Why Alan Wake 2 Isn’t On Steam: The Epic Games Store Exclusive
On October 27, the eagerly anticipated successor to Remedy will premiere, but it won’t be available on Steam.
On October 27, Alan Wake II, one of the most anticipated games of 2023, will be available for PC and consoles. However, it will not be available on Steam, at least not at launch, and is only available on the Epic Games Store for PC. What is the reason behind this? As it happens, there’s a really obvious explanation for why Alan Wake 2 is like this.
Epic covered the costs
The creation of Alan Wake II was financed by Epic Games, and it is likely that a condition of the agreement between Epic and Remedy was that Alan Wake II would only be available through the Epic Games Store initially. The 2021 Alan Wake remaster’s development expenses were also covered by Epic. In addition to being the game’s publisher, Epic probably has the last say on where Alan Wake II is distributed.
As a relatively young platform in comparison to Steam, Epic is known for paying creators or providing them with additional incentives to move their games from competing platforms to the Epic Games Store.
Only a few significant exclusives made a significant impact. “… the smaller titles, particularly those with a smaller audience that were usually on Steam, we saw that many of those players weren’t eager to switch,” CEO and creator of Epic titles Tim Sweeney remarked of this tactic.
In August of this year, Epic revealed that if publishers and developers decide to debut their games exclusively on the Epic Games Store, they will receive 100% of the game’s sales revenue for the first six months of sales.
Alan Wake 2 might someday make its way to Steam, or won’t it?
Up until now, Remedy’s Control was only available on the Epic Games Store in 2019; precisely a year later, it was released on Steam. There may have been a one-year exclusivity agreement based on the timing. But Control was released by 505 Games. Alan Wake II is published by Epic, as said.
Since its October 2021 release on the Epic Games Store, Alan Wake Remastered—also published by Epic—has not yet made an appearance on Steam. As the publisher of Alan Wake II, Epic would likely select where to sell the game and might not be interested in putting it up on a competing website.
General Manager of the Epic Games Store Steve Allison stated that Alan Wake II will only be available through the Epic Games Store for “a long time,” but he did not specify how long the exclusivity would last. But he didn’t say forever.
Therefore, purchasing Alan Wake II through the Epic Games Store is currently the only option to play game on a PC at launch. Officially, the game opens on October 27 at midnight Eastern time.
FAQs
Why is Alan Wake 2 exclusive to the Epic Games Store?
Alan Wake 2 is exclusive to the Epic Games Store because Epic Games funded its development and likely secured an exclusivity deal to promote their platform.
Is there a chance that Alan Wake 2 will come to Steam in the future?
While it’s possible, there’s no specific timeframe for its availability on Steam. The exclusivity deal with the Epic Games Store suggests it might take some time.
Did Epic Games also publish the original Alan Wake Remastered?
Yes, Epic Games is the publisher of both Alan Wake Remastered and Alan Wake II.
What is the strategy behind exclusive deals on the Epic Games Store?
Epic Games offers developers and publishers financial incentives and 100% of a game’s sales revenue for the first six months to encourage exclusivity, aiming to draw players from rival platforms like Steam.
How long will Alan Wake 2 remain exclusive to the Epic Games Store?
Epic Games Store GM Steve Allison mentioned that it would be exclusive for “a long time,” but the exact duration is undisclosed.
When does Alan Wake 2 officially launch?
Alan Wake 2 launches on October 27 at midnight Eastern.
Conclusion
The exclusivity of Alan Wake 2 to the Epic Games Store is the result of Epic Games’ investment in its development and a strategy to bolster their platform. While there’s a possibility it may come to Steam eventually, for now, players eager to experience this highly anticipated sequel on PC will need to purchase it from the Epic Games Store.
