Alan Wake 2: everything we know so far

Alan Wake 2 is a third-person survival-horror game and comes as a long-awaited sequel to Remedy Entertainment’s 2010 cult classic: Alan Wake. 

Alan Wake 2 will be released for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, as well as for PC via the Epic Game store. Though Remedy has been tight-lipped when it comes to solid details about the game, what we know so far suggests a return to the thrilling horror fundamentals that made Alan Wake so iconic when it first came out. 

The Alan Wake games follow the life and times of an author by the same name, who becomes embroiled in the dark machinations of a supernatural force. The original Alan Wake channels Twin Peaks vibes in a big way, offering rustic horror steeped in Americana. The disquieting thrills of Alan Wake have a compelling psychological element, too, drawing players into the dark and foreboding horror of its world. For the sequel, it looks like Remedy is doubling down on the horror at the heart of the series. Want to know more? Read on for everything we know about Alan Wake 2 so far.

Spoilers for Alan Wake ahead.

Alan Wake 2: cut to the chase

• What is it? The sequel to psychological thriller Alan Wake
• When can I play it? TBC 2023
• What can I play it on? PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Epic Game Store)

Alan Wake 2 release date and platforms

Remedy Entertainment has confirmed that Alan Wake 2 will release in 2023, though an exact date hasn’t been confirmed.

The developer has also confirmed that Alan Wake 2 will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC (via Epic Game Store). 

Alan Wake 2 trailers

Latest trailer

Alan Wake 2 was officially announced at The Game Awards 2021 with an announcement trailer lasting just under one minute. The CGI is as dark and ominous as you’d expect, showing a crime scene with a bloody body on an altar before cutting to Alan standing on a road in ever-changing locations amid torrential rain. “This story is about a monster,” Alan says. “And monsters wear many faces.” 

This certainly seems to be a shift into a more survival horror genre and we can’t wait to see how it develops. Check out the trailer below:

More trailers

Though there’s only been one Alan Wake 2 trailer so far, Remedy Entertainment has its own YouTube channel (opens in new tab) which is worth keeping an eye on if you want to know what’s going on with their latest title.

The channel also boasts an anniversary update which, though not a trailer per se, is full of exciting tidbits about the design decisions behind the game. 

Alan Wake 2 story and setting

Though little has been confirmed about the specifics of Alan Wake 2‘s story, the finale of the first game, as well as the subsequent DLC have written some pretty big cheques, story-wise.

At the end of the first game, Alan found himself trapped in the “Dark Place”, the Lovecraftian parallel dimension from which the darkness that hunted him seemed to originate. In DLC episodes entitled “The Signal” and “The Writer”, Alan was able to free himself by confronting a twisted, mirror version of himself.

It seems likely that Remedy will seek to develop these themes in Alan Wake 2 – it’s certainly what we want to see in the sequel. 

Alan Wake 2 gameplay

Though Remedy has offered little concrete information as to what we might expect from gameplay in Alan Wake 2, there are a few nuggets of information floating about that can help us piece together what exactly to expect. 

In a special 12th Anniversary blog post (opens in new tab) Remedy announced that Alan Wake 2 would be the developer’s “first survival horror game”. The implication, here, is that we will see more survival elements in the sequel than we saw in the original Alan Wake, which focused more on psychological horror.

That said, it seems likely that the ponderous and immersive third-person action of the original will be alive and well in the sequel in some form. 

Alan Wake 2 news

Alan Wake 2 now has build that can be played from start to finish
In February 2023, Remedy’s CEO Tero Virtala announced that “Alan Wake 2 is in full production… and it is playable from start to finish” (via Video Games Chronicle (opens in new tab)). Virtala went on to say that the studio “will then move on to polishing the experience”, affirming that “Alan Wake is a unique brand that holds high value for the company today.”

It’ll remain third-person with original voice actors returning
Sam Lake has confirmed on Twitter (opens in new tab) that Alan Wake 2 will be third-person, like the first game, and that voice actors from the original game (Ilkka Villi and Matthew Porretta) will return for the sequel.