Remedy Writer Sam Lake Talks Alan Wake and Quantum Break

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Remedy Writer Sam Lake Talks Alan Wake and Quantum Break

Remedy writer and original Max Payne face Sam Lake explains why there's no Alan Wake 2 but says the studio still hopes to make it "when the time is right."

Sam Lake is Remedy's go-to guy for words, writing the scripts for Max Payne, Max Payne 2 and Alan Wake, but he's perhaps more recognizable (in the "hey, it's that guy" sense) as the original face of Max Payne: Because Remedy couldn't afford to hire actors for the first game, employees at the studio filled the roles, including Lake as Max himself.

Max Payne slipped out of Remedy's grasp years ago, but the studio bounced back in 2010 with the Xbox 360-exclusive "psychological action thriller" Alan Wake. But it wasn't a hit, and while it's done reasonably well for itself in the years since, especially after its release on PC last year, there's just not enough demand to justify a sequel.

"After the first game, we worked hard to make the sequel happen. But you know, these games are huge undertakings and many things need to fall into place: the right partners and the funding," Lake explained in a message on YouTube. "From the creative perspective, it would be awesome if we could just create cool stuff and not worry about minor details like money. But we all know that that's not the case."

"Alan Wake... was not a huge hit on day one. It has been doing really well since then, it's become a cult classic, which is really nice. The Alan Wake franchise has moved more than three million copies since, which is a nice figure, but when the game was released that was not the case immediately and even though we worked hard on it, the sequel was not happening," he continued. "Sure, we could have gone ahead and created something less ambitious but we felt that wouldn't have done justice to you guys, to us - we want to be really proud of everything we create - and certainly wouldn't have done justice to Alan Wake."

While there was no apparent interest in Alan Wake, Remedy was able to secure full backing for Quantum Break [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124215-Alan-Wake-Studio-Teases-Quantum-Break-For-Xbox-One], a brand-new IP that Lake said may be "the ultimate Remedy experience." Even so, that doesn't mean that Mr. Wake is gone and forgotten.

"[Alan] Wake is really dear to me and to everyone at Remedy. We knew from the beginning that when Wake ends up in the dark place, getting out from there is going to be a long, hellish journey, and a hard struggle. Where we are now is fiction becoming reality," he said. "We definitely want to keep on working on Alan Wake. I definitely want to create something new for Alan Wake when the time is right."

That has to be encouraging for fans. And here's another bit of good news, in case you missed it: The Alan Wake Collector's Edition, Alan Wake's American Nightmare and assorted other Alan Wake goodies are available in a pay-what-you-want Humble Bundle sale [http://www.humblebundle.com/weekly] that runs until May 29.



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an annoyed writer

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Jun 21, 2012
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That is such a shame. I want to see an Alan Wake 2 happen, because both of those games were brilliant fun and full of great stories and good writing. I've got two copies of each game now, one for my Xbox, one for my PC, thanks to a good friend. I love the music, the atmosphere, and the gameplay was very solid. Imperfect, but great fun. After Quantum Break I want to see it become reality.
 

Sniper Team 4

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Apr 28, 2010
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I would love to get a proper sequel to Alan Wake. American Nightmare at least left off on a happier note than Alan Wake and its DLC episodes, but the story is far from over. So, here's hoping Quantum Break gets them enough money that they can go back to Alan Wake on their own.
 

Proverbial Jon

Not evil, just mildly malevolent
Nov 10, 2009
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Damn, I loved Alan Wake.

So Alan Wake didn't do well enough for a sequel and yet a publisher is backing Remedy's efforts to create an entirely new IP. Does that not sound odd to anyone? Surely, as far as business goes, Alan Wake which had reasonably good sales, is a safer bet than a new IP altogether?

American Nightmare was a pile of trash though. Shame on Remedy for that one!
 

Trishbot

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May 10, 2011
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As a girl gamer, I was chomping at the bits to play a sequel starring ALICE Wake on a quest to find her husband.

It was a perfect set-up. She's already established as a strong woman, yet one with a crippling fear of the dark. Thus it was so exciting to me at the prospect that she'd have to confront her darkest fears (literally) to try and save the man she loved, and we are LONG LONG LONG overdue for some role-reversal where a woman has to save her HUSBAND for once.

Oh, what could've been.
 

Goofguy

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Nov 25, 2010
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What's with the lighting in that video? Is Sam trying to be all dark and mysterious?

As for Quantum Break, I have no idea what to make of it. The mash up of live and cinematic footage with no clear narrative just confused the hell out of me.
 

SteveoTheBeveo

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Oct 9, 2012
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Man, I have been long awaiting an Alan Wake 2 for over 2 years now since I bought the game and DLC. (never got to play American Nightmare though) I really wish that Remedy was working on it, but I still feel its weird that they are working on a whole new IP instead of a sequel which would guarantee money at least because the game has a strong following. Its really sad. :(
 

Annihilist

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Feb 19, 2013
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The game doesn't need a sequel! It held up enough on its own, don't make another one!

Make something different, and original.
 

The_Darkness

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Trishbot said:
As a girl gamer, I was chomping at the bits to play a sequel starring ALICE Wake on a quest to find her husband.

It was a perfect set-up. She's already established as a strong woman, yet one with a crippling fear of the dark. Thus it was so exciting to me at the prospect that she'd have to confront her darkest fears (literally) to try and save the man she loved, and we are LONG LONG LONG overdue for some role-reversal where a woman has to save her HUSBAND for once.

Oh, what could've been.
Agreed - I was hoping for something along those lines. The shift in perspective would be welcome, especially since Alice hasn't had to properly face the Darkness yet. I'm sure they could build a decent gameplay mechanic out of her photography skills too, akin to the pages in the original. Unfortunately, I doubt that's the direction they're going to take it, whenever they do eventually pick the series back up again...
 

Savrill

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Jun 5, 2009
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Maybe something like kickstarter if you cant get the funds necessary otherwise. 3 million copies sold sounds like a solid enough base of fans to start a campaign
 

Whateveralot

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Oct 25, 2010
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Trishbot said:
As a girl gamer, I was chomping at the bits to play a sequel starring ALICE Wake on a quest to find her husband.

It was a perfect set-up. She's already established as a strong woman, yet one with a crippling fear of the dark. Thus it was so exciting to me at the prospect that she'd have to confront her darkest fears (literally) to try and save the man she loved, and we are LONG LONG LONG overdue for some role-reversal where a woman has to save her HUSBAND for once.

Oh, what could've been.
You might as well have said "as a feminist". Because I don't think being a girl gamer has anything to do with your opinion, besides for the part where you mentioned you thought this because you're female. There is no causality between a: being a girl and; b: thinking this. I am male and I agree with you. Screw the system.
 

TechnAmateur

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Aug 28, 2011
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Damn that's a bummer. :/
I sure hope the sequel happens though.
I have faith in Remedy.
Also I hope to see more of their Quantum Break game.
 

SomebodyNowhere

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Dec 9, 2009
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I am saddened that Alan Wake 2 is being put on the back-burner indefinitely, but I do like the idea that with this bundle many people will be able to find out what a great game it is. I highly suggest anyone even remotely curious about the game to get the bundle.
 

Trishbot

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Whateveralot said:
Trishbot said:
As a girl gamer, I was chomping at the bits to play a sequel starring ALICE Wake on a quest to find her husband.

It was a perfect set-up. She's already established as a strong woman, yet one with a crippling fear of the dark. Thus it was so exciting to me at the prospect that she'd have to confront her darkest fears (literally) to try and save the man she loved, and we are LONG LONG LONG overdue for some role-reversal where a woman has to save her HUSBAND for once.

Oh, what could've been.
You might as well have said "as a feminist". Because I don't think being a girl gamer has anything to do with your opinion, besides for the part where you mentioned you thought this because you're female. There is no causality between a: being a girl and; b: thinking this. I am male and I agree with you. Screw the system.
Yeah, I'm a feminist, but I will gladly admit that a large reason WHY I am so desperate for some role-reversals starring a game about a strong wife looking for her husband is I honestly can't think of a SINGLE game in the past 30 years that actually does that.

And call it petty, or feminist, or what... but I want a game with a situation and leading character that I can relate to in a more powerful way than "they are a good person" or "they are a carbon-based lifeform". Nothing wrong with strong, well-written male characters, but the industry is flooded with them.

I want something different and, yes, something that I, as a woman, can relate to just a bit better than no-necked space marines and uber-muscular supermen that can rip people in half with their bare hands before engaging in hot sex minigames with a harem of submissive women.

And I felt that Alice, in Alan Wake, was a pretty interesting character, one defined by her strengths (she actively FOUGHT for her marriage) while also her weaknesses (she has a phobia of the dark, she confesses her reservations about Alan to her psychiatrist, she doesn't know how to handle Alan's mood swings, drinking problems, and insecurities).

Seeing it from HER perspective, I found HER to be the stronger character of the marriage, much more so than Alan, and it would've been nice to see her take charge and show Alan, and the players, that she is FAR more than yet another damsel in distress.
 

Whateveralot

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Trishbot said:
Whateveralot said:
Trishbot said:
Snipsnip
Yeah, I'm a feminist, but I will gladly admit that a large reason WHY I am so desperate for some role-reversals starring a game about a strong wife looking for her husband is I honestly can't think of a SINGLE game in the past 30 years that actually does that.

And call it petty, or feminist, or what... but I want a game with a situation and leading character that I can relate to in a more powerful way than "they are a good person" or "they are a carbon-based lifeform". Nothing wrong with strong, well-written male characters, but the industry is flooded with them.

I want something different and, yes, something that I, as a woman, can relate to just a bit better than no-necked space marines and uber-muscular supermen that can rip people in half with their bare hands before engaging in hot sex minigames with a harem of submissive women.

And I felt that Alice, in Alan Wake, was a pretty interesting character, one defined by her strengths (she actively FOUGHT for her marriage) while also her weaknesses (she has a phobia of the dark, she confesses her reservations about Alan to her psychiatrist, she doesn't know how to handle Alan's mood swings, drinking problems, and insecurities).

Seeing it from HER perspective, I found HER to be the stronger character of the marriage, much more so than Alan, and it would've been nice to see her take charge and show Alan, and the players, that she is FAR more than yet another damsel in distress.
My point was that you shouldn't blame your feminism for thinking this; that's just silly.

That aside. I agree with you entirely. Alan Wake was an amazing story. If you want another, truely relatable game; go for Heavy Rain (if you have a PS3). Obviously Beyond: Two Souls will be there too. They both host amazing writing and charactarization.