Remedy Entertainment is once again defending one of PC gaming’s most divisive exclusivity stories: why Alan Wake 2 still isn’t on Steam more than two years after launch. The studio’s stance hasn’t softened – according to Remedy, Epic’s publishing deal wasn’t just helpful, it was essential to the game’s existence. Critics argue the decision may have cost Remedy an enormous amount of potential revenue, and the dispute has now reignited across social media.

More than two years after its release, PC players still don’t get to choose where they buy and play Alan Wake 2. Remedy’s award-winning thriller remains exclusive to the Epic Games Store, largely because Epic acted as publisher and funded the project. In recent days, the topic has resurfaced once again, turning into a back-and-forth exchange online – and culminating in Remedy openly defending its refusal to release the game on Steam, despite the widely held belief that such a move could have generated dramatically higher earnings.

Alan Wake 2 Was Epic – Or It Wasn’t Happening

The renewed controversy began after Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney posted a message claiming that both players and developers benefit when there are more options and better deals. That statement was criticized by Michael Douse, publishing head at Larian Studios, who argued that the “pro-developer” messaging doesn’t hold up in reality. Douse specifically pointed to Alan Wake 2 as an example: while acknowledging Epic’s financial backing, he suggested Remedy effectively sacrificed access to Steam’s sales ecosystem – potentially losing out on hundreds of millions in revenue.

Remedy responded by making its position crystal clear. According to the studio, Alan Wake 2 simply “would not exist” without Epic’s publishing agreement. They described the deal as fair, emphasized that complex contracts like this often take up to a year to finalize and aren’t always favorable to developers, and said theirs was both fast and unusually balanced. Remedy also added that Epic has been an excellent partner to work with – with or without Steam.

The debate also ties into a broader criticism of Epic’s exclusivity strategy, with players arguing that exclusives restrict consumer choice. At the same time, Remedy’s future plans hint at a shifting approach: the company appears less interested in continuing an Epic-dependent release model going forward.

One key signal is that Remedy is no longer collaborating as closely with Epic on Control Resonant, which the studio plans to publish itself. Remedy previously reached a funding agreement with Annapurna, but that deal focused on film and TV rights for Remedy’s franchises rather than publishing future games. Meanwhile, the studio’s upcoming action RPG (expected in 2026) is already confirmed for Steam and has been listed for wishlisting on Valve’s platform.

Whether you view it as a necessary compromise or an anti-consumer decision, Alan Wake 2’s continued absence from Steam remains one of the most controversial exclusivity stories in PC gaming – and Remedy isn’t backing down.

Source: 3djuegos