Remedy Entertainment has directly addressed why Alan Wake 2 is not available on Steam, stating that the game would not exist without Epic Games’ involvement as publisher. The studio made its position clear in a public response, emphasizing that Epic Games Publishing fully supported the project and that the resulting exclusivity is tied to that agreement.
In a statement shared by Remedy Entertainment, the developer said, “There would be no Alan Wake 2 without Epic Publishing.” Remedy described the publishing agreement as fair and developer-friendly, noting that such deals can often take up to a year to finalize and may not always favor developers. In this case, Remedy said the process took only months and resulted in what it characterized as a balanced partnership. The studio added, “Epic Games was, and is, an excellent partner to us. Steam or no Steam.”
The response followed renewed conversations about the absence of Alan Wake 2 from Steam. Critics have suggested that Remedy may have missed out on significant revenue by not launching on Valve’s platform. Michael Douse, the Director of Publishing at Larian Studios, the developers of Baldur’s Gate 3, argued that despite Epic’s financial support, Remedy experienced financial strain because it could not benefit from sales on Steam.
Alan Wake 2 is a psychological survival horror title developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Epic Games Publishing. The game launched on October 27, 2023, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It serves as a sequel to the original 2010 release and features a dual protagonist structure, following both Alan Wake and FBI agent Saga Anderson as they confront a supernatural threat in the Pacific Northwest.
On PC, Alan Wake 2 remains a permanent exclusive to the Epic Games Store. Epic Games provided full financial backing for the game’s development and marketing, making the exclusivity a condition of the project’s funding. Remedy has reiterated that the partnership was essential to bringing the game to market.
Despite ongoing discussion within the industry and among players, Remedy has not indicated any plans to release Alan Wake 2 on Steam or other competing PC storefronts. Based on the studio’s latest comments, the current release strategy remains unchanged, even as debate around exclusivity continues.
