Alan Wake 2 Being Digital-Only Will Hopefully Result In A 'Better' Game, Says Developer

I really don't think not shipping a physical disc will make the game better. It isn't like they have to stop the development process to create a physical copy.

I do wonder if this isn't more about the disappointing sales figures for the Alan Wake 1 remake. Not wanting to dump a bunch of physical copies of the game into the market that will end up on the discount rack.

So I expect it will be fully bug free then and need no ongoing support post release.

Yeah ok didn’t think so. If consoles are sold with a disc drive. Games should have to be available on disc. (Maybe not undies but major titles)

Also why didn’t MS announce a discless series X instead of the strangely priced new series S.

Lol i like how it's "hopefully". It's a cost cutting measure and it also kills the second hand market for a one n done game. An accidental benefit is less plastic waste but that's just a byproduct of the financial benefits.

Every headline about every major game has been about physical sales low, digital sales high. This is the way its going to be, gentleman and gentlegals. But guess what? The world still spins, games are still made and gasp, people still buy and play them? The day of physical media is dying, unless its something vintage and more tangible like vinyls and books, but even then it's not a huge market as it use to be. With streaming services and online digital libraries, ecosystems and ease of access, especially after the reprogramming of human behaviour because of covid, you're going to have to accept it. Moaning about it on here isn't going to change a single dot. So be happy, have fun, the world isn't all too bad. Read, eat, drink tea and kill zombies.

So no day one patch for this game.

There is zero reason why they couldn't put it on disc a few weeks later then. It almost make me think that they could find a physical publisher since they self published the game. My guess is a limited run type company will come along at some point and I'll be all over that physical copy.

Stop the 🧢
Still deliberating whether to buy around launch or not (with rewards points), suppose THQ is out though.

@pepsilover2008 not self published, Epic Games did. But they're a pc storefront so ofc no physical release

The reason there isn't a disc is because of Epic Games, the publisher, is pushing their digital store front.

The only thing not shipping a physical disc does is change when a game goes gold.

This in turn would result in a game they work on more. But less bug fixing for a day 1 patch, as that is a huge portion of going gold. You can make changes anymore on the shipping product, so you get to work on bugs.

Then do a late physical release like Nintendo has done for Metroid Dread or the upcoming Pikmin 1&2. Dropped digitally originally and then weeks later a physical release finally came out. I'm sure they picked up a good number of double-dipping buyers.

@Moonglow

From a development and business point of view, there is absolute no advantage shipping physical games in 2023

For this specific game that may be true, but for other games I am not sure I agree.

There are some cases where physical games can increase sales on consoles:

• People are more likely to gift physical games. Giving a download code isn't really the same for the buyer or the receiver.
• Believe it or not, some people still go to the store, look at things and determine what to buy. That is lost sales for online-only gaming.
• Games in stores can sell based on sitting on an endcap and getting passing traffic. This is especially true for games that target younger audiences.

This is why we have physical releases with download codes inside. Because even if there is nothing inside but a code, those above things all still hold true.

Although, again, most of that probably doesn't apply to Alan Wake 2 which has a fairly specific audience and would never be featured in retail.

I have faith in remedy they don't release bad games and alan wake 2 looks amazing don't see why it can't be on disk though seems a strange decision

I won't pay full price for a digital game, Remedy should really overthink thta mistake.

I have always prefered digital games - they can be pre loaded and played the moment they are availible. Most digital games get deep discounts 2-3 months after launch and It's the most flexible way to purchase.

When I get a disc I just have to complete pretty much the same download anyways, you buy a licence these days - and the bit of plastic is for the memories while you have them I guess.

All we need now is for Sony, MS and Nintendo along with PC to offer a digital trade in system.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner i still wish Xbox would have taken Sony’s SKU system and released a Digital Series X and no S. However they were going for Price to try and get more sales and players into the ecosystem. Sony didn’t and doesn’t need a $299.99 system to sell. They have people willing to buy into PS at any price point. But i agree physical still should be there for those that want it. I myself own the Digital PS5 and a Series X that i have yet to use a disc on cause I’ve been 100% digital for over 10 years now. But that’s my choice and what works best for me. I have 1000mbps internet and downloaded Diablo 4 at 75GB in 12 mins. Lot’s of people don’t have that speed or want it. They should still have their choice. If this is the case just ween off physical all together and release PS6 and Series X 2 100% digitally so there is no confusion to players.

@HonestHick yeah I think the discless X should have been announced at the showcase.

The new S is just a way to increase the price without it sounding like a price increase.

Anyway physical games will slowly vanished, it's only sad for the collectors,reselers and the bargain Chasers.

when games become streaming only, i quit.

@munstahunta companies keep telling us physical games will vanish - but the companies that sell physical games still dominate those that don't. The consumer tells Microsoft and Sony what to do - not the other way around.

@Cashews they don't sell more games because they offer physical , they sell more games because they are AAA and AA games with collectors éditions in mind. If they were digital only these games would sell the same minus the strange people who buy 2 copy one for the collection and the other one to play.

@munstahunta So Mario Kart has been on the top 10 list in every country for 6 straight years because of collector's editions. Check. I was wondering what kept it up there for so long.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner Good point and i agree. Plus i need another Xbox for downstairs so i would much rather buy a Digital Series X

@Cashews No because it's s a AAA Nintendo game and one of the most accessible and fun couch coop game. It's not on top of the chart because it's a physical game! It would be a best seller even if it was only digital that's what I am saying .

Still makes no sense. Just release the disc version early next year then, I can wait.

Multiple people beat me to it. Just release digital first and physical when it's ready. How hard is that? Here's another thing, since digital would release first, they can look at initial sales to maybe determine how many physical copies to print. I know nothing about how any of that works, but that makes sense to me and why wouldn't people running these companies figure it out as well. It's just the bull$h!t way that they are phasing out physical copies.

LOL. We are only a few months from release and they are talking about more polish will make it a better game.

I am now concerned at what state it is in right now!

Digital only will definitely help preventing early spoilers.

total nonsense answer from the dev.
nintendo release physicals versions later than digital versions all the time, it is acceptable to do that.
you could just wait until it was finished before you put it on the disc.
this explaination is reverse engineered after they decided on going digital only.
farce.

Pure nonsense. Games are in development for years. Years. Shaving a couple extra weeks off the end wouldn't help, and even if you could build the argument that it could, not shipping a physical game doesn't even give you those extra weeks. You have those weeks anyway. That's what a day 1 patch is for.

This is pure spin. There is zero upside for the customer.

Physical sales account for 10% of all video game sales. I think this is the beginning of the end for physical games on consoles. Developers don't see the need to print, ship and give Gamestop, Walmart and Amazon cuts of their sales if they don't need to. Welcome to the age of all digital

@WhensDinner
The upside is they won't have to worry about the game leaking a month before launch because some dumb store wanted to break street date. Now you can have fun on YouTube without accidentally having Alan Wake 2's story spoiled for you.