Alan Wake 2 is nearly upon us, with its impending release on October 27. It’s developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Epic Games, serving as a sequel to the 2010 title, Alan Wake. It tells a riveting journey of the titular writer whose nightmares eerily spring to life. Fast forward 13 years from the original’s events, Alan Wake II unfurls a gripping narrative featuring two protagonists: Alan Wake, trapped in a dark enigma, and Saga Anderson, an FBI agent, sent to investigate the ritualistic murders in Bright Falls, the same eerie town from the previous game.
Despite a stacked lineup of games scheduled for this month, which already saw the release of Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, the anticipation surrounding Alan Wake 2 remains just as high as ever, especially given Remedy’s reputation for creating graphically intensive and immersive experiences.
However, there’s a lot of chatter following Remedy’s decision to unveil Alan Wake 2’s PC system requirements, which is viewed by many as exorbitantly high.
Hey PC gamers! Here you have a full list of PC system requirements for Alan Wake 2.
🔦 #alanwake pic.twitter.com/7whRbJoVK5— Alan Wake 2 (@alanwake) October 20, 2023
For starters, to experience the game in all its graphical splendor, particularly with ray tracing activated, Remedy requires a minimum of an RTX 4070 GPU. Venturing into 4K at 60fps with ray tracing, the recommendation escalates to the top-of-the-line GeForce RTX 4080. Even the game’s basic requirements don’t skimp on demands: a GeForce RTX 2060 is still necessary for a mere 1080p at 30FPS. The insistence on SSD storage across all specifications also stands out.
Such requirements are, one way of putting it, an undeniable proof to the game’s graphics and technology as it shapes up to be one of the most advanced and visually stunning titles of its generation.
However, the awe surrounding the game’s beauty is tainted by a mix of dismay and frustration. Social media platforms, especially Twitter and Reddit, are filled with disgruntled fans. The word “insane” pops up repeatedly, reflecting thoughts of a swathe of disappointed gamers. Why exactly then is Alan Wake 2’s requirements, so high? Is it because of the lack of optimization? Or, is a better, more economical set of requirements still yet to come? Unfortunately, as these figures come directly from Remedy, fans can only brace for the game’s launch and hope for the best.
Keep in mind that the GeForce RTX 4080 is a hardware component that comes with a hefty price tag, exceeding the cost of an average gaming PC. Such high demands force enthusiasts into a tough situation: upgrade existing rigs, invest in a new PC or laptop, or switch to console gaming. But even in the console domain, distinctions exist. While PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X promise a 4K mode at 30FPS and a performance mode achieving 60FPS, the Xbox Series S falls short, lacking the latter feature.
Even with a ton of work put into optimization, one can only imagine just how much worse Alan Wake 2 will look on the Xbox Series S, which, in the past, has been called out by many, including Remedy Entertainment, for its “potato gpu.”
The introduction of upscaling technologies like DLSS3 and FSR2, meant to enable games to run on lower-end hardware, has achieved the opposite. These technologies have instead become gateways for high-end hardware users, deviating from their original purpose. The discontent isn’t limited to the requirements alone. Being exclusive to the Epic Games Store further fuels the fire. The question now is, did Remedy Entertainment just shoot itself in the foot and tank its sales, especially on the PC, with its decisions?
The issue isn’t unique to Alan Wake 2. Not so long ago, Cyberpunk 2077 led the way as one of the most demanding and graphically-intensive games. Now, games such as Starfield – technically, it was partly a marketing ploy by AMD – and Immortals of Aveum, which all but died at launch, sets a concerning precedent. The broader question looms: are game requirements reaching astronomical heights, or is the community’s purchasing power waning? Maybe it’s a little bit of both?
As the industry pushes the envelope in terms of graphics and realism, there’s an ever-present challenge of ensuring the games remain achievable for most. Only time will tell how this delicate balance is maintained in the future.
For now though, fans can at least take solace in the fact that Alan Wake 2 could potentially be the best-looking game of the current console generation so far.
