Alan Wake devs come out of seclusion for update

by Justin McElroy { Aug 18th 2008 at 10:15AM }

When a tipster wrote in to say that Remedy, the studio behind oft-delayed Alan Wake was updating on the game's progress on company message boards, we were understandably excited, until we saw the message from Remedy CFO Mika Reini, which is basically the equivalent of David Blaine waving from inside his hydro-chamber to let people know that he is not, in fact, dead.

"We feel we owe you all a small heads up, and our apologies for lack of updates," he writes. "Seriously, yes, we're still here and working hard on getting Alan Wake for you to enjoy. Sure, we've been in development for a long time and if everything had gone perfectly smoothly there probably would be a game out for you guys to play already. But designing a completely new game can be hard, and sometimes you need to take a detour to find the best route forward. ... I'm sure you will enjoy Alan Wake when we're done."

We're sure we'll enjoy it too, Mika. We can't promise that we won't need our grandkids to explain the Xbox 1440's neuro-controls, but we're sure that beyond that it'll just be a hoot.

[Thanks, Alan]

Tags: alan-wake, remedy

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Wiinterfang @ Aug 18th 2008 10:25AM

Dammit that picture is creepy, he looks like he is going to die.

Obie @ Aug 18th 2008 10:43AM

One could only wish...
Him and that other douchebag illusionist Criss Angel.

Wiinterfang @ Aug 18th 2008 10:47AM

That's actually a pretty good point, they're both assholes.

danny. @ Aug 18th 2008 12:30PM

They don't compare to Gob *fires up the final countdown*

Fanboy @ Aug 18th 2008 12:58PM

@danny.

Plus one for you for the Arrested Development drop

tactics @ Aug 18th 2008 1:34PM

there's always money in the banana stand *click click*

Delgado @ Aug 18th 2008 2:20PM

On first glance I thought we were going to get an awesome David Blane game.

I got all excited, I mean how fun would it be to sit in a vat of water for days, or stand on the top of a really tall pole for days, or...

Haggard @ Aug 18th 2008 3:43PM

Or sit in a glass box for forty days whilst cheerful Londoners float cheeseburgers past you, attached to RC helicopters.

colin @ Aug 18th 2008 9:06PM

they are called illusions

Fox318 @ Aug 18th 2008 10:33AM

This is exactly why you do not announce your product early. Everyone was hyped now by the time the game gets released it will never have the same amount of hype.

Fans should not have to wait 34 years to get more info on a game. Looks like remedy is the new 3D Realms.

Haggard @ Aug 18th 2008 3:44PM

You may be right, Max Payne 3 did get announced in 2004...

j.howlett @ Aug 18th 2008 10:37AM

i think they popped up because too human is releasing, sony's letting more people in home, and DNF has had some news

LordChimp @ Aug 18th 2008 10:43AM

I want this game but I have a fear that it will do terribly in sales. This long development cycle is going to hurt it.

colinbell @ Aug 18th 2008 10:44AM

I thought the Delaystation was the one supposed to suffer from the Duke Nukem syndrome? Alan Wake, Splinter Cell 5 and Too Human take the medals, and none of them were on PS3 last time I checked.
I just hope it turns out to be a AAA title though, just for the sake of all the fun times I had with Max Payne, what a good game that was.

Peacefuloutrage @ Aug 18th 2008 10:58AM

Once it was announced for xbox 360, Too Human was only delayed 1 year. Splinter Cell 5 and Alan Wake are lagging.

How long was MGS4 in development for the PS3? At least 4 years, with something like 200 people working on it for the last 5 months? Yeah, that's the average amount of resources developers have to work on PS3 games. And that wasn't even drawn in 1280 x 720.

colinbell @ Aug 18th 2008 11:04AM

True, it was delayed largely because of problems they had with Unreal Engine 3 - it just a bit amusing because of the comments you see everytime some PS3 game gets delayed by a couple of months, while the most delayed games are actually on the 360.

And as for MGS4 - thats a great example of delaying a game to make it perfect. 3 million plus sold already, 90+ score, those few extra months were worth it.

The_Punisher @ Aug 18th 2008 11:34AM

You want to compare it to MGS4? Okay!

Too Human: Laughably bad, in production for 10 years
Splinter Cell: Sucked, and was completely redone ecuase it sucked
MGS4: Best game i've played EVER

I wonder who wins....

MikeO. @ Aug 18th 2008 5:55PM

Too Human has not been in development for 10 years and you're clearing looking to troll for even suggesting that. It was in development for 360 2-3 years tops.

It was in one form or another existant on any number of other platforms, but that's hardly "in development". When it moves to another console entirely, I would consider that a new development timeframe since they started from scratch each time.

And why is a long development process such a big deal in the first place? It's such an immature argument. Does that mean any game made under 2 years sucks as well? Making it faster doesn't make it better. Shoving it out the door doesn't equal quality... Two Worlds anyone?

I'm not saying it's guaranteed quality because it's had more time, but to suggest that it makes the game worse is just asinine.

And if you want to act like Microsoft is to blame, need I remind you it was announced for PS1? It missed the boat entirely on that one, so your fanboyism shows in overlooking Sony and blaming Microsoft for a game that has nothing to do with either of them except console exclusitivity.

meist3r @ Aug 18th 2008 10:59AM

What he's basically saying is "Boohoo hoo hoo, cry cry cry".

What the hell is "designing a completely new game can be hard" supposed to mean? No shit sherlock, creating a self-proclaimed Triple A franchise isn't easy and it doesn't get better when you never deliver.

/sarcastic prediction
That game will suck, bad!
/end of sarcastic prediction

Hyams @ Aug 18th 2008 11:03AM

I'm not sure you fully understand the concept of sarcasm.

meist3r @ Aug 18th 2008 11:06AM

Actually I do but since it's not my native language something like that happens. More often than I'd wish. And it was meant to be "cynical prediction" if that's what you are correctly pointing at. You got me... satisfied now? Huh?

Hyams @ Aug 18th 2008 11:47AM

Well, if your bilingual you get big props from me, regardless.

meist3r @ Aug 18th 2008 12:44PM

Sorry that I was so pissy in my last post. I hate when that happens to me, you were absolutely right and I did actually mix up cynicism and sarcasm even though the words are virtually identical to their German counterparts which I should know by heart. Nevermind.

AwesomeTown @ Aug 18th 2008 11:02AM

This game needs some hype now. Screenshots, developer interviews, anything. I forgot it even existed. At this rate, I definitely wouldn't expect it for at least 2010. And when it does come out, I probably won't care.

Dirty @ Aug 18th 2008 11:24AM

That hand is grossing me out.

baby sea tuna @ Aug 18th 2008 11:36AM

Not any more than your avatar creeps me out!

NukeAssault @ Aug 18th 2008 12:27PM

@tuna

You'd have a face like that too if someone took your bucket.

Obie @ Aug 18th 2008 12:44PM

Nooo! they be takin mah buckit!

WRE @ Aug 18th 2008 12:17PM

What they failed to mention is that they shifted their focus and changed the title to Alan Bake. Now it's a Wii Ware title about an insomniac author that takes up pastry cookery when he can't sleep. Matt Cassamassina has charmingly referred to it as "Cooking Mama Jr.".

Faar @ Aug 18th 2008 4:25PM

Alan Wake......fell asleep.

That's why the game's delayed.

Eh @ Aug 18th 2008 4:46PM

This game is going to end up like STALKER. A cool game with cool ideas but poorly executed because they didnt have people who knew how to make a game properly. If they knew what they were doing the game would have been done by now or they would have had something to show.