PC Alan Wake's fate TBD - Remedy

Finnish studio rules out simultaneous launch with 360, says decision to bring game to Windows systems at all is Microsoft's; publisher remains mum.

Last month, Alan Wake was extensively demonstrated at Microsoft's media briefing during the Electronic Entertainment Expo. However, the fact that the game was shown off during a section of the presentation reserved for Xbox 360 exclusives raised a variety of questions. Had the previously announced, Vista-only PC edition of the Remedy-developed game been canceled? Or was it misplaced in the Xbox 360-exclusive section like Metal Gear Solid Rising, which Konami later revealed is also coming to the PlayStation 3 and PC?

The status of the PC edition of Alan Wake remains shrouded in mystery.

Now, it turns out that both options are partially correct. This week, Remedy confirmed to GameSpot that, as had been hinted at, the Xbox 360 version of Alan Wake is its sole focus. "It is accurate that we are currently working exclusively on the Xbox 360 version of Alan Wake," a rep for the suburban Helsinki, Finland-based studio said. "It's safe to say that at least a simultaneous launch with the Xbox version will not happen at this late stage."

However, when it came to the status of the PC edition of the game, Remedy was much vaguer in its response. "PC plans are currently open," a rep said. "Remedy has a deep heritage in PC gaming and would love to see a PC version available to its PC followers. Ultimately, however, this decision lies with our publisher [Microsoft Game Studios]." Requests for comment sent to Microsoft Game Studios had not been returned as of press time, leaving Alan Wake followers in the same place as the horror game's flashlight-wielding hero--in the dark.

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270 Comments

  • Massacher

    Posted Jul 23, 2009 2:15 am PT

    @ ThatGuyFromBe4, lol at those games, Halo rofl, Gears of War 2 hahahaha, and MGS4. seriously those games are average at best. yes i am a hardcore PC gamer. i look down upon any and all consoles for without PCs there would be no games for consoles. i do not wish i was playing any of them. why would i waste my time?

    and as for "digging" to find a decent game, that is because PC games are quality unlike console where they just release some generic bland POS in third person. and most have an auto aim option, lol.

    sports games, racing games and music games can barely be classed as games. those get boring as hell after about 10 mins.
    fighting games are also just as boring.

    5 genres lol! is that all you have. we have dozens that will never be on consoles as they are severely limited.

    "far more options than PC". you obviously have no idea about PCs if u think that is true. PCs can run any game including console games. the same cannot and will never be said about console games. so don't go comparing consoles to PCs in the manner u have. for it is like comparing a grain of sand to an entire planet.

    Alan Wake sounded ok at first. but once they showed some footage and it was in third person, i gave up on it then as i knew it will be a console-ized POS

  • Baramos6

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 1:37 pm PT

    "Wah Wah we are so poor" Get over it, grow the hell up. You call console owners kids and babies all the time, but when something gets taken away from you, "oh it's the end of the world!" "This is a dark day in history," and other idiotic standard pc gamer statements. Enough, every system gets it's own exclusives. It's clearly up to microsoft what happens with this game. A lot of people will be playing this game, and the rest of you can just sit in your corner secretly wishing this game would come to your choice of entertainment. Enjoy.

  • scarface_dm

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 9:39 am PT

    honestly who cares about pc games ?

  • ThatGuyFromBe4

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 12:10 am PT

    @Fyre8892

    You listed 13 PC exclusives, 8 of those are RTS, didn't I already said I'm not arguing that? Now let's look at the other games, one is an MMO (just like the Sims, I don't consider these "games"), one is a turned based game that no one cares about (you want to talk turned based games, let's talk FINAL FANTASY 13, console exclusive), and I've never even heard of Cryostasis, probably because according to gamerankings, it's a POS. Why would you even mention that? Do you think console gamers are thinking, "Man, if only I was a PC gamer, I could play CRYOSTASIS." Hell no. But I know a lot of PC gamers are wishing they could play Halo 3, Gears of War 2, MGS4, Killzone 2, inFamous and every sports game, racing game, music game (Rock Band, Guitar Hero), platformer, and fighting game available on consoles. That's the 360's top 2 highest selling games, 3 GREAT PS3 games, and a total of FIVE ENTIRE GENRES PC gamers can't even touch (at least consoles have SOME RTS games).

    So finally we've got Diablo 3, the one and only game you mentioned that console gamers are going to be wishing they could play. Dig into the PC's releases since the past 3 years and you won't find any other game (except RTS and Crysis) like that. Not to mention out of the games you listed, 4 of them aren't even released yet, INCLUDING Diablo 3. That just shows me how far you had to dig to find any decent games.

    FACE IT, consoles have a far better library of exclusives and far more options than PCs.

  • BloodMist

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 8:44 am PT

    Ohhhh...ho ho ho...please...don't try to disguise your Linux loving as an excuse here, buddy-boy.You're just as full of crap as the Mac lovers these days.

  • anacardo

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 8:01 am PT

    Let's hope that Mafia II doesn't follow the same fate. Anyway the more Microsoft will follow this attitude, the more irrelevant Windows will become in the desktop market. If you really take away Games from windows, apart from a few niche CG products like Photoshop and 3dmax (Maya is already crossplatform), there's really nothing a good Linux distro can't do. Good for them they still have their OEM market, but that will soon change, once out of the streets consumers begin to question why spend $$$ on underperforming and bloated PCs when they can have lightweight and fast netbooks or smartphones for their everyday use.

  • Wardrift

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 7:24 am PT

    A pity. Considering the adventure genre on the PC is far more popular and established, it seems like an odd marketing decision. Also it could have been more profitable for Microsoft, since Sony is not bringing Heavy Rain cross-platform. Puzzling.

  • pakhair

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 5:04 am PT

    Die..........

    Well that's really sad that once again PC gamers r thrown to the dark & now we will have to wait for the light like alan .........

  • BloodMist

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 1:03 am PT

    Don't forget uh, The Witcher, and Vampire Bloodlines, there, two of the absolute best games in any genre to come out in years, and two of the few games that can truly justify the "Mature" connotation(look em up).Yeah it's pretty funny how jealous people have been predicting the death of PC gaming for like 30 years now.You'd think they'd give up but...there's always a new generation of ignorance over time i suppose.

  • scarface_dm

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 8:23 pm PT

    I CANT WAIT FOR ALAN WAKE

  • Fyre8892

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 3:30 pm PT

    @ThatGuyFromBe4

    As for your final point, you want PC exclusives? Empire: Total War, Dawn of War 2, Sims 3, Sins of a Solar Empire: Entrenchment, Red Alert 3: Uprising, World in Conflict: Soviet Assault, Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor, Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty, Disciples 3: Renaissance, Demigod, Diablo 3, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason. Not to mention that nearly every multiplatform game is released for the PC, and even a good number of console-specific games like Bioshock and Mass Effect are released for the PC. The fact of the matter is that as long as people own PCs there will be PC gaming, and that's going to be for a long time.

  • Fyre8892

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 3:30 pm PT

    @ThatGuyFromBe4

    Alright let me try to adress those points in order. Yes, PCs are the main home of RTS games, and that's a massive game market that can't easily be ignored. Yes, Crysis does have pretty graphics (better than anything you can find on a console I'll wager) and I'm not sure many people would agree about the mediocrity of it (Gamespot for one gave it a 9.5). I did indeed mention the Sims, not because I'm a particuarly large fan of it myself, but because it sold over 1.4 million copies in just one week, and that's significant.
    As far as you second paragraph, try not to meld all the consoles into one super-console. My 360 can stream movie from Netflix (a feature some may find useful but I do not), but it cannot play Blu-ray movies (that would be the PS3), and it cannot browse the internet (that would be the Wii and you have to pay for that app...also it doesn't even work well). You can store pics, vids, and music but most of the devices designed to capture those types of media (i.e. cameras, video recorders, and iPods) are made to interact with PCs. You can get them to interact with your console but I think you'll find it more difficult, and have fun emailing those pics to your pals or uploading them to facebook. If you really want all that functionality go ahead and get your three consoles but a PC is cheaper. As far as your doubt that I'm a legitimate console gamer, I'll bet the number of kills I have in CoD4 on my 360 is greater than your anual salary.

  • ErebusGamer

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 12:43 pm PT

    Also as a person that has own all consoles, I play my PC more than all. Occasionally the PS3 to play some Metal Gear, sold my Wii since more than half of the games were controller gimmicks, and I have my 360 in the closet since it busted all of my games and the PC has free online because I really only ever played one game on 360 while I play at least 5 on the PC. Also thousands of dollars each month is pretty much impossible if you plan to drive in it. A PC that can play Crysis with 60 FPS avg. probably cost somewhere between $500-$750. But the catch there is you won't have to pay for it every month except if you pick almost every other better looking game because they are probably better optimized which Crysis isn't. Also PC gaming is pretty strong. Some multi platform games are better on the PC like all the Valve multiplayer games, Fallout 3, and any other game that has or can be modded. Anyone that says PC gaming is dying has been hit to hard with the idiot stick. Anyone who thinks PC gaming and console gaming can live side by side is smart because they can. PC gaming will always be more successful but consoles will be for a different person, a person that respects PCs but prefer the controller set up and not paying as much. PC gaming will be people who respect Consoles but prefer the mouse and keyboard set up but prefer better graphics if they pay a little bit every once in a while.

  • ThatGuyFromBe4

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 11:13 am PT

    @Fyre8892

    I think everyone knows at this point that the main home of RTS games is the PC, I wasn't trying to argue that, what really, what else is a PC good for? And Crysis, good for you, a mediocre shooter with pretty graphics (yes, I've played it, I was a hardcore PC gamer up until a few months ago when I realized it just wasn't worth it anymore), and did you seriously just mention the Sims? I guess if you're a bored teenage girl you might consider that a "game", but I'm just laughing.

    You also claim that consoles are only useful for gaming, and that's where I seriously start to doubt that you're the console gamer you claim to be, because that hasn't been true since last gen. Consoles nowadays are multi-entertainment devices, able to stream movies thru Netflix and play DVDs and Blu-ray, browse the internet, store and play music, photos, and videos, ect ect

    What I said still holds true, with the exception of RTS, the PC hasn't had any worthwhile exclusives in FOREVER, and with none on the horizon, it probably never will again. And I'm not "claiming" it's a dying market, go do some research, the proof is in the numbers.

  • console-deity

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 9:49 am PT

    @ izmickey I've yet to play a game on console I'd rather play on PC M/KB is the most awkward interface around.

  • izmickey

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 9:02 am PT

    BTW, Alan wake was looking weaker and weaker. Every year it was a no show ever since before xbox360 came out. When i saw this video it sort of reminded me of a silent hill type thing, not as gory though. Looks interesting.

  • izmickey

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 8:52 am PT

    @console-deity

    Thats not entirely true. Look at starcraft, diablo or C&C. There is not way a controller can beat a mouse and keyboard for those types of games. Some games are better of on a console and some are better of on a PC.

  • console-deity

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 8:38 am PT

    PC gamers have to accept gaming was meant to be done on a console, PCs were designed to do work and that is still what they do best, consoles were designed to play games and still nothing beats them.

  • Richard7666

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 4:32 am PT

    Hmmm. Don't own a console (too expensive for only one task to be value for money) so this is a shame. I'd be happy to wait to get the best possible graphics etc though so no biggie, as long as it comes out on PC eventually.

  • Fyre8892

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:58 pm PT

    @ThatGuyFromBe4

    Wow. Ok well let me start off by saying that I consider myself a console gamer. That is to say that I spend more time on my 360 than on my PC. But dude, come on, even I'm shocked by how erroneous your comment is. First of all, to get the console titles that you mentioned you need both a 360 and a PS3 which is going to run you well over $250. Secondly, sure the consoles have RTS games, but the controls just aren't as compatable to say the least. Also, most RTS games are PC exclusive. Your claim that the PC doesn't have any good exclusives is total bogus. The whole Total War series, Crysis, Company of Heroes, and all of the Sims games just to name a few off hand. There's also another inherent advantage to gaming on a PC, it can do things other than games. Computers are useful for more than just gaming. If you actually put as much money into a computer as you suggested was necessary ("thousands of dollars on your gaming rig and hundreds more every year to keep it upgraded") you could purchase a PC that could beat any console any day of the month. In reality you can buy a quality PC for a few hundred dollars, and if you were smart you won't have to upgrade it much at all (e.g. my PC is about two years old and I can run new games and with decent graphics too). Anyway I doubt this has convinced you in any way, but let me just finish by saying that you aren't the first person to claim that PC gaming is a dying market. Come back in ten years.

  • ErebusGamer

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:42 pm PT

    Also my PC doesn't get the RRoD.........it gets the BSoD =P

  • ErebusGamer

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:41 pm PT

    Consoles are great if you aren't tech savvy, but don't be a prick about how the PC fanboys are crybabies. The Halo you enjoyed so much took two years for us. Also console fanboys have your fights about which is better PS3 or Xbox 360 before you can even compare one or the other to the PC, the potentiality strongest gaming system of the 3.

  • ThatGuyFromBe4 posted Jul 16, 2009 11:31 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    ThatGuyFromBe4

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:31 pm PT (hide)

    @Lukemaneiro

    The PC hasn't had any worthwhile exclusives in YEARS, except of course MMOs, but does anyone really consider those games? They're more like a second job what with all the tedious grinding that the gameplay revolves around. Meanwhile, console gamers get to enjoy Halo 3, Gears of War 2, Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone 2, inFamous, and the list just goes on and on.

    By the way, I WILL enjoy my analog sticks, I'll enjoy them knowing that I can play those racing games, those platformers, those sports games, and those fighting games that just don't work with your mouse and keyboard, and hey, I can even play FPS if I've got some skill. I guess have fun with your RTS games? Oh, wait, no, I'm recalling a little game called Command & Conquer 3. What was your point again?

    Also, have fun spending thousands of dollars on your gaming rig and hundreds more every year to keep it upgraded, while I get practically the same beautiful graphics on my $250 Xbox 360.

    Bottom line is, the PC gaming market just isn't very profitable anymore and game developers are starting to see that.

  • Angelus101

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 7:33 pm PT

    hmm, well first off, i don't have any console except my old gamecube and N64 but that's not important i have no plans to buy a console, i just don't have the money and personally i prefer my standard mouse and keyboard, but anyway it's a tad annoying to hear that this is yet another game straight out on 360, there's nothing wrong with 360's or any consoles just not my thing, but jeeeeez share the love, there's still a lot of pc gamers so why can't they multiplatform....

    Remedy make us wait so long for this game, and when they look like they might release soon they suddenly decide "PC plans are currently open" but they're mainly focusing on 360, why didn't they tell us this months back. Gaming at the moment just gets worse and worse, it's either short games that are good for a few hours but then turn out pretty poor, or it's 360 exclusives or ps3 exclusives with the "potential pc release" which turns out to be a poor port (GTAIV?) You would think also that seeing as microsoft have always dealt with PCs before the x-box that they might still give a crap about pc gamers, well obviously not...

  • Terdog

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 6:42 pm PT

    supernaught360, comments like that make me sick. I own both at PS3 and a PC, and I enjoy games on both. And no, that does not mean my PC is a World of Warcraft machine. I enjoy games on both. And sides, many newer video cards on PC can handle HDMI, so there. I play my PC AND PC games on a 52 inch TV.

  • parhar67

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 5:01 pm PT

    @ Search_for_Vali

    How will mass effect be a PS3 game when its published by microsoft? Thats like saying God of war and Gran trutismo 5 will be on the 360....it wont because those two games are published by sony.

  • scarface_dm

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 4:53 pm PT

    Why would they port a potential AAA title to another console, Ms would be a fool to do that, This is the game Im excited for most in 2010 !

  • khaan8

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 4:47 pm PT

    Microsoft should leave Games for Windows platform and quit sweet talk about how they support and have plans to improve PC gaming, pfffff... yea right, ccc! MONEY BABY MONEY !!!

  • link1709

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 3:58 pm PT

    If this helps, I'd buy it for my PS3!

  • Cobretti1818

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 3:54 pm PT

    Clearly MS thinks that this game is a system seller.
    Did they not see the E3 video?

  • diabloakaSAHA

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 3:34 pm PT

    @51N4 , os ur telling me u can get fake ps3 games in IRAN. Now tahts news. Seriously u need a life, or perhaps an xbox360 or ps3 to make ur life better. I can see how upset u are right now, poor pc gamer who has a high end gaming rig but no games to paly with. lmao. 51N4 should be inducted into Gamespot's Hall of LAME, if there is one.

  • supernaught360

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 3:15 pm PT

    Search For Vali - enlighten us as to how the second leading console manufacturer is getting...*ahem*... DESperate?!

    As far as pirating game software goes - you people should get jobs. It works like this: You work forty hours a week (at least!) and thus haven't as much free time to play games, therefore you buy fewer games, but enjoy them more because of the catharsis involved actually RELAXING FROM A HARD DAYS WORK. Problem with pirates is they take gaming for granted, and don't have enough of a real life to enjoy a few cozy hours with a hot game release that they dropped $60 on.

  • supernaught360 posted Jul 16, 2009 3:07 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    supernaught360

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 3:07 pm PT (hide)

    Yeah, just what everyone wants: to play games on the stool in front of their 20" monitor instead of the 46" (and beyond!) flat screen LCD's and plasma sets (In HD!) from the comfort of the recliner/couch, lol. I guess if we were all college kids and "live at home" sons and daughters we might not mind the necessity of playing games on PC with our noses 12" from the monitor, but lest you PC people forget: much of the gaming demographic is between 25 and 35, and we have jobs, homes, and nice entertainment rooms (and like myself, 1000+ watts of face melting DTS/Dolby digital sound wrapping its loving audacity around us)

    Sorry PC people - those trix are for kids.

  • 51N4

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 2:34 pm PT

    to diabloakaSAHA:
    i prefer waiting for emus, instead of wasting even 1 cent for crap console gaming sys.
    no fake, but pirated version.
    why don't travel to Tehran & try is yourself?
    i know, you're just kid, who blinded by craptech like this.
    just go & play your xb 360 games.
    don't forget that i'm not a kid like you.
    that's so funny: buy a bx 360.

  • diabloakaSAHA

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 2:15 pm PT

    Worry not PC gamers, ull get the left overs of what console gamers enjoyed. U got halo2, gta4, mass effect and gta4 right??

  • diabloakaSAHA

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 2:13 pm PT

    @ 51N4 .... u get fake ps3 games in iran -tehran??? really??

  • diabloakaSAHA

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 2:10 pm PT

    @ 51N4 , by the time the 360 emulator is out the next generation of consoles wouldve arrived LOL . Instead of wasting money on useless upgrades for ur gaming PC get a XBOX360 and a PS3 with just $1110 USD. If u dont play World of Warcraft, then it simply sucks to be a PC gamer.

  • 51N4 posted Jul 16, 2009 1:54 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    51N4

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 1:54 pm PT (hide)

    lol... piracy?
    just travel to Iran-Tehran & you can find great collection of all PS3,XB 360 & Wii games just for $10 each.
    pirating console games (PS3, XB 360 & Wii) is so much easier than PC.
    lol

  • XxCacicxX

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 1:54 pm PT

    Kind of ironic they show how the pc version is running then they focus on the console edition and basically forget about the pc. I'm still getting it either way.

  • fred0309

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 1:38 pm PT

    good luck we will be lucky if the xbox360 copy will be released in the next 2-3 years? i have totaly stop pre ordering all games i can not take push back dates and delayed any more when the games finnaly comes out i will buy it thats it !!!!!!

  • Search_for_Vali

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 1:34 pm PT

    F*** Microsoft. They don't have exclusives and now they want to take Alan Wake from the fans? Remedys Fanbase are PC gamers. I played Max Payne on my PC and I wouldn't play it on any other platform.

    Microsoft you are such a d***. Getting desperate? The PS3 has a great lineup and you can't compete with that. And I am most certain, that Mass Effect will be soon a PS3 game as well.

  • Gooeykat

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 1:25 pm PT

    console-deity

    In another 2-3 years the Xbox 360 will be dead and the PC will still live on. The PC will continue to live on, the Xbox 360 is just the flavor of the month. And there are currently more PC exclusives than all the current generation of consoles combined.

  • luniac

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 1:23 pm PT

    All you people who are dissing PC gaming and want it to die can go to hell. Just wait till your consoles turn into PC's. Oh... wait.... too late...

  • GaMeSpotter_88

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 1:08 pm PT

    This game is cool wonderful i wait to buyit. :=)

  • CobaltJewel1

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 12:46 pm PT

    This game is shaping up to be the biggest letdown this (or maybe the other) side of Bioshock 2.

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