Critics are loving Alan Wake 2, but few are buying it

As reported by Mat Piscatella, industry tracker, Circana, did not rank Alan Wake 2 amongst the 150 most played titles on either PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series S/X in October across the United States. Given the sheer volume of critical acclaim, a notable absence from the monthly most played charts for a game like Alan Wake 2 highlights a disparity between reviewers' perceptions and mainstream consumer uptake.

Exact sales data remains unavailable since publisher Epic Games refuses to disclose official figures publicly. But judging by the lukewarm engagement stats, Alan Wake 2 has undeniably struggled commercially out of the gate so far. This is in spite of what many reviewers have labeled a benchmark achievement in interactive psychological horror and narrative gaming.

Epic's decision to release Alan Wake 2 as a digital exclusive has likely stifled its early traction amongst budget-conscious gamers. Physical copies tend to retail at up to 25% discounts over digital pricing when launched, subsequently seeing more aggressive promotions thereafter. While the original Alan Wake similarly started slow before gathering word-of-mouth momentum over time, its sequel lacks that value-oriented physical release to help drive uptake amidst the flood of positive noise.

Moreover, Remedy Entertainment likely isn't too worried about the "lack" of numbers. Epic Games directly funded development of Alan Wake 2, reducing the reliance on massive early sales volumes to recoup investments. This affords Remedy creative freedom to prioritize critical plaudits over short-term commercial targets. Still, the apparent lack of mainstream awareness remains concerning, even for a traditionally niche franchise.

Perhaps, in an effort to try and take the fight to Steam, Epic and its continued pursue of a larger market share on PC has fostered negativity among a large subset of fans. So while not a timed exclusive like some previous Epic releases, Alan Wake 2's positioning has undoubtedly been affected by several factors, including its association and exclusivity with Epic Games and the Epic Games Store, respectively.

Furthermore, the state of the economy has negatively impacted the ability for players to readily purchase a full-priced game upfront. This economic pinch is particularly acute on PC gamers lacking the hardware for Alan Wake 2's cutting-edge and optimized but demanding visuals and performance requirements. Rampant inflation continues to be restrictive to household budgets all over the world.

Nevertheless, Alan Wake 2's shaky commercial standing remains a reality check. For both Remedy and Epic, alternative funding structures buffer financial downside in the face of underwhelming sales. But for those hoping to showcase the narrative game's potential as a mainstream force, the apparent lack of commercial momentum is disappointing.

Ultimately, Alan Wake 2 will find a wider audience over time. Its predecessor suffered worse at launch, releasing around the same time as Red Dead Redemption when Remedy was still basically a nobody. It's taken years for people to finally appreciate the game. With Alan Wake 2, Remedy can simply rely on word-of-mouth recommendations. It's now a more established studio with award-winning titles under its belt. Control, one of its more recent outings, was a massive hit among critics and was, commercially, a success, especially relative to how much it cost Remedy to develop it. Plus, it helps to have the full backing of Epic who wants Alan Wake 2 as one of the biggest draws of Epic Games Store.

With multiple DLCs planned for Alan Wake 2 post-launch, alongside a much larger interconnected universe at play that includes a Control sequel, Remedy, and, perhaps even Epic Games, are in this for the long haul.

We'll find out once next month's numbers are up or when Remedy releases its next financial report if Alan Wake 2 sold well or not. But, we have a hunch that this won't be a case of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, which reviewed well and received a GOTY nomination only for Square Enix to say that it was disappointed in its sales. If anything, expect Epic Games to continue congratulating Remedy for a job well done.