Fans thought that it was too late for an Alan Wake 2, but the success of Control spurred Remedy Entertainment to return to the cult classic franchise. The devs behind Alan Wake 2 have been relatively hush-hush about the game, but we do know some things about the release date, cast, plot, and leaks.
Here’s what we know about Alan Wake 2 so far:
Alan Wake 2 release date rumors
Remedy Entertainment was kind enough to give us an Alan Wake 2 release date window right as it announced the game. Creative Director Sam Lake revealed that it’ll launch sometime in 2023. However, had things gone Remedy’s way, it would have been released almost a decade ago.
When Remedy was developing the original Alan Wake, it was written in anticipation of a sequel. Right after it was released in 2010, the devs were already formulating ideas for a continuation of the story. It was meant to continue starring Alan Wake as the main character but would also put a greater emphasis on side characters like Barry and Sherrif Breaker.
Unfortunately, the publisher for the original game, Microsoft Studios, wasn’t interested in a sequel and asked Remedy to create a wholly original game that would become Quantum Break. Remedy took the work they had so far on Alan Wake 2 and put most of it into Alan Wake’s American Nightmare. After that, development was stopped on Alan Wake 2 until some point after the release of Control.
The 2023 release date seems solid and was reiterated during the recent Alan Wake 12th Anniversary Livestream. However, while Remedy previously stated they would show the game off in Summer 2022, creative director Sam Lake stated they’re now declining to do so to spend the time it’d take to make a trailer or demo on developing the game. Whether that’s a good or bad sign is open to interpretation.
What’s the story in Alan Wake 2?
At the conclusion of Alan Wake, Alan is stuck in the Dark Place, and as of the AWE expansion of Control, it seems like he’s still there. However, at the end of the expansion, an alarm sounds that an Altered World Event is occurring in Bright Falls, but that the date is set in the future. So, all we know so far is that something big will be happening in Bright Falls and that it’ll somehow involve Alan Wake.
We can make a few predictions about what the plot might contain. We’d bet that the devs make use of the Remedy Connected Universe to feature the Federal Bureau of Control in the game. In fact, it might be through their intervention that Alan finally escapes from the Dark Place.
We also know that the game will be less action-oriented than Control. Remedy is calling it a proper survival horror title. Hopefully, they mean that when referring to the ambiance of the game, and it isn’t filled with tons of irritating stealth sections.
Confirmed Cast
So far, we know that Ilkka Villi is returning as the face of Alan Wake, and Matthew Porretta will once again be the English voice for the character. This was made clear in the recent Alan Wake Anniversary Livestream. Other than that, we’re not sure which of the original cast is returning or who’s playing any new characters.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Courtney Hope returns as Jesse Faden. Though this hasn’t been confirmed, she seems like she got heavily involved in Alan’s plight during the AWE expansion, and it seems like this might be the kind of incident that the agency would get involved with.
Leaks
There haven’t been any major Alan Wake 2 leaks. Other than a few insiders guessing at the game’s existence before it got an official announcement, Remedy has kept a tight lid on things.
