Alan Wake 2 was released on October 27, 2023, and has two different editions with various contents. Casual players who just want to play the game, can opt in for the standard edition, but the deluxe edition has its own benefits.
The standard edition of Alan Wake 2 comes at $49.99 on Epic Games and $59.99 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. Meanwhile, the deluxe edition of the game arrives for $69.99 on Epic Games, and $79.99 for consoles mentioned above. With a difference of only $20, some might think of just buying the first to play canonical content. However, here are the benefits that are exclusive to deluxe edition owners:
- Expansion Pass (Night Springs Expansion and Lake House Expansion)
- Nordic Shotgun Skin for Saga (Part of the Expansion Pass)
- Parliament Shotgun Skin for Alan
- Crimson Windbreaker for Saga
- Celebrity Suit for Alan
- Lantern Charm for Saga
The expansion pass is worth getting for fans of the franchise as it extends the original story. However, the first DLC is set to release in early 2024. Thus, users can buy the standard edition for now and upgrade to the deluxe somewhere down the line.
However, if you want to get the exclusive skins as well as the “game-breaking” Lantern Charm from the very beginning, you can shell out the cash for the deluxe edition. Nevertheless, the story content of Alan Wake is almost 14 hours long and you can enjoy it by purchasing either of the editions.
Why Alan Wake 2 is digital-only and has no physical copies?
Whenever games are released, they are often sold digitally and physically via discs. However, Alan Wake 2 did not choose to go the same route. In fact, Sam Lake, Remedy’s creative director, even explained the reason behind such a decision when asked. According to him, going digital only allows the developers to get more time for polishing and gives a smoother experience. In addition to this, the game director Kyle Rowley shared his statement, saying:
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.
When physical copies are sold, they are often burned on discs before the devs get to add final touches. Thus, when the game finally releases, a day-one patch is often launched and this disrupts the experience. This is why Remedy Entertainment didn’t opt for the physical release of the game.
On the other hand, since the game has been released globally on digital platforms, a physical copy can follow at any time. However, the developers haven’t confirmed the existence of a physical copy, and at present, the game is only available digitally across all playable platforms.
Is Alan Wake 2 Available on the Xbox Game Pass?
Unfortunately, Alan Wake 2 is not available on the Xbox Game Pass at the time of writing, and neither Epic Games Publishing nor Remedy has given us a time frame on when that might change. Incidentally, Remedy’s last game, Control, became available on the Xbox Game Pass almost 16 months after the title first launched in August 2019, and it exited in February 2022 after staying on for 14 months. Still, fans need not lose hope as Remedy’s titles do have a history of coming to Xbox Game Pass. Yet, if the past is anything to go by, players might find Alan Wake on the live service by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
