Microsoft Studios hasn't signed next Alan Wake project, would 'love to work with Remedy again'
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Oskari Häkkinen, head of franchise development for Finnish developer Remedy Entertainment, told Joystiq last month that, in fact, a new Alan Wake project was under development. Admittedly, we were getting a little ahead of ourselves when we arrived at E3 this year in full Alan Wake cosplay so the absence of the latest A. Wake project – rumored to be an XBLA title called Alan Wake's Night Springs – hit us pretty hard.
So we tracked down Microsoft Studios chief Phil Spencer to grill him about Remedy's reveal and the dearth of Alan Wake games in Microsoft's E3 lineup. "I read that," Spencer said, laughing about the news. "I don't know that they've signed it with anybody." While Spencer told us that Wake "didn't sell as well as we would have liked," he was clear that it wouldn't affect their working relationship. "I'd love to work with Remedy again," he told us. "We have ongoing conversations with them."
So if Microsoft isn't privy to what Remedy's working on, who is? "I think the stuff they're doing now they wanted to incubate, Mattias and the team," Spencer said. "They wanted to incubate internally. Like I said, I don't think they've signed it with anybody." Well, as long as that's the case, we'll have our Joystiq Publishing representatives get in touch with Remedy and work something out. Our backrub-heavy royalty system is an industry first.
So we tracked down Microsoft Studios chief Phil Spencer to grill him about Remedy's reveal and the dearth of Alan Wake games in Microsoft's E3 lineup. "I read that," Spencer said, laughing about the news. "I don't know that they've signed it with anybody." While Spencer told us that Wake "didn't sell as well as we would have liked," he was clear that it wouldn't affect their working relationship. "I'd love to work with Remedy again," he told us. "We have ongoing conversations with them."
So if Microsoft isn't privy to what Remedy's working on, who is? "I think the stuff they're doing now they wanted to incubate, Mattias and the team," Spencer said. "They wanted to incubate internally. Like I said, I don't think they've signed it with anybody." Well, as long as that's the case, we'll have our Joystiq Publishing representatives get in touch with Remedy and work something out. Our backrub-heavy royalty system is an industry first.
Reader Comments (42)
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:09AM Epoque said
The way he says it, it sounds like they aren't interested in publishing another Alan Wake period ...
Hopefully he's just skirting around a rumour though.
Hopefully he's just skirting around a rumour though.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:10AM Softserve said
"Our backrub-heavy royalty system is an industry first."
And also the industry's creepiest.
And also the industry's creepiest.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:18AM Hunter141072 said
Would..... sounds more like: won´t.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:28AM TheDarkWayne said
Chris, wouldn't Alan Wake cosplay just be like, your regular outfit? Also, looks like Remedy forgot to plug in their machine to ensure them QUANTUM IMMORTALITY
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:39AM QuePasa87 said
I want a Night Springs game and Alan Wake 2 :(
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:41AM MarkezJM said
Maybe a SPOILER in here or 2?
I reeeeeeaaaaaalllllllyyyyy hope any next game in the Alan Wake universe isn't some XBLA Night Springs garbage. That's a cute idea but absolutely not in any way what I want whatsoever. I loved Alan Wake immensely, one of my favorite games in years. All the people that were wondering whether it might be some sort of Thomas Zane tale had the right idea going... That, or find some sort of sequel to create that occurs long after the events of Alan Wake, focus on Nightingale, the new keeper of the light, something, just not Night Springs. Pleeease.
I reeeeeeaaaaaalllllllyyyyy hope any next game in the Alan Wake universe isn't some XBLA Night Springs garbage. That's a cute idea but absolutely not in any way what I want whatsoever. I loved Alan Wake immensely, one of my favorite games in years. All the people that were wondering whether it might be some sort of Thomas Zane tale had the right idea going... That, or find some sort of sequel to create that occurs long after the events of Alan Wake, focus on Nightingale, the new keeper of the light, something, just not Night Springs. Pleeease.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:52AM TheDarkWayne said
@MarkezJM Man, forget all that S, give me a righteous coop brawler starring the Andersen brothers! Bring them back to all their 1970s metal glory! Father Thor bless this war!
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Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:42AM ORTHROK said
alan wake sucked
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 2:10AM TheDarkWayne said
@ORTHROK I was going to make an insulting "your mother" joke, but I realized that, if you thought Alan Wake was bad, your mother must have passed away before she had any chance to teach you what was good and beautiful in the world. I'm sorry, friend, your life must be a pained one.
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Posted: Jun 10th 2011 2:20AM sadistic freek said
@ORTHROK
With such speed and force did I click the downvote button that I think I just witnessed the Higgs boson particle.
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With such speed and force did I click the downvote button that I think I just witnessed the Higgs boson particle.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 6:09AM platinumrug said
@ORTHROK It sucked? You must be the type of gamer that only enjoys dynasty warrior hack & slashes and bullshit first person shooters that do nothing innovative right? I thought so.
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Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:46AM Aerothorn said
I quite like Alan Wake, but Chris' obsession with the title is starting to get a wee bit creepy.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 3:44PM Liquidfingers said
@Aerothorn
there's nothing wrong with liking the game so much that you wish there was a bit of alan wake in everything...err....what, wait
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there's nothing wrong with liking the game so much that you wish there was a bit of alan wake in everything...err....what, wait
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:55AM fid said
alan wake was great and i'm not even a fan of horror. it seems clear the reason it didn't sell well though is they released it the same week as red dead redemption.
had i any, i could have been selling off sisters that week and been disappointed in the sales.
had i any, i could have been selling off sisters that week and been disappointed in the sales.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 2:27AM Hong Dong said
Do we really need to know that they incubate internally??
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 2:41AM laser beams said
@Hong Dong
soooo... Remedy is pregnant, i guess?
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soooo... Remedy is pregnant, i guess?
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 2:32AM nerdydesi1 said
Shame it never came to PC in the end after being in development for it for so long. Thanks a lot Microsoft, crapping on the PC just to promote the Xbox.
For the short time I played it, it was a good experience, has some of the best graphics on the 360, really pushes what that system can do, especially paired against my powerful PC rig.
For the short time I played it, it was a good experience, has some of the best graphics on the 360, really pushes what that system can do, especially paired against my powerful PC rig.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 3:49PM The angry pro consumer gaming ga said
@nerdydesi1 Don't do it Remedy, have EA partners publish your game so that all can enjoy it. I liked Alan and it would be great if my PC only and PS3 friends could play this good franchise.
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Posted: Jun 10th 2011 3:16AM CaramelZappa said
I'd really like an Alan Wake 2, or a Thomas Zane prequel. It was a really great game, and it's a shame Microsoft can't see the reasons it didn't sell well were poor marketing and a terrible launch date.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 3:47AM for we are legion said
Allen Wake a game I still need to play......
It play anything like Silent Hill? Every time see screens for this game it reminds me of SH.
It play anything like Silent Hill? Every time see screens for this game it reminds me of SH.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 4:23AM captplut9465 said
@for we are legion
It has creepy enemies and scary environments, but the atmosphere is very different from SH. It's more like Dean Koontz's Phantoms.
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It has creepy enemies and scary environments, but the atmosphere is very different from SH. It's more like Dean Koontz's Phantoms.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 4:58AM CaramelZappa said
@for we are legion
The gameplay is closer to something like Dead Space or Resident Evil 4/5, but unlike RE it has really good characters and acting and a pretty good story.
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The gameplay is closer to something like Dead Space or Resident Evil 4/5, but unlike RE it has really good characters and acting and a pretty good story.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 8:48AM for we are legion said
@captplut9465 & Captplut9465
Thanks so much for information. Just order AW on Amazon! Only $19.99 too:)
Reply
Thanks so much for information. Just order AW on Amazon! Only $19.99 too:)
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 6:53AM kmcroc said
@Microsoft Studios chief Phil Spencer WTF are you waiting for get them signed to exclusive deal now , before it to late . it's probably his fault everyone else has gone Multi- platform.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 8:51AM Tuxy79 said
Unbelievable.
Remedy makes a AAA title destined for multiplatform release, MS make a deal to publish it exclusively for Xbox. Takes 5 years to develop, and MS decides the best course of action is release it same week as RDR.
Then has the nerve to be coy about a sequel? For me, this is actually more upsetting then their entire E3 conference.
Remedy makes a AAA title destined for multiplatform release, MS make a deal to publish it exclusively for Xbox. Takes 5 years to develop, and MS decides the best course of action is release it same week as RDR.
Then has the nerve to be coy about a sequel? For me, this is actually more upsetting then their entire E3 conference.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 9:46AM PercyChuggs said
Alan Wake was not a good video game. The characters animated poorly, and face wise, looked atrocious (which, for me, completely made the story irrelevant, since I cannot take anything seriously if it's coming out of a mouth that barely moves). You did the same exact thing in the very first part of the game that you did in the very last part of the game. And I didn't find the story to be all that memorable at all.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 11:40AM captainjy said
This is a shame. What's more troubling about this info is how much it's supporting the notion that MS is going way too much Kinect. I love Kinect, am excited about some titles, but to kick Alan Wake to the curb is tragic. Every year it's Gears of War, Halo, Fable and Forza for exclusive titles and it's getting old. Sure, multiplatform titles fill in the gaps nicely, but MS really needed Alan Wake and still does, IMO.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 12:26PM gofish1985 said
I would love to see a second Alan wake full game. I dont know the first one wouldnt sell that great because i think it was really good. This so far is one of the best 360 exclusives.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 12:43PM captplut9465 said
This stinks. I wish EA would snap up the franchise just to get a sequel published. The atmosphere of the game was incredible.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:30PM bargaingamer said
I finish the first game and it was good, once they announce the sequel i play all the dlc.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 1:36PM KungFuChaosNinja said
Instead we get a bunch of Kinect shovelware. Gee, thanks, Microsoft.
The Nintendo press conference was more "hardcore" than Microsoft's. Just pathetic.
Sign Alan Wake 2, throw all the Kinect crap, especially the Fable title, into a nearby river.
The Nintendo press conference was more "hardcore" than Microsoft's. Just pathetic.
Sign Alan Wake 2, throw all the Kinect crap, especially the Fable title, into a nearby river.
Posted: Jun 10th 2011 4:00PM Softserve said
@KungFuChaosNinja Eh, given that almost all of their "hardcore" stuff is on PS3 and 360 anyway, I don't find that to be something that's very upsetting.
Let's face it, Kinect is a big part of their business now and is what will extend the life cycle of the console. If that means showing a bunch of Kinect games at an hour long conference then I can live with it.
Given what's coming out it's certainly not a reflection of the 360 having no core games this year or next.
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Let's face it, Kinect is a big part of their business now and is what will extend the life cycle of the console. If that means showing a bunch of Kinect games at an hour long conference then I can live with it.
Given what's coming out it's certainly not a reflection of the 360 having no core games this year or next.
Posted: Jun 13th 2011 7:53AM Atonnis said
Alan Wake didn't sell as well as it was hoped because it was buttf-d around with so much that people got sick of waiting for it and it's apparent massive change in design from it's original promises.
Scheduled for 'Only for Windows Vista' before Vista had even come out, Alan Wake was originally talked-about in a way that said it would be all about working out a mystery in the terrifying-at-night Bright Falls. What we got was an on-rails book-story with fairly predictable combat and this annoying waste of time (and probably licensing money) on breaking up the game with songs I didn't want to hear and skipped past as quickly as possible.
I really liked Alan Wake, but a part of me nearly cried inside throughout the experience at what could have been.
Scheduled for 'Only for Windows Vista' before Vista had even come out, Alan Wake was originally talked-about in a way that said it would be all about working out a mystery in the terrifying-at-night Bright Falls. What we got was an on-rails book-story with fairly predictable combat and this annoying waste of time (and probably licensing money) on breaking up the game with songs I didn't want to hear and skipped past as quickly as possible.
I really liked Alan Wake, but a part of me nearly cried inside throughout the experience at what could have been.








