Alan Wake II’s release is turning heads. It’s a surprise contender for the GOTY award, amassing high scores from reviews on Metacritic just days after it scared away PC players with its high requirements. Now that the sequel to the cult classic is set to launch on October 27 across both console and PC, most can’t wait to get their hands on it. However, for those PC gamers eager to snag their copy on Steam, they’re in for a disappointment. Alan Wake II, at least at its launch, will be an exclusive title for the Epic Games Store. But why this exclusivity?
The answer lies in the business dealings between the game’s developer, Remedy Entertainment, and Epic Games. Epic Games funded the development of Alan Wake II AND covered the costs for the 2021 remaster of the original Alan Wake. Given this financial involvement, it’s clear why the game’s exclusivity might lean towards the Epic Games Store. As the publisher of Alan Wake II, Epic Games has the decisive power regarding where the game is sold.
Epic Games’ strategy to grow its platform has been well-documented. In the pursuit of establishing a stronger foothold against Steam, the leading figure in the PC gaming market, Epic Games has been known to entice developers with slews of financial incentives. These incentives might include covering development costs or offering attractive revenue shares. For instance, recently in August, Epic made a compelling pitch to developers: a full 100% of a game’s sales revenue for the initial six months, provided they launch their games exclusively on the Epic Games Store.
This isn’t the first time Remedy Entertainment has struck exclusivity agreements. Control, which it released in 2019, first appeared exclusively on the Epic Games Store, only making its way to Steam a year after. Interestingly, while Control is a game published by 505 Games, Alan Wake II is under Epic’s publishing umbrella, as part of its aforementioned investment in the Remedy Connected Universe.
Another point worth noting is the fate of the Alan Wake Remastered, which, even a year after its release on the EGS in October 2021, hasn’t graced Steam’s catalog. With Epic Games Store GM, Steve Allison, hinting that Alan Wake II will be an Epic Games Store exclusive for “a long time”, it’s uncertain when or if Steam enthusiasts will get a crack at the game.
Originating as an Xbox 360 exclusive, Alan Wake has since expanded to multiple devices over the years. The original title, as well as its spin-off, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, are both available on Steam, courtesy of Microsoft Game Studios. But, as we’ve said already, the distribution rights shifting to Epic Games Publishing for the new titles reaffirms its platform availability.
For the fans that are curious about its Valve’s handheld console, the Steam Deck, there’s both good and bad news. While Alan Wake II won’t be available directly on Steam or achieve Steam Deck verification, players can still run the game on it. To do this, they would need to download the Epic Games Store launcher on their Steam Deck and access the game from there. However, as the game isn’t optimized for the Steam Deck, performance may vary, and players may need to tweak the graphics settings for optimal gameplay.
This might be a death sentence on the Steam Deck considering that it isn’t exactly the most powerful handheld PC out there, easily the worst hardware-wise compared to the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go.
For now, players eager to delve into the mysteries of Alan Wake II on their PCs will need to navigate to the Epic Games Store on October 27 to get their hands on the title.
