance ahead of Black Friday, allowing Remedy and Epic to maintain the full price for a month, before involving the game during that popular sales week." You can read the full article on GameIndustry.biz, HERE!
How fixed is the decision? While Remedy's FAQ for the game states that "there are currently no plans to release Alan Wake 2 on disc", it's not a certainty that we will never receive a boxed edition, and there are some companies willing to step up to help bring it to life. After the digital-only decision was picked up by the media, THQ Nordic tweeted an unusual response tagging both Remedy and the Alan Wake Twitter pages, "I mean... we did the disc version of Alan Wake for PC back in the day ICYMI ;) And just because ONE person (or company) does not love physical, there is plenty who still do. Give it some thought. We'd love to go at it again! Full circle and all."
The pre-order details as we know them. 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.
