The highly-anticipated Alan Wake 2 is only getting a digital release while The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is getting physical and digital versions. Considering how Remedy is a respected publisher and Outright Games only makes licensed games, this is embarrassing for the former.
Like most of these licensed games, The Grinch: Christmas Adventures was announced out of nowhere. The kids’ adventure game doesn’t look particularly impressive, and already has a release date. However, the fact that publisher Outright Games always makes sure to give these games a physical release should be admired.
Remedy has attempted to defend its digital-only decision for Alan Wake 2, claiming that this will give them more time to perfect the release. While we won’t act like physical releases are a cheap practice, claiming that a digital release will give them more time is a bad argument. One could argue that they just delay the game so it can get a physical release.
Knowing how modern titles are, there’s a good chance that Remedy’s sequel will get a physical release down the line. There’s a good chance that the game’s eventual physical release will come from specialty retailers like Limited Run or THQ Nordic. Still, the fact that it has to come to that is ridiculous.
What makes this even weirder is that Remedy’s recent outputs have all had physical releases, apart from its single-player campaign for CrossfireX. Most glaringly, Alan Wake Remastered has a physical release and that was made to get fans hyped for this sequel. Now fans will have to stare awkwardly at this game while the sequel is digital-only.
In a market where sales of games are still an almost-even split between physical and digital, Alan Wake 2’s discless launch is sad. On the other hand, The Grinch will dominate second-hand shops and bargain bins for years to come.
Only time will tell if Remedy will change its mind and make a physical release or even delay the game so they can manage one. For now, all we know is that this triple-A game will be digital-only while a cheap-looking game starring The Grinch will have a physical. What a world we live in.
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Alan Wake 2 will be released on October 17, while The Grinch is coming out three days later on October 20.