Alan Wake PC release date announced

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 2 February, 2012

"We've done our best to do justice to the PC version."

Alan Wake launches on PC through Steam on 16th February, Remedy Entertainment has announced.

It goes live on "other popular digital channels", such as EA's Origin, "soon afterwards".

The boxed retail version, courtesy of Nordic Games, is "coming soon".

On Steam the game costs $30 (for the game plus all the DLC). The Limited Collector's Edition costs $35.

Remedy said PC gamers will benefit from "stunning" HD graphics, "refined and enhanced" PC features and support for stereoscopic 3D and multi-screen.

Remedy CTO Markus Mäki said: "We've done our best to do justice to the PC version and do things the way they should be done for PC. The PC version looks absolutely beautiful. We're bringing the game to life in a whole new way," says Markus Mäki, CTO at Remedy."

Those key PC version enhancements in full:

  • Experience Alan Wake's Pacific Northwest in higher resolutions and higher fidelity than ever before.
  • Refined and fully configurable mouse and keyboard support (or if you prefer to play with the Microsoft gamepad connected to your PC, you can do that too!) .
  • A wide selection of customizable graphics settings and support for 4:3, 16:9 and 16:10 aspect ratios.
  • Multithreaded engine that takes advantage of quad core CPUs.
  • Additional options our fans have sought after, such as field of view adjustment as well as "hide HUD".
  • Works with AMD Eyefinity 3D 3-screen mode.
  • Works with NVIDIA NVISION2 Stereoscopic 3D.
Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (40) Latest comment 2 weeks ago

  • Daeltaja #1 3 weeks ago

    Bit late really? Better late then never though, I suppose!

  • Belmonth #2 3 weeks ago

    Mastah Race Muthafaca !

  • Dynamize #3 3 weeks ago

    You shouldn't be allowed to call stuff that belongs in an options menu by default "enhancements".

  • bmfof #4 3 weeks ago

    Does it come along with a couch for true gamer experience?

  • DozyKipper #5 3 weeks ago

    Oh, I thought it was exclusive to Steam!

  • FluffyTucker #6 3 weeks ago

    They can shove it up their bum

  • Paul_cz #7 3 weeks ago

    Fantastic. So soon (eh, heh) and for a great price. I just hope it will not be dollar=euro priced.

    For 25 euros or so I will get it day one.
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/12 @ 16:07

  • v.profane #8 3 weeks ago

    I will indeed be stunned if the graphics are above average.

  • arcam #9 3 weeks ago

    If it's out in two weeks, hurry up and put it on Steam!

  • pcgamerx #10 3 weeks ago

    we want couch for PC.

  • siegarettes #11 3 weeks ago

    Sounds like a sexy array of features. Doesn't justify me dropping another $30 though, even with the dlc. Probably worth it for those who don't have an Xbox however.

  • drchocapic #12 3 weeks ago

    Remember when this game was supposed to be a Vista exclusive on the PC ? Fun times.
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/12 @ 16:19

  • -cerberus- #13 3 weeks ago

    "Additional options our fans have sought after, such as field of view adjustment as well as "hide HUD"."

    SOLD! (hard copy, of course)
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/12 @ 16:25

  • pcgamerx #14 3 weeks ago

    quad core CPUs.
    lol

  • Snufkin #15 3 weeks ago

    Alan Wake is mediocre at best. Boring story, irritating twat for a lead character and an even more irritaing twat for a sidekick, shallow linear gameplay, mindless AI. I only finished it cos it was so short. Seriously, don't bother PC-dudes. There are far better games out there than this over-hyped shite.

  • skunkfish #16 3 weeks ago

    Will definitely pick this up, it almost tempted me to get 360.

  • FatalHybrid #17 3 weeks ago

    @Snufkin This is more of buy it because Alan Wake 2 will be a better game. They heard all the criticisms from the first but if we don't buy the first on PC especially at such a cut down price we won't get the sequel no matter how good or bad it is.

  • kirinnokoshin #18 3 weeks ago

    @Snufkin

    Totally agree, and was negged to hell for stating something similar on another website. Each unto their own I guess, but there are so many better examples in the action adventure genre.

  • Breadbitten #19 3 weeks ago

    "Multithreaded engine that takes advantage of quad core CPUs."

    I'm guessing that equates to an "eff you" to Dual Core machines?

  • jessewiatrak #20 3 weeks ago

    This game will be especially amazing on PC, because people may release extra graphics overhauls, making the game even better looking, however I hope nobody makes any mods to change the story, for this kind of game, that would ruin it. Score this comment and visit my blog (thegamefeed.blogspot .com) if you agree.

  • Snufkin #21 3 weeks ago

    @FatalHybrid - I see your point. The sequel certainly sounds more interesting as a concept, and the Dusk til Dawn references being trotted out won't do it any harm.


    @Kirrinokoshin - It's weird, so many decent games get panned by the masses, but AW seems to have this and of crazed followers that won't hear a word said against it. Perhaps because its an exclusive? Who knows. And that isn't a cricism aimed at xbox fanboys - PS3 owners can be just as blinkered when it comes to exclusives (personally I felt Uncharted 3 was quite weak, certainly compared to UC2, but was negged to hell for saying so...).

    But yeah, there are much better examples of action-adventure games. I just played through Enslaved, and while FAR from perfect it had bags more charm, humour and varied gameplay than Alan Wake. Yet it was vilified and hated on ceaselessly when released. Sigh.

  • Darren #22 3 weeks ago

    "Remedy said PC gamers will benefit from "stunning" HD graphics..."

    I had to laugh at that. PC gamers have been able to play HD games since 1998 or thereabouts, it's nothing new Remedy! I was gaming at 1280x1024, which is a higher resolution than 720p, on a 15" LCD monitor long before I bought my Xbox 360. ;)

    But... I am looking forward to this but wanted to buy the disc version. From the wording in this article, it sounds like it'll hit Steam first and then the disc version will be released some weeks later. If it is 'only' $30 though, that sounds like it'll be £24.99 or less (hopefully £19.99) so I may as well buy it direct from Steam this time.

  • JayG #23 3 weeks ago

    Why buy Alan Wake on PC so they develop Alan Wake 2 for console? That makes no sense. Alan Wake was one of the reasons I brought a 360, and was one of the most disappointing games I ever played. In fact if it wasn't for Dragon Age 2 probably would be my most disappointing.

  • jetsetwillie #24 3 weeks ago

    @drchocapic remember space hoppers?

  • jetsetwillie #25 3 weeks ago

    @Snufkin well i thought it was great. so we have 2 opinions on the same game. what will people do!!!!

  • Saxo #26 3 weeks ago

    Like how the Pc edition enhanced features are the bare minimum of what should be in any port.

  • evild_edd #27 3 weeks ago

    In fairness, most Alan Wake fans (of which I'd consider myself one) will usually state how much the enjoyed the game despite its flaws.

    For some, it was one of those games where the total result was greater than the sum of its parts. Whilst none of the story, action, script, or graphics were individually amazing in their own right, I think everything was done well enough to create a coherent, satisfying experience.

    I also think its brevity worked in its favour.

    I can see why some people were disappointed - it really could've done without so much hype, and their early talk about open world structure only mislead people about what they should expect from the title.

    AW Is one of the better action horrors out there. It's not Resi' 4, but it is a very good title.

    Roll on American Nightmare and, hopefully, AW 2 :0)

  • FatalHybrid #28 3 weeks ago

    @JayG How you misunderstood is beyond me.. Alan Wake is on PC if the PC gamers don't buy the PC version then the PC doesn't get the sequel when they get around to doing it.. It's not complicated.

  • havoc2011 #29 3 weeks ago

    Post deleted at 13:14:46 03-02-2012

  • Tomo #30 3 weeks ago

    I want this on PC, but when the 360 version is going for not much more than a fiver, this is incredibly steep. Will wait for Christmas sale methinks.

  • kirinnokoshin #31 3 weeks ago

    @Snufkin & @evild_edd

    I always felt that AW was dangerously close to the figurative 'uncanny valley' between a game and a film/TV programme. If story is my primary motivation, I'll get astronomically better results watching a film or reading a book. I think narrative in games can be expressed differently to the passive form and should continue to be explored, but so few games have stories that are good enough to actually compel you to play them for that alone (AW certainly isn't one of them). In fact those that do are generally great games anyway (e.g. Half Life, Metal Gear Solid).

    Brevity seems to be a good design choice for a game like AW (LA Noire, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories are other examples I can think of) but it also serves to remind me of how ultimately sparse they are as gaming experiences.

    I certainly won't be considering a sequel unless they make some serious improvements (that goes for LA Noire too, which sold better than AW).

  • ilmaestro #32 3 weeks ago

    Shouldn't that say '"other popular digital channels", *and* EA's Origin'?

    Also, was one of the upgrades to the game "it's not a shooter any more"?

  • Snufkin #33 3 weeks ago

    @jetsetwillie - Hey, good for you if you liked the game. Seriously, I don't mind people having different opinions to me cos, y'know, I'm an adult and can cope with it without feeling my own world-view is invalid. However, my point was that there are a minority of people who support games so blindly that anyone who criticises it is instantly branded a lunatic biaised fanboy. Alan Wake seems to be one of those games. From my observations it seems to be format exclusives that attract such unthinking devotion.

  • v.profane #34 3 weeks ago

    @JAGUARCD32x I was running 1600x1200 on a 19" monitor 12 years ago.

  • JumpinJackFlash #35 3 weeks ago

    Darren:

    PC gamers have been able to play HD games since 1998 or thereabouts

    Since 92' actually.

  • Nephirion #36 3 weeks ago

    PC the home of retrospect gaming ...

  • IneptPercy #37 3 weeks ago

    I got bored of waiting for the PC version and played it on the 360 and loved it, with that this will look amazing in 1080p so I might just play it all again.

  • Darren #38 3 weeks ago

    @JAGUARCD32x - Since when has laughing being "spitting acid"? It was little more than a light-hearted poke at a PC developer using the word 'HD' when it is pretty much meaningless on the format. 1280x1024 was around in 1994... see here: http://books.go ogle.co.uk/books?id=ZDgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=1280x10 24+when+was+it+introduced&source=bl&ots=fE3K6SNnAl&sig=u_1AS g0lVYYYV_FAmrQvJkO7LWI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Wy4rT7qUGceI8gOamcH4Dg& sqi=2&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=1280x1024%20when%20was%20i t%20introduced&f=false

  • obscured021 #39 3 weeks ago

    Played this on my xbox, and was thinking while playing how much better it would have looked on the pc now I get to play it again in 3d! :o

  • leoknight10 #40 2 weeks ago

    Alan Wake will goes live on other popular digital channels soon after Steam, I also read from elsewhere stating PC version of Alan Wake will not be using Games for Windows, Normally you would think Games for Windows Live is use for keeping track of Achievements in the game since it is not using Games for Windows, it seems to me it is most likely no matter where you purchase Alan Wake, it will require Steam installed in order to play Alan Wake since Steam is probably use for keeping track of Achievements. :( Personally I hate service like Steam or Origins where you're required to installed their client software in order to play any of the games you purchase.