Today, IGN shared their latest video in their Next-Gen Console Watch series, with the team taking a closer look at the upcoming Alan Wake 2.
For their twenty-three-minute analysis, Max Scoville (Senior Writer, Producer and Host) was joined by Ryan McCaffrey (Executive Previews Editor) and Miranda Sanchez (Executive Editor, IGN Guides) was joined virtually by Thomas Puha (Communications Director at Remedy).
We've included the full breakdown blow of what is discussed and when, but as a brief run-through, Thomas talks about the approach at the studio, lessons learnt from Control, and the battle between quality and performance.
Original Tweet. The conversation was prompted by an earlier tweet posted by Thomas, which stated, "I’m glad to say that Alan Wake 2 will have a Performance mode on PS5 and Xbox Series X. The game has been built from the beginning as a 30fps experience focusing on visuals and ambience, but somehow we have managed to include a solid Performance mode. We’ll talk details later." (27th September 2023)
Performance Mode on Consoles. Game Informer later followed up with Remedy for their article (archived), clarifying that Performance Mode would be coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, but that it wouldn't be available for Xbox Series S.
Spoiler Warning. Clips from Alan Wake 2 are shown throughout the interview. If you have been avoiding footage from September 2023 (or earlier), you may just want to listen to the audio or the follow-up article.
"Alan Wake 2 Dev on 30fps vs 60, Xbox Series S, and More - Next-Gen Console Watch" Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:51 - How important was getting performance mode ready for launch?
08:38 - What are the trade-offs in quality and performance mode in Alan Wake II?
11:28 - Is it reasonable for gamers to expect 4K/60FPS this generation?
13:49 - Is the Xbox Series S a net-positive in the eyes of a developer like Remedy?
16:54 - How much do mid-generation console refreshes complicate game dev?
19:27 - What does a Switch 2 need to have so that Remedy can make it a focus?
