Much has been said about how video game development has become so expensive and how it requires more hands to be on deck, or so to speak. But, if you ask Remedy Entertainment, their upcoming sequel, Alan Wake 2, didn’t need as much manpower.
As revealed by Thomas Puha on X, the Communications Director over at Remedy Entertainment, the follow-up to one of the most iconic if underrated games of its generation took about “130 people on average” and “about 4 years of dev time.”
Reha emphasized Remedy Entertainment isn’t a large company and he’s happy about the “quality level” of Alan Wake 2.
I’ll also say that somehow we are getting this game done with about 130 people on average for about 4 years of dev time (dev time is a very elastic term tho) for the quality level we got, is incredible. We are very, very far from 1st parties or other big studios resources.
— Thomas Puha (@RiotRMD) August 26, 2023
Unlike most developers, Remedy is very vocal about the development process. Two years ago, Remedy confirmed the status of Alan Wake 2, stating that it had already begun “full production.” A few months later, an earnings presentation detailed that making a video game over at the studio involved seven key processes, which takes anywhere between less than 2 years to close to 4 years to go from “Mandate” to “Full Production” before it goes “Live Stage”, which is the company’s term for when a game is finally out on the market.
Once in “Live Stage”, Remedy explains that the game will receive support for “1-2 years with 1-3 DLCs,” with a team of “10-20 working on updates, 20-30 working on DLCs.”
It’s safe to say that Alan Wake 2 is definitely hitting its development milestones, which should bode well for the players looking forward to playing as the protagonist, Alan Wake, once again.
While Reha is modest about the size of Remedy Entertainment, the studio has a massive release pipeline over the next few years. After Alan Wake 2, fans can look forward to Control 2; a multiplayer spin-off to Control, Project Condor; a remake of both Max Payne and Max Payne 2 in collaboration with Rockstar Games; and a free-to-play, co-op PvE shooter made in partnership with Tencent, Project Vanguard.
It’s unclear what kind of expectations Remedy Entertainment has for Alan Wake 2, but one of its developers did jokingly wish for the Red Dead Redemption NOT to release on the same month as it will in October.
Given Red Dead Redemption’s re-release topped the sales charts once again, the fear was warranted.
Remedy is doing everything to put Alan Wake 2 in a position to succeed commercially. To make sure this happens, it will not be released in close proximity to Forza Motorsport (October 10), Assassin’s Creed Mirage (October 12), Lords of the Fallen (October 13), Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (October 20), and Super Mario Bros. Wonder (October 20). The sequel will now launch on October 27.
Unfortunately, Alan Wake 2 will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store, likely due to the funding Remedy Entertainment received from Epic Games, and it will be a digital-only title.
It remains to be seen if Alan Wake 2 will fare better than its criminally overlooked predecessor.
