History Trivia / AlanWake

* DevelopmentHell: The sequel had attained this status for a while, [[https://www.vg247.com/alan-wake-2 which was all a matter of "time, money, and resources."]] Remedy did always intend for there to be a sequel, but it was put on hold as ''Alan Wake'' reportedly underperformed and left them insufficiently funded, and Microsoft pushed them to pursuing new projects such as ''VideoGame/QuantumBreak'' (though [[RefittedForTheSequel some of their loose ideas were able to make it into]] ''Alan Wake's American Nightmare''). They attempted to re-jumpstart the project in 2017, but that went nowhere as all focus was put towards ''VideoGame/{{Control}}'', though they were still very clearly interested in it as ''Control'' makes [[{{Crossover}} very liberal crossovers]] with ''Alan Wake''. By 2019, Remedy had bought out the ''Alan Wake'' IP from Microsoft, and with ''Control'' becoming a bigger financial success, the way to ''Alan Wake II'' was paved, and it was officially announced in late 2021 for a 2023 release.

* DevelopmentHell: The sequel has attained this status, with Remedy simply stating that it's taken a backseat to [[VideoGame/QuantumBreak other]] [[VideoGame/{{Control}} projects.]]

* ScrewedByTheLawyers[=/=]KeepCirculatingTheTapes: The expiring music rights to the game meant that it was delisted from Steam and Xbox Live Arcade Marketplace on May 15, 2017. Averted in October 2018 when Microsoft resolved the licensing issues and the game was returned to sale on Steam and Xbox Live.

*** This also added to the creep factor since, with out the Taken beasts, it made it seem as if there were far worse things out there stealing dogs, killing bears and deer, and crushing walls and cars.

* DevelopmentHell: The game was in production for over six years. Some wondered if it was going to be entirely {{Vaporware}} until its release. Its sequel has since attained similar status, with Remedy simply stating that it's taken a backseat to [[VideoGame/QuantumBreak other]] [[VideoGame/{{Control}} projects.]]

* DevelopmentHell: The game was in production for over six years. Some wondered if it was going to be entirely {{Vaporware}} until its release. Its sequel has since attained similar status, with Remedy simply stating that it's taken a backseat to [[VideoGame/QuantumBreak other projects.]]

* ScrewedByTheLawyers[=/=]KeepCirculatingTheTapes: The expiring music rights to the game meant that it was delisted from Steam and Xbox Live Arcade Marketplace on May 15, 2017.
** Thankfully people that already owned it on Steam didn't lose access and Remedy even had a big finale 90% off sale on the game and all it's DLC before pulling sales to give everyone interested a chance to pick it up.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: The original game was removed from digital distribution due to licensing rights to the soundtrack expiring, with the licensed music being so intrinsically tied with the game's story that it would be impossible to remove or replace it.

* ScrewedByTheLawyers: The expiring music rights to the game means that it will be delisted on Steam and Xbox Live Arcade Marketplace on May 15, 2017.

* ScrewedByTheLawyers: The expiring music rights to the game means that it will be delisted on Steam and Xbox Live Arcade Marketplace on May 15, 2017.

* HeyItsThatVoice: For Spanish players! Alan Wake is voiced by [[Series/TheXFiles Fox Mulder]]. This might also count as BilingualBonus due to the paranormal nature of the entire game.
** Alan Wake is [[Series/TheNewAdventuresOfRobinHood Robin Hood]] and [[Film/RobinHoodMenInTights Will Scarlett O'Hara]].
** Thomas Zane is VideoGame/MaxPayne.
*** In the same vein, Barry is [[VideoGame/MaxPayne Vinnie Gognitti]] (in the second game) and Rusty is [[VideoGame/MaxPayne Jack Lupino]].
** Some Finnish fans might just be wondering why Alan Wake is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTE4IEizYzM singing auto-tuned about an operator company and ice hockey.]]
** Eddie Rodman in ''AN'' is voiced by [[WesternAnimation/ThunderCats Lion-O]].
** In the French version, Barry is [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Eric Cartman]].

* DevelopmentHell: The game was in production for over six years. Some wondered if it was going to be entirely {{Vaporware}} until its release. Its sequel has since attained similar status, with Remedy simply stating that it's taken a backseat to [[QuantumBreak other projects.]]

* DevelopmentHell: The game was in production for over six years. Some wondered if it was going to be entirely {{Vaporware}} until its release.

** Alan Wake is [[Series/TheNewAdventuresOfRobinHood Robin Hood]] and [[RobinHoodMenInTights Will Scarlet O'Hara]].

* HeyItsThatVoice: For Spanish players! Alan Wake is voiced by [[{{TheX-Files}} Fox Mulder]]. This might also count as BilingualBonus due to the paranormal nature of the entire game.

** Eddie Rodman in ''AN'' is voiced by [[WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats}} Lion-O]].

** Alan Wake is [[TheNewAdventuresOfRobinHood Robin Hood]] and [[RobinHoodMenInTights Will Scarlet O'Hara]].

** A result of the game becoming an Xbox 360 exclusive in the middle of development. The game [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fqb5VRtTL8 was demoed]] for it's graphics, physics and multi-core technology before that. There's room to speculate whether some of the physics effects seen in the early demos were cut because of consolidation or because the developers got other ideas. Either way the PC version we ended up getting is still better than the console version even though it was ported from the 360 to the PC afterwards.

** A result of the game becoming an Xbox 360 exclusive in the middle of development. The game was demoed for it's graphics, physics and multi-core technology before the change. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fqb5VRtTL8 This presentation]] shows some technology and features that didn't end up in the game.

** The very first trailer was released a long time before the game was released. Small details and even the premise changed during development. Later trailers would then reiterate the plot but still got some other details wrong. What you can't see from the trailers is that the game was originally going to be open-world. There was some outrage when it was replaced with a more linear approach. The developers have since then been much more careful about releasing information that might still change.

* DevelopmentHell: The game was in production for over six years. Some wondered if it was going to be entirely {{Vaporware}} until its release. Much of the information that leaked about earlier builds and scripts has resulted in a decent amount of wondering WhatCouldHaveBeen.

** A result of the game becoming an Xbox 360 exclusive in the middle of development. The game was demoed for it's graphics, physics and multi-core technology. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fqb5VRtTL8 This presentation]] shows some technology and features that didn't end up in the game.

** Originally, a PC version was planned when the game was first announced. It was to require nothing short of a beefy octa-core CPU and a motherload of RAM because they were eschewing the then-popular PPU cards (Physics Processing Unit cards, then very new technology) in favor of CPU-based particle physics. The plans for a PC version was scrapped once Microsoft paid Remedy to make the game an XBox 360 exclusive, which is probably a good thing because even as of 2010 octa-core [=CPUs=] have yet to make it to the market, the closest alternative being a server dual-[=CPU=] motherboard fitted with two quad-core [=CPUs=], which costs well into tens of thousands of dollars, and even that they have a non-upgradable, low-end graphics card. Of course, had they held off the PC version until octa-cores started appearing (the first Intel ones were stated for mid-2011 and have yet to appear), the graphics would've been bootloads better than what the 360 is capable of.
*** Of course, the PC port is now out. It is, according to the critics, at least, the [[PortingDistillation very]] [[AvertedTrope opposite]] of a PortingDisaster. And just in time, too- the first Octa-core CPUs came out shortly before the release of the game.
*** This is incorrect. The game was set to take advantage of quad-core and it can run smoothly with even dual-core [=CPUs=]. Specifically the game caused buzz because on quad-core it would use one whole CPU core for physics. Most of the special physics features that were demoed are very noticeably absent from the game. The PC port was developed mostly by another company and has almost nothing to do with the original PC version.

*** This is incorrect. The game was set to take advantage of quad-core and it can run smoothly with even dual-core [=CPUs=]. The game caused buzz specifically because on quad-core it would use one whole CPU core for physics. Most of the special physics features that were demoed are very noticeably absent from the game. The PC port was developed mostly by another company and has almost nothing to do with the original PC version.