Alan Wake getting DLC episodes

By Tom Bramwell Published 7 January, 2010

Due out following release this year.

Microsoft has said that Alan Wake will be supported by additional downloadable episodes on Xbox Live following release.

"Story-driven like a TV series, Alan Wake will be told in episodes, with even more episodes available on Xbox Live after its launch this year," Bach, who is president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division, said during his CES keynote overnight.

"Imagine the TV show Lost as written by Stephen King and filmed by David Lynch and you have Alan Wake."

Well, technically nobody has Alan Wake, because it's been delayed about 48 times, but we are assured it will be out this year on Xbox 360. A planned PC version has been shelved for now.

Check out our E3 and gamescom previews from last year to remind yourself what's what in this story of a novelist fighting off his worst nightmares using a torch.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

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

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Comments (13) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • darkmorgado #1 2 years ago

    I hope this doesn't turn out to be a case of the retail disc ending on a cliffhanger and being forced to pay for DLC to see the end of the story. Don't see how a horror mystery could be extended by DLC without breaking the canon/ atmosphere of the original disc.

  • Bulbatron #2 2 years ago

    The last game that I can think of that was set up episodically like a television series was Alone in the Dark. I hope Alan Wake will be better than that disaster.

  • richardiox #3 2 years ago

    So when is Alan Wake Up actually due out then? Last I heard was May - I think.

  • jambo74 #4 2 years ago

    Oh dear, looks like my comments before are justified with this game.....

  • bratmandu #5 2 years ago

    Surely it needs some 'C' before the 'DL' part comes. Get the game out already - wasn't this supposed to be a 360 launch title?

  • cianchristopher #6 2 years ago

    Bollocks!

    I'm sick of this DLC shit! It's fine if you wanna download extra maps for Halo/CoD...

    But, DLC for a single-player adventure? That means, just like Assassin's Creed II, they cut portions out of the game so they can charge for them later on...

    I really can't see this being Lost and Damned/Ballad of Gay Tony-style DLC - with all-new stories/characters in the same city.

    Like I said, bollocks!

  • makeamazing #7 2 years ago

    Perhaps that the game has taken so long to make, that they need DLC to at least get some of their money back from the development? Personally i dont see that as a negative on its own merit... or are people just expecting these companies to make a loss?

    From what i know of the story so far, its not like they couldnt do further mysteries in the town etc... so i think it doesnt have to be related to the main story arc.

    I do agree announcing DLC before the game (and a game that has been delayed alot), is alittle silly.

  • Murton #8 2 years ago

    This game has been getting hyped up for a good seven years now and still has no release date but we have a DLC confirmed to roughly coincide with the release date, whenever that may be.

    Darkmorgado: you're right to be concerned that canon could be broken or altered by the DLC. I suspect this DLC will likely take a similar shape to the planned DLC episodes for Heavy Rain and be like mini-prequels that flesh out the backstory of the characters and show their actions leading up to the main game story and how they get tangled up in it all.

  • sneetch #9 2 years ago

    So after you find out whatever is happening in the town and what happened to your wife you cram in other episodes? Seems a bit strange to me.

    "What happened to my dog/car/favourite baseball cap?"

    I suppose the whole amnesia thing would lead to other episodes being more easily inserted into a storyline but it still seems a bit strange to me. Still, time will tell.

  • monkeywithnoeyes #10 2 years ago

    yeah..not liking the sound of this. Alan Wakes a game that relys on it's story.. and if they're trying to charge me £50 for a game then i want that story to be told from start to finish... not have bits of it cut out and offers as dlc.

    I cant see these dlc "episodes" not removing from the main game ..which is worrying..as i would assume they would have to involve alan, and couldnt get away with following different characters in different storylines. Fable, and Fallout, could get away with offering dlc chapters..as those games didnt rely on a linear story to be told, you could follow completely different story archs.
    GTA4 dlc could get away with it because it could have you follow a new protagonist, and offer a unique story in the same world.

    With Alan Wake you're limited to being alan wake throughout..as it's his torment that we're following. Hows dlc episodes not going to remove from that?

  • Nephirion #11 2 years ago

    Alan Wank...

  • sarcasmoidosis #12 2 years ago

    "Surely it needs some 'C' before the 'DL' part comes"

    +1. Oh, and the game needs moar bloom.

  • jambo74 #13 2 years ago

    Yep, just seen the latest video. Alan Fail