- Alan Wake 2 was released in 2023, managing to set a new high in the horror genre.
- After the release, it became the fastest-selling Remedy game.
- Despite that, the game has yet to recoup the overall development and marketing budget.
Alan Wake 2, one of the best releases last year, managed to leave its mark on the horror genre. It also broke new ground in terms of visuals on both consoles and PCs. Following its launch, the game was recognized for delivering the best narrative at TGA 2023.
These strengths meant that it became Remedy’s fastest-selling game. Unfortunately, the sales haven’t been that great. The game has yet to earn back its budget, meaning even after six months, it is not profitable.
Why it matters: Alan Wake 2 was released as a digital-only title, and on PC, it was exclusive to Epic Games.
In an official statement by Remedy, it was revealed that the title has yet to recoup all of the development and marketing expenses as of Q1 2024.
The game recouped a significant part of the development and marketing expenses.
-Remedy
This is interesting because Alan Wake 2 did not have the biggest budget. In theory, turning a profit should have been relatively easy for Remedy.
However, skipping a physical launch seems to have been the culprit on consoles. A recent leak revealed a nearly 50/50 split between physical and digital sales on the PS5. Therefore, Remedy suffered by skipping the former.
Elsewhere, PC gamers remain comfortable with Steam as their preference. Epic Games, in particular, has received backlash, making it a difficult choice for PC gamers to switch over to this platform.
Still, Remedy says that Alan Wake 2 continues selling with a high average price.
If we were to guess, we’d predict that a Steam launch would arrive later down the line. Remedy may also release a physical edition once all the DLC content has been launched to appeal to an even bigger audience.
Nonetheless, it’s quite clear why Alan Wake 2 has yet to recover its budget.
Remedy is still in a good position for now. We expect projects like the Max Payne remakes to perform much better on the market. With the budget for the remakes coming from Rockstar Games, the studio should be able to turn a solid profit from these releases.
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[News Reporter]
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree, while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over a year because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.
