Alan Wake dev defends XBLA decision

By Tom Phillips Published 4 November, 2011

Fans "assuming a lot" by judging spin-off.

Alan Wake fans should not be disappointed the next game in the series is an Xbox Live Arcade spin-off, developer Remedy has said.

The downloadable title, said to be named Alan Wake's Night Springs, will be "structured like a full release", Remedy community manager Peter Papadopoulos said in a message reassuring fans on the game's official forum.

Gamers already judging the game are "assuming a lot by the platform it is on", Papadopoulos argued in another post. "All I can say is wait for the official announcement before making up your mind."

Night Springs will have a "pretty damn impressive storyline that expands the originals in some interesting ways," he continued.

Alan Wake co-writer Markus Mäki has also commented on the negative reaction from some fans, quoting one members' post claiming the downloadable Night Springs wouldn't give gamers value for money. "'Don't you give you value for money...' Heh. Oh, ye of little faith," he wrote.

The original Alan Wake could have been an XBLA game too, Mäki reasoned, on the basis that without cut-scenes it would have fitted XBLA's 2GB filesize limit.

"If you're thinking about this in terms of some kind of a, I don't know, super simplified 'we still use the name but changed everything about it' version of Alan Wake, let me just say that this is not the case. That's all I'm gonna say."

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About Tom Phillips

Tom joined Eurogamer in 2010 and has quickly made his mark writing news and columns and coming up with puntastic straplines. Questionable beard. @TomPhillips151 on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Phillips archive page.

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Comments (19) Latest comment 7 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • arcam #1 7 months ago

    I'm just disappointed it's still not going anywhere other than the 360. This is one my my most wanted but unattainable games and I honestly think it's perfect for a PC audience. Ah well.

  • Ultrasoundwave #2 7 months ago

    Theres been an uprising against this game already????

    Christ, i havent even had my fucking morning coffee yet!

  • UncleLou #3 7 months ago

    "If you're thinking about this in terms of some kind of a, I don't know, super simplified 'we still use the name but changed everything about it' version of Alan Wake, let me just say that this is not the case. That's all I'm gonna say."

    Wasn't that what they did with the original AW? I wouldn't know, it never was released on the platform I own and which it was shown on for years. Ok, I guess that answers my question.

    YES, I AM STILL BITTER. :p

  • -cerberus- #4 7 months ago

    Well Mr. Mäki, you can fuck right off with your digital-only plans. Hard copy or no sale.

  • Jonathan_Fakenham #5 7 months ago

    I'm guessing there'll probably be a hard copy compilation when all the DLC episodes are out..

  • theonlyix #6 7 months ago

    Im totally psyched for this! Alan Wake was a wonderful game that really to few people tried (blame red dead abit for that perhaps).
    It easily beats resident and silent hill and is wonderfully immersive. If you guys havent played it, its a steal with todays pricepoint!

  • Bigmac1910 #7 7 months ago

    Tbh, why not just come out and say what the deal is when it's announced, especially when it's "seems" to be a big departure from the previous title. Just don't do the "drip-feeding" style of marketing, and these "assumptions" won't happen, simple really.

  • bratmandu #8 7 months ago

    Prediction: this will be a landmark in episodically delivered games. They wanted to do it with AW. Night Springs will be an interesting direction for downloadable games. I just hope it's got the gameplay to keep us downloading the episodes.

  • BillyBrush #9 7 months ago

    Just happy to have some more alan wake. :)

  • Po1ymorph #10 7 months ago

    Loved the game. Played the first DLC did't really like it, thought they were floundering with the story a little bit.

    Looking forward to seeing what they do next.

  • MattEdWithCheese #11 7 months ago

    It's not a retail game... ...It's a downloadable...

    Edit: that was a reference to the ending of Alan Wake in case you didn't know, not a very good one I'll admit that...
    Edited by MattEdWithCheese at 04/11/11 @ 13:53

  • Slipstream #12 7 months ago

    Funny how the 'fans' rear their heads when this is announced. Funny lot.

  • GamesConnoisseur #13 7 months ago

    We write off download onlys? Nope we will see more of those, worthwhile if they are of good quality and wouldn't be given green lit if has to be a full monty retail release. Whatever works to a different tiered budgets.

    Some full retail games at £39.99 are a rip off and better placed as download only within £10. That the future, different releases and avenues.

  • robbiejc85 #14 7 months ago

    Publishers and developers are now able to see and react to 'fan' reaction on the web within hours - and at the moment they all seem to be in defence (negative reviews) or critical (the retail model is broken etc etc).

    How about they just save all the bother and the rumours and speculation by giving unambigious and fully-conceived annoucements?

    Why the (clearly sanctioned) leak, THEN a date for a screenshot (a date for a SCREENSHOT FFS!!) and THEN 'you'll know more on December 10th'

    Why not just let Geoff Keighly Tweet one week before VGAs 'New Alan Wake title next week' and have it at that? That way we we all get excited. Alan Wake trends on Twitter, and we all have fun guessing.

    As a good example, I really like the way GameInformer mag does big pre-issue teasers
    Edited by robbiejc85 at 04/11/11 @ 14:12

  • arcam #15 7 months ago

    @robbiejc85

    At the risk of giving an obvious answer, it's because the drip-feed marketing is more successful. Games need time to build hype. Not everyone would read Geoff Keighly's tweet a week before release - in fact hardly anyone would - and it would result in a lacklustre launch that's overshadowed by other, better-marketed titles.

    Some big titles start marketing years before their release, which even I think is a it much, but they're doing it for a reason and that reason is the billions of dollars spent on proven marketing techniques in the past.

  • cobaltfram #16 7 months ago

    I got sick of Alan Wake the minute people started treating an American writer like a movie star, and the game seemed to think this was legitimate. And then I hated it all the way up to the point that I learned that it wasn't a lake, but an ocean.
    Edited by cobaltfram at 04/11/11 @ 14:15

  • robbiejc85 #17 7 months ago

    @arcam Well its hard to argue completely against the success of some drip feed marketing, but as I work in marketing I've seen first hand how dropping early (and ambigious) info can cause a bit of harm - mainly in terms of customer perceptions you jsut can't shake. Hence why Remedy had to come out with a statement about a game that's not even been released yet!

    The natural leaks a few months ago about this being an XBLA exclusive (to me at least) seemed to do a better job than this slightly odd series of events.

    Anyway, loved the first AW - think a spin off is a great idea - so long as its not a twin stick shooter!!

  • cloudskipa #18 7 months ago

    I don't think he needed to explain anything. People always judge and assume on little information and there will aleways be idiots who look down their nose at XBLA. However after reading this it's quite clear it won't be a twin stick shooter heh

    I'm REALLY looking forward to this now, if anyone knows how to make stylistic 3rd person shooters with awesome atmosphere it's Remedy.

  • IneptPercy #19 7 months ago

    Well love the game and all the DLC so this is only good news, I look forward to it.

    I am still gutted it never came to PC, it looks amazing on the 360 and I just know a higher resolution and V-sync would make it perfect.