Sam Lake has always been a well-known identity in the gaming industry and he recently wished all his fans a happy new year. The message was posted on X along with a clip of him dancing to Herald of Darkness from Alan Wake 2.
In the post, Sam Lake discussed his experiences from 2023 and how it was a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs. He even talked about his dream project coming true, which is Alan Wake 2, and implementing a live-action dance performance on the verge of cancellation.
2023 was a rollercoaster ride. Once-in-a-lifetime collaborations with good friends. New friends met. A dream project realized. Heartbreakingly, a friend and colleague lost. I’m exhausted. But I’m still dancing. Thank you for sharing this journey with me. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024. pic.twitter.com/wTTnDybS7s
— Sam Lake (@SamLakeRMD) December 31, 2023
Among all the good things that have happened, he also talked about his heartbreaking moment of losing a friend. The friend he is mentioning is James McCaffrey, with whom he has worked on multiple projects like Max Payne, Control, and even recently Alan Wake 2. James was suffering from a terminal illness and passed at the age of 65 on December 17, 2023.
The death of the iconic voice actor left a scar on Sam’s heart and the global gaming community as well. Furthermore, the fact that Max Payne Remakes are in development, makes it more saddening for people who appreciated James’ performance. Sam Lake wrapped up his year by quoting the following in his post:
I’m exhausted. But I’m still dancing. Thank you for sharing this journey with me. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024.
Despite the year being harsh on Sam, there wasn’t a dearth of good times. Moreover, fans should know that despite all challenges, the creative director will keep on working and delivering games that touch the hearts of millions.
Happy New Year Sam! We can’t wait to see what’s next!
— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) January 1, 2024
Thank you for Alan Wake, Quantum Break, Alan Wake 2, Alan Wake: American Nightmare and Control
— Snap Blast PLAY (@SnapBlastPLAY) December 31, 2023
Thank you Sam. For being you and doing what you do. Keep on dancing, we will dance with you no matter what.
Have a wonderful new year, take care and rest!
— agent moth (@agentmothh) December 31, 2023
Fans even joined to wish Sam Lake a fruitful new year and thanked him for being a crucial part of the gaming industry. They appreciated his works like Quantum Break, Control, and Alan Wake titles which all have great gameplay and story experiences. However, fans mostly talked of Alan Wake 2 as its return after 13 years left them speechless and mesmerized.
What is Sam Lake Planning for 2024?
The biggest project for Sam Lake was Alan Wake 2 which fans had been asking for a long time. During various interviews, it was asked when players will get a sequel to the first title, and the dream finally came true in 2023.
Furthermore, many Remedy Entertainment projects also had Alan Wake easter eggs which implied that the studio hasn’t given up on it. During The Game Awards 2022, gamers were first given a teaser of Alan Wake 2 which shook the world since it had been a long time. Thus when the official release date was confirmed for October 2023, it did put some pressure on Sam Lake.
During the development phase of Alan Wake 2, Sam Lake proposed the idea of including a dance performance in the game which was asked to be canceled. Yet after going against all odds, fans loved the addition of that part and keep on talking about it to this date. In his New Year post, he even mentions this achievement as “a dream project realized.”
ICYMI: Alan Wake 2 is getting both free and paid DLC.
Sam Lake says the free DLC is “pretty significant,” with more details to come soon after launch.
Two paid expansions called “Night Springs” and “The Lake House” have already been announced. pic.twitter.com/EFT2VuDRcn
— KAMI (@Okami13_) October 13, 2023
Moving forward it has been disclosed by Remedy Entertainment that they are working alongside Rockstar Games to release Max Payne Remakes which are developed on their Northlight Engine. The capabilities of Northlight Engine need no introduction as it has been featured through multiple Remedy projects and even recent ones like Control and Alan Wake 2.
Sam Lake will likely be working on making this project come to life in 2024. However, it has to be mentioned that Control 2 is also under development which is included in his creative vision. Alan Wake 2 will also get an expansion called the Night Spring DLC in early 2024, which fans are eagerly waiting for.
