Alan Wake 2will only get a digital-only release. The decision is controversial enough that an explanation has been included on the official website forAlan Wake 2, but some fans may still not find the answer satisfying enough.
The topic of digital-only releases has been discussed for a while now both by fans and distributors. While some may find it an easier way to get access to their favorite games, there are certainly disadvantages to the decision.Alan Wake 2’s developer, Remedy Entertainment, had two of its games delisted from distributing platforms in the past. Due to licensing issues,bothAlan WakeandQuantum Breakwere removedat one point from Steam and Xbox storefronts. While they both made a return once the problem was resolved, delisting happens to plenty of games that are deemed to be too old or not popular enough, or when the developer ceases further support meaning fans will no longer be able to access the title. At least physical copies of old games can still be found in used game shops or sites.
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UnderAlan Wake 2’s FAQ section, there’s specifically a part that explains the decision to go digital-only. For one, the answer points to the examples of other distributors, pointing out that bothPlayStation and Xbox sell a diskless versionof their latest generation of products. Through this example, it’s reasoned the phenomenon is not rare nowadays, and on top of that, it helps keep the cost down. According to the explanation, thanks to this decision the console version of the game will be $59.99, while the PC version will be $49.99. This wayAlan Wake 2will not join the ranks of the $70 games. The website lists a better experience as the last reason to go digital only, as even with a disc the game would’ve required downloading anyway.
The question right under this asks about the possibility of a disc-based version ever being released. However, currently, there areno plans to distributeAlan Wake 2on a disc.
The detailed explanation may satisfy the curiosity of some fans. But there are plenty of players who don’t support the trend of offering only a digital release for video games. It takes agency away from gamers, giving complete control to the distributor when it comes to access. Whether the decision will damage thesales numbers ofAlan Wake 2in any way is yet to be seen.
Alan Wake 2will be released globally on October 17 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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