Alan Wake 2 has finally resurfaced, showing up during the PlayStation Showcase with a new trailer tied to a release date reveal. Remedy's darkest project yet will launch on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via the Epic Games Store on October 17, 2023.

　　The new cinematic gameplay trailer for Alan Wake 2 will make your skin crawl... #PlayStationShowcase pic.twitter.com/en9WwVRAgM

　　— GameSpot (@GameSpot) May 24, 2023

　　The trailer introduces the story in such a way that seems to serve both returning players and new fans. After all, it's been 13 years since the original game launched. In it, we see some of Bright Falls' would-be charming vistas and flashes of ritualistic murder all accompanied by the classic Wake narration, pulling players into its unnerving world. Remedy has said the sequel shifts the series into full-on survival-horror, and it sure looks like it.

　　Curiously, it looks as though the game features a second playable character, an apparent FBI agent who can be seen as the star of some gameplay snippets in the trailer. Of course, Alan is still playable, as the trailer also highlights his own gameplay moments. Perhaps we'll learn more about this additional character soon.

　　According to Remedy, Alan Wake 2 will launch exclusively on digital platforms. Below is an excerpt from the game's official blog.

　　Why is Alan Wake 2 a digital-only release?

　　There are many reasons for this. For one, a large number of players have shifted to digital-only. You can buy a Sony PlayStation 5 without a disc drive and Microsoft’s Xbox Series S is a digital-only console. It is not uncommon to release modern games as digital-only.

　　Secondly, not releasing a disc helps keep the price of the game at $59.99 / €59.99 and the PC version at $49.99 / €49.99.

　　Finally, we did not want to ship a disc product and have it require a download for the game--we do not think this would make for a great experience either.

　　We'll be picking apart this trailer and digging for clues, much like we did with the first Alan Wake 2 trailer, so stay tuned for more on Alan Wake 2 as we lead up to the game's Fall 2023 launch.

　　Mark Delaney on Google+