Remedy has made public – via Polygon – a pitch video for Alan Wake 2 created using a prototype for the game from around five years ago.
The video was shopped around to potential publishers, but should not be seen as the opening part of a sequel, but an idea of what the follow-up could be.
“It’s more like a mood piece,” said Remedy’s creative director and head writer Sam Lake. “The high-level thematic elements of what’s there.
“Clearly in the prototype we see Alan Wake himself as a more experienced player in the secret war against the forces of darkness.”
Lake says the team created more than one prototype, but the one used to create the video was the most polished.
Many of the ideas banded around for a sequel were rolled into 2012’s standalone follow-up American Nightmare.
“The setting, even some of the enemies, ended up in American Nightmare, which was a fun, small project with very limited resources,” Lake said. “You can glimpse certain aspects of American Nightmare in the prototype.”
But Lake believes there is much more to tell in the story of Alan Wake.
“In many ways, we see the universe as a bigger thing. Alan Wake is a very central character, but we have other characters around him like [friend and agent Barry Wheeler] and his wife Alice and Sheriff Sarah Breaker and other characters there.
“We feel this is a big universe to develop and explore in many ways.”
He concluded: “I do hope we get an opportunity to work on Alan Wake 2. I want to do more Wake at some point.”
Remedy is currently working on Quantum Break which is set to launch in 2016 for Xbox One.
It’s interesting that the footage of Alan Wake 2 has been released now, especially given that Microsoft has publicly said it wants feedback on projects at an earlier stage. Perhaps Phil Spencer is testing the waters before committing to a sequel for Xbox One.
Source: Polygon
