**Sigh** It’s another day of bad tidings, dear fellow gamers. The sad news of Remedy Entertainment still not bein’ in the green. Why? It’s ‘cause they’re still clawin’ to get back the development cost of Alan Wake 2. This is such a bafflin’ development that we’re left scratchin’ our heads here.
The game was a critical success, and everybody had nothin’ but glowin’ reviews ‘bout it. And, yet, commercially, they’re still strugglin’ to make bank off of this goodwill. It’s not like the ones in charge did anythin’ to piss off the player base like, say…. Ubisoft’s paywall idiocy of Star Wars Outlaws season pass and multiple editions fiasco… right? So, then, why? Well, let’s find out.
Why Remedy Entertainment Needs To Hold An Accountability For Alan Wake 2’s Commercial Failure?
Look, we’re not sayin’ heads need to roll for this, but some form of introspection is definitely in order. Let’s look at the causes of the commercial failure of Remedy Entertainment for Alan Wake 2. This will perhaps help make sense of the madness and how to cope with this kind of situation. So, then, why didn’t this game sell like hot-cake gangbusters? We believe it’s down to 3 reasons.
1.) Lack Of A Physical Version Of Alan Wake 2
So, first off, the moronic decision to not have the option for a physical version of Alan Wake 2 was a big goof-up. Seriously, this was a colossal miscalculation for the digital-only trend-chasers. When the majority of the gamin’ audience, or at least a huge chunk of the player base, prefers the physical medium to the digital-only, ya don’t deny them that. It’s simple gamer psychology. The digital-only era is still a ways off.
Players want the comfort and peace of mind of actually ownin’ what they buy. Instead of it bein’ at the mercy of online servers and the cloud, they want to treasure and preserve it. So, naturally, when Remedy Entertainment pushed back and double-downed on the non-physical release only, well… gamers spoke with their wallet. Nuff said, eh?
2.) Poor Marketing Strategy That Didn’t Appeal To The Casual Mainstream Playerbase
Another huge fumble by Remedy Entertainment for Alan Wake 2 is the game’s marketing choice. Seriously, we’re down with the weird and the wonky, but we also get that not everyone does. The completely out there twilight zone-esque campaign didn’t do the game any favors. Seriously, the vagueness and abstract levels of Alan Wake 2 promotion left plenty of gamers confused.
Then there’s the other stat to consider, like, say, that the game was too scary for some. Like… there’s a reason horror game streamers get lots of views. People feel much more comfortable watching someone else play this game than playin’ it themselves. This was detrimental to the sales of Alan Wake 2, and worked directly against Remedy Entertainment’s interest.
3.) No Steam Version! That’s A Travesty To PC Gamers Who Prefer It Over Epic Games Store
Finally, another huge downside of Alan Wake 2 is that the game’s not available on Steam. Now, this might not mean much to the non-PC gamin’ crowd, but it is a big deal for those gamers. Simply put, Steam is much more accessible and has more variety in terms of games. Plus, the hassle of using a rival launcher is a huge pet peeve.
Epic Game Store is a solid launcher, but Steam is just way too convenient. Plus, it’s got the majority of the player’s gaming library there. This issue means that a lot of players on Steam were missin’ out on Alan Wake 2 by Remedy Entertainment. Not by choice but because of a lack of it. These kinds of mishaps are a core reason why Alan Wake 2’s sales aren’t settin’ the charts on fire.
Related: Dragon’s Dogma II Sales Surpass 2.5 Million Unit Milestone, Well Done Arisen.
Tencent Is Swooping In To Increase It’s Share In Remedy Entertainment
As if it wasn’t bad enough that sales projection estimates fell short of expectations for Alan Wake 2, right? Then there’s the whole issue of the gigantic gamin’ company Tencent showin’ a keen interest in Remedy Entertainment. They’d previously acquired a minority stake in Remedy, but now, the’ve made another power play to hold more ground. It’s nothin’ substantial, but that’s twice Tencent did this.
The percentage is an eye-brow raisin’ 10% with a total of 15% overall shareholdin’. Previously it was 5%. So, as y’all can see, Alan Wake 2 did rouse interest and curiosity, just not from its intended audience. This development is worth keepin’ tabs on. ‘Cause who knows what the future of Remedy Entertainment is gonna be like under the Tencent umbrella if it gets a majority?
All’s Not Lost As Remedy Still Made A Profit, And DLC Plans Are In The Works: Alan Wake 2 Nightspring
Having said all the gloom and doom bits ’bout Alan Wake 2 missin’ the sales mark, there is a silver linin’. What’re we yammerin’ ’bout, you ask? Well, accordin’ to Wccftech, it’s the upcoming planned paid DLC for Alan Wake 2: Nightsprings. There’s enough of an interest and buzz surroundin’ the game’s perception. Those might help Remedy Entertainment in the long run financially.
The DLC method will allow Remedy to earn profit from the game. This’ll be through the sales, eventually reaching the break-even of developmental and marketing costs, while DLC helps rake in the extra revenue stream. While it’s a slippery slope, we don’t think this approach should be the norm; it is viable for Remedy Entertainment. Besides, we can always rip’em a new one if they ever get greedy, like WB Games, who’re insanely embracing live-service.
Max Payne Remake Getting Love By Remedy Entertainment And Rockstar Games Investment
Of course, the frequency of Alan Wake and Control titles is gonna go up considerably by Remedy Entertainment. They’ve got other irons in the fire, too. We’re referrin’ to the Max Payne 1+2 Remakes that’s gonna enter full production in Q2 of 2024. Look, remakes are hot and trendy, and with Rockstar Games bankrollin’ the project, we have no doubt it’s gonna have incredible polish, too. But we’re equally as concerned, ’cause let us tell y’all, for every excellent reimaginin’ there’s also the pile of the worst video game remakes ever.
We just hope whatever Remedy Entertainment comes up with is fun, entertainin’, and turns them a profit, too. But for the love of all that is holy, no live service, no MTX fest, and definitely no multiplayer-only MOBA title. Stick to your strengths and don’t do a repeat of the mistakes and screw-ups that lead to Alan Wake 2’s abysmal sales. If they manage to not muck this up, then there’s definitely gonna be a turnaround for the fortunes of Remedy Entertainment. We can only hope that’ll be the case.
Final Thoughts
Welp, there y’all have it, everything’s that’s happenin’ surroundin’ Alan Wake 2 publisher Remedy Entertainment. Seriously, it feels like these bigwigs know next to nothin’ on how to turn a profit while keepin’ the players happy. If there’s one company that’s the exception to this rule, it’s Capcom; they’re the 2023 Metacritic Publisher Of the Year. There’s a pretty good reason for that. Perhaps Remedy can study them to gain some insight.
But, yeah, that’s our take on the matter, so then, what do y’all make of this situation? We’d love to see how y’all ‘re viewin’ these events as they become public. Are you worried ’bout Remedy or perhaps the sequels to Alan Wake 2 and Control dippin’ in quality? What ’bout the Rockstar-funded Max Payne remakes? How do you see them comin’ out? Tell us ’bout it all in the comments below, and until next time, y’all take care, stay safe, and happy gaming!
