Alan Wake 2's Digital-Only Release Allows for a More Polished Game, Says Remedy

Alan Wake 2's Digital-Only Release Allows for a More Polished Game, Says Remedy.

Alan Wake 2 is just one of many high-profile games heading our way later this year, but unlike most of the competition, it won't be hitting store shelves. As was confirmed a little while ago, Remedy Entertainment's latest will only be available digitally, forgoing a physical edition entirely. While an FAQ on the game's website gives us one reason for this approach, turns out there's more to it than that.

Speaking with Eurogamer, game director Kyle Rowley explains more rationale behind the decision. "As creatives obviously, by going digital-only it does allow us more time to polish the game," he says. "Like, a significant amount of weeks actually. Because otherwise, the game that goes on the disc, obviously it has to be playable without a patch."

So, part of why Alan Wake 2 won't be available on disc is because it affords the studio much more time for squashing bugs and preparing the game for launch. If it came to physical retail, Remedy would have less time to ensure the version that shipped on discs is of a certain standard, whereas launching digital-only means there's more time to iron things out.

"We didn't want to release something that we weren't proud of basically, and that we didn't want players to play," adds Rowley. "So hopefully this way we can give you a better version of the game."

It makes a lot of sense, especially when you consider that the number of digital purchases has long surpassed that of physical. Still, that doesn't mean nobody wants the game physically; even THQ Nordic has offered to help Remedy put the game out on discs. Whether anything comes of that remains to be seen.

[source eurogamer.net]