After a brief hiatus in sale due to licensing issues, Alan Wake is available to purchase again.
Back in May 2017, we reported that Alan Wake was disappearing from digital storefronts. Due to an issue with the licensed music in the game, Remedy and publisher Microsoft were unable to continue selling it. The suspension in sale was, at the time, thought to be indefinite.
Now, almost 18 months down the line, Alan Wake is back on sale on digital storefronts.
Big thanks to our partner and Alan Wake’s publishers @Microsoft who were able to renegotiate the rights to the licensed music in Alan Wake, so that the game can be sold again.
— Remedy Entertainment (@remedygames) October 25, 2018
It would appear that Microsoft – global behemoth that they are – were able to pull some strings and renegotiate the licences for Alan Wake’s music.
We still don’t know which song – or songs – caused the issue in the first place. It’s likely that we may never know, as licensing matters like these are often very hush hush. It does, however, serve as a warning to developers and publishers; the easiest way to avoid licensing issues is not to use licensed music at all in your games.
Alan Wake is back on Steam now, and with a hefty 80% discount. Other digital platforms are set to follow, but it’s worth mentioning that you can also pick up Alan Wake from the Humble store. The game receives the same discount, you still get a Steam key, and you raise money for charity.
We may receive a small commission for purchases made from online stores.
