Alan Wake Getting Remastered on Multiple Platforms
Video Credit: Sony
Best selling crime fiction author Alan Wake takes a vacation to Bright Falls with his wife. But everything gets strange from there when the wife goes missing and Alan begins facing events of a plot from his latest novel. The darkness is enveloping the town! That’s the basic plot of Alan Wake, a game developed by Remedy Entertainment and published exclusively on the Xbox 360 and PC. A sequel was planned, but it’s indefinitely delayed since the first game wasn’t financially successful enough to fund further development. Microsoft also declined to work on the sequel, preferring something else. That something became Quantum Break. However…
According to one Twitter user, a remastered port for Alan Wake was leaked on a Taiwan digital store, complete with the release date of October 5th. Store listings reveal the port will be available on Xbox, PS4 and PS5. While this would have been revealed at a later date, fans can rejoice since with the remastered port hitting many platforms, interest in the game will be revived, giving Remedy the opportunity to finally develop and release the long awaited sequel. Some rumors even state Epic Games may also contribute!
Well, I guess I’m a little salty that I never tried the game, especially when I was subscribed to the Xbox Game Pass. But it makes me glad that the game is getting remastered while also made available on other platforms, increasing interest further. I can now hope that the game can become part of a large universe with other games from Remedy. Because Remedy itself confirmed the development of a game that will connect all games!
Grand Theft Auto III has a lot of firsts: it’s the first 3D game in the series, the first to feature full voice acting (sans the protagonist) and the first full open world experience. It follows the protagonist on a quest for revenge through the criminal ranks of Liberty City. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City sees Tommy Vercetti rise to become the Vice City’s king of crime. In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, CJ is drawn back to the life of crime after his mother’s death. These games are full of controversy, but their success pretty much speaks for itself. While it is possible to replay these on mobile and PC, you’d need to make sure your PC/phone can handle the games. Well, nothing beats the console experience and after many years, fans may finally experience these classics.
If Rockstar still won’t give us a GTA VI, they should consider bringing classics back to prolong the gap. According to some leaks, Rockstar is working on remastering the 3D trilogy (GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas) using the Unreal Engine for PS4/5, Xbox One/Series S/X, PC, mobile and for the first time, the Nintendo Switch. The graphics will be a mix of old and new, while the gameplay will remain true to those games as much as possible. Curiously, the games were considered as bonuses for purchasing the next-gen ports of GTA V and Online, but Rockstar likely realized they can bundle these games together to be offered in a possibly digital-only format. Take-Two going after GTA modders might have been a clue, since they were planning to offer the original games in a remastered capacity. The games are set to be released somewhere this year (though some ports may slip into next year) and while it’s dubious if the games will be great homeruns like in the past, getting released on modern hardware will insure that the Grand Theft Auto series will remain relevant for a few more years until Rockstar can finally deliver us the long-awaited GTA VI.
To be honest, as much as I heard about those games, I only had the opportunity to play GTA V, which is still a great game to play for hours and hours. Of course I agree that GTA Online is overstaying V’s popularity since no matter how many updates it receives, the game itself is always the same. Plus for console users, they need to keep paying just to play online. Yet the fans suck it up the same just to get those awesome vehicles and properties (but as of now, you can’t own a mansion or a beach house). In addition, unless you play with friends, the grind is very slow, encouraging the player to spend real money just to keep up. If you want to spend money, avoid Online as much as possible. Just experience the classics that will soon be remastered.
As discussed previously, the Grand Theft Auto series is a great franchise that lets you enjoy stories and cause mayhem. Some games have caused controversies, but the massive sales outweighs the trouble the games get themselves in. While GTA V continues to sell and be enjoyed, it is getting old. GTA Online pretty much milks everything they can out of that game and because of that, the more we’re waiting for a new entry, since gamers just keep playing Online and throw their money at Rockstar for every successful update. Now, I am aware that making this type of game takes a long time, the second entry of Red Dead Redemption pretty much exhausted the developers while Dan Houser resigned from the company last year, meaning the sixth entry may not even be what GTA was all about. Everybody is craving for info about the sixth entry, one fellow took that to the extreme.
During one edition of the German TV show Beat the Star (where contestants take on a celebrity in various challenges for a sweet prize), as the host Alexander “Elton” Duszat is talking with reality TV star Evelyn Burdecki, a member of the audience climbs on stage and gives this interesting exchange:
Spectator: I wish you a beautiful day, my name is [...]. What I want to know is where the heck is GTA VI? I have been waiting eight years for GTA VI!
Elton: GTA VI? I’ll be there.
Spectator: Yeah exactly, shout that into the camera!
Evelyn: I must say you gave me a bit of a fright.
Elton: GTA VI? I have no responsibility for that, the programs have to…
Evelyn: Isn’t this a video game?
Spectator: Exactly, GTA VI!
Evelyn: I didn’t know that.
Spectator: Please send a message! Shout into the camera “Where is GTA VI?”.
Elton: No, I don’t have to do that, I haven’t even finished GTA V yet.
Spectator: Well, someday, someday!
Elton: Did Take-Two pay this guy or whoever makes the game?
At this point the member of the audience is taken out of the stage. It’s such a reasonable exit, you might think the guard is also waiting for GTA VI. We don’t know if it was staged or not. But Elton asks if Take-Two paid the guy, but it’s likely he’s just a gamer who’s going crazy from waiting for GTA VI. Rockstar, if you read this, hopefully you’re using the remastered GTA games to buy more time. You’ve got fans, respect them!
This pretty much sums up the fans’ annoyance at having to wait for a new GTA game. Sure, they can buy the remastered GTA games to relieve the classics on modern consoles, but that’s not enough. Fans want new stories, new features, new gameplay options. GTA Online may have grown into a great multiplayer title (which still has its share of glitches and hackers), it can’t be the only game fans want. They want, they want a new game which builds on what GTA V did. They want more diversity. We all want a new entry.
Moving to the next console is easy, transferring your games to the new console wasn’t easy. At worst, you’d need to pay the remastered copy just to experience the game again… right from the beginning. Since the rise of the Internet, it’s now possible to just save your data on an account, so that on a new system, you can use the account to continue playing on the new platform. Now that the new consoles have arrived, each company is handling the games in their own “distinct” ways. That would be Microsoft and Sony (Nintendo won’t count since they’re more than happy to remaster their games and sell them at the same current retail price).
People complained about Sony charging $10 to upgrade Horizon to the PS5 version. While it’s fair because the PS5 version is $70, they wonder why they can’t just charge all games for $70 and make the upgrade free. Sony did offer PS5 upgrades for some games, but has since stated this approach won’t happen again. And games that release on PS4 and/or PS5 are building ill-will towards Sony, especially since Microsoft managed to offer some (but not all) games to upgrade to the latest console without fee. Microsoft even stated they were one step ahead of Sony, showing they were already preparing for the next generation. For those who don’t know, Smart Delivery is Microsoft’s solution: if one game is compatible with both Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X, you can purchase it on Xbox One and once you sign in to Series S/X, you’ll get the option to upgrade that version for free. Some games will charge a fee, but the developers are clearer about it than Sony. It would seem Microsoft wins this round.
Since the beginning of the ninth gaming generation, Sony and Microsoft are going in very different paths. Sony focuses more on triple A blockbuster games and charges them just as much despite how it makes them look in the public eye. Their console is still hard to find, but those who have it are having a blast with it. On the other hand, Microsoft is becoming more consumer-friendly: the Xbox Game Pass continues to bring excellent titles while the Xbox Series S is widely more available than Series X. Another bonus point, people don’t have to own the Series S/X, as xCloud is making its way to Xbox One, helping people to enjoy the latest games on an old system. Or better, you can stream their games right from the Steam Deck! If I ever doubted Xbox, I wouldn’t own the Xbox One S, but I have it and the Xbox Game Pass is a must have for those who don’t know which game to purchase! Especially during the holiday season, because PS5 isn’t getting any games that Series S/X is getting.
In case you still don’t know about it, the Steam Deck is a portable gaming PC. And it doesn’t have to be for gaming, you can install any operating system (it comes packaged with a Linux-based SteamOS). You can play your entire Steam library… but not every game according to a recent report. Even with Proton (a compatibility layer that allows Windows-based games to play on Linux), not every game will be playable, but Valve expects it to be tweaked before launch. Judging from all the videos showcasing prototypes, there’s no doubt that even if not every game will be playable, the Deck has the horsepower to play any game from PlayStation and Xbox. In fact, Valve is starting to work with some developers…
Valve’s and Steam’s Twitter pages confirmed that developers can request a Steam Deck to test their games. The developers won’t just have a blast, but they’ll be able to iron out any potential problems some games have on the Deck. Of course, the games were never designed for portability, the Deck should be able to do what the Switch is able to do, with a stable framerate. And yes, some games also don’t have controller support, but with customizable buttons and the ability to use Bluetooth (the Switch only uses Bluetooth for the Joy-Cons). As to why would developers want a Deck devkit, Valve’s CEO Gabe Newell said in an interview that as a game developer, the Deck is the mobile platform he always wanted for his partners, so he knows the developers all want the Deck for tinkering purposes. While it’s likely the supply will run out, whoever gets the Deck will do the game industry and the gamers a great service.
I’ve said it before and I shall say it again: this is the gaming device I want. I have the Xbox One S, but it doesn’t offer as much freedom and options the Deck will. Sure, the Switch is neat, but it’s also a closed platform. Valve promised the Steam Deck will be an open platform like a PC and it has the horsepower to play the games of the past and present. The Steam store beats every offering Xbox and PlayStation can offer (Xbox still has an edge with its Game Pass), with enough discounts and sales to justify getting the Deck: I don’t have to buy a game full-price, I’ll put that game on my wishlist, get notified of a sale and purchase the game at low price. I even get to play games I already own (most of them are free, two of them I got at a sale). Doubt the Deck all you want, this is the future of PC gaming and a great start.
According to one Twitter user, a remastered port for Alan Wake was leaked on a Taiwan digital store, complete with the release date of October 5th. Store listings reveal the port will be available on Xbox, PS4 and PS5. While this would have been revealed at a later date, fans can rejoice since with the remastered port hitting many platforms, interest in the game will be revived, giving Remedy the opportunity to finally develop and release the long awaited sequel. Some rumors even state Epic Games may also contribute!
Well, I guess I’m a little salty that I never tried the game, especially when I was subscribed to the Xbox Game Pass. But it makes me glad that the game is getting remastered while also made available on other platforms, increasing interest further. I can now hope that the game can become part of a large universe with other games from Remedy. Because Remedy itself confirmed the development of a game that will connect all games!
The GTA 3D Trilogy Getting the Remastered
Video Credit: IGN
If Rockstar still won’t give us a GTA VI, they should consider bringing classics back to prolong the gap. According to some leaks, Rockstar is working on remastering the 3D trilogy (GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas) using the Unreal Engine for PS4/5, Xbox One/Series S/X, PC, mobile and for the first time, the Nintendo Switch. The graphics will be a mix of old and new, while the gameplay will remain true to those games as much as possible. Curiously, the games were considered as bonuses for purchasing the next-gen ports of GTA V and Online, but Rockstar likely realized they can bundle these games together to be offered in a possibly digital-only format. Take-Two going after GTA modders might have been a clue, since they were planning to offer the original games in a remastered capacity. The games are set to be released somewhere this year (though some ports may slip into next year) and while it’s dubious if the games will be great homeruns like in the past, getting released on modern hardware will insure that the Grand Theft Auto series will remain relevant for a few more years until Rockstar can finally deliver us the long-awaited GTA VI.
To be honest, as much as I heard about those games, I only had the opportunity to play GTA V, which is still a great game to play for hours and hours. Of course I agree that GTA Online is overstaying V’s popularity since no matter how many updates it receives, the game itself is always the same. Plus for console users, they need to keep paying just to play online. Yet the fans suck it up the same just to get those awesome vehicles and properties (but as of now, you can’t own a mansion or a beach house). In addition, unless you play with friends, the grind is very slow, encouraging the player to spend real money just to keep up. If you want to spend money, avoid Online as much as possible. Just experience the classics that will soon be remastered.
Spectator Asks About GTA VI at a Game Show
Video Credit: Sony
During one edition of the German TV show Beat the Star (where contestants take on a celebrity in various challenges for a sweet prize), as the host Alexander “Elton” Duszat is talking with reality TV star Evelyn Burdecki, a member of the audience climbs on stage and gives this interesting exchange:
Spectator: I wish you a beautiful day, my name is [...]. What I want to know is where the heck is GTA VI? I have been waiting eight years for GTA VI!
Elton: GTA VI? I’ll be there.
Spectator: Yeah exactly, shout that into the camera!
Evelyn: I must say you gave me a bit of a fright.
Elton: GTA VI? I have no responsibility for that, the programs have to…
Evelyn: Isn’t this a video game?
Spectator: Exactly, GTA VI!
Evelyn: I didn’t know that.
Spectator: Please send a message! Shout into the camera “Where is GTA VI?”.
Elton: No, I don’t have to do that, I haven’t even finished GTA V yet.
Spectator: Well, someday, someday!
Elton: Did Take-Two pay this guy or whoever makes the game?
At this point the member of the audience is taken out of the stage. It’s such a reasonable exit, you might think the guard is also waiting for GTA VI. We don’t know if it was staged or not. But Elton asks if Take-Two paid the guy, but it’s likely he’s just a gamer who’s going crazy from waiting for GTA VI. Rockstar, if you read this, hopefully you’re using the remastered GTA games to buy more time. You’ve got fans, respect them!
This pretty much sums up the fans’ annoyance at having to wait for a new GTA game. Sure, they can buy the remastered GTA games to relieve the classics on modern consoles, but that’s not enough. Fans want new stories, new features, new gameplay options. GTA Online may have grown into a great multiplayer title (which still has its share of glitches and hackers), it can’t be the only game fans want. They want, they want a new game which builds on what GTA V did. They want more diversity. We all want a new entry.
Microsoft VS Sony: Cross-Gen Games
Video Credit: Spawn Wave
People complained about Sony charging $10 to upgrade Horizon to the PS5 version. While it’s fair because the PS5 version is $70, they wonder why they can’t just charge all games for $70 and make the upgrade free. Sony did offer PS5 upgrades for some games, but has since stated this approach won’t happen again. And games that release on PS4 and/or PS5 are building ill-will towards Sony, especially since Microsoft managed to offer some (but not all) games to upgrade to the latest console without fee. Microsoft even stated they were one step ahead of Sony, showing they were already preparing for the next generation. For those who don’t know, Smart Delivery is Microsoft’s solution: if one game is compatible with both Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X, you can purchase it on Xbox One and once you sign in to Series S/X, you’ll get the option to upgrade that version for free. Some games will charge a fee, but the developers are clearer about it than Sony. It would seem Microsoft wins this round.
Since the beginning of the ninth gaming generation, Sony and Microsoft are going in very different paths. Sony focuses more on triple A blockbuster games and charges them just as much despite how it makes them look in the public eye. Their console is still hard to find, but those who have it are having a blast with it. On the other hand, Microsoft is becoming more consumer-friendly: the Xbox Game Pass continues to bring excellent titles while the Xbox Series S is widely more available than Series X. Another bonus point, people don’t have to own the Series S/X, as xCloud is making its way to Xbox One, helping people to enjoy the latest games on an old system. Or better, you can stream their games right from the Steam Deck! If I ever doubted Xbox, I wouldn’t own the Xbox One S, but I have it and the Xbox Game Pass is a must have for those who don’t know which game to purchase! Especially during the holiday season, because PS5 isn’t getting any games that Series S/X is getting.
Steam Deck Dev-Kits Available
Video Credit: Valve
Valve’s and Steam’s Twitter pages confirmed that developers can request a Steam Deck to test their games. The developers won’t just have a blast, but they’ll be able to iron out any potential problems some games have on the Deck. Of course, the games were never designed for portability, the Deck should be able to do what the Switch is able to do, with a stable framerate. And yes, some games also don’t have controller support, but with customizable buttons and the ability to use Bluetooth (the Switch only uses Bluetooth for the Joy-Cons). As to why would developers want a Deck devkit, Valve’s CEO Gabe Newell said in an interview that as a game developer, the Deck is the mobile platform he always wanted for his partners, so he knows the developers all want the Deck for tinkering purposes. While it’s likely the supply will run out, whoever gets the Deck will do the game industry and the gamers a great service.
I’ve said it before and I shall say it again: this is the gaming device I want. I have the Xbox One S, but it doesn’t offer as much freedom and options the Deck will. Sure, the Switch is neat, but it’s also a closed platform. Valve promised the Steam Deck will be an open platform like a PC and it has the horsepower to play the games of the past and present. The Steam store beats every offering Xbox and PlayStation can offer (Xbox still has an edge with its Game Pass), with enough discounts and sales to justify getting the Deck: I don’t have to buy a game full-price, I’ll put that game on my wishlist, get notified of a sale and purchase the game at low price. I even get to play games I already own (most of them are free, two of them I got at a sale). Doubt the Deck all you want, this is the future of PC gaming and a great start.
Favorite Platform: Nintendo Switch
While the Steam Deck has captured my attention, it may not have been even possible to have come close without the Nintendo Switch. I mean, Valve has planned for this, but without the Switch’s existence making portability viable, it wouldn’t be as popular as it is now. The Steam Deck will have more games, but few can match or even surpass the Switch’s acclaimed titles which take advantage of its control system.
Nintendo was struggling after the Wii U failed (they more-or-less failed to be clear about the system’s purpose other than being a Wii in HD), Nintendo’s quartet headers (Satoru Iwata, Tatsumi Kimishima, Genyo Takeda and Shigeru Miyamoto) crafted a strategy to combine the mobile gaming (Nintendo was hesitant about pursuing it out of fear of losing its identity) and the console market into one convenient system, first under the codename NX, eventually becoming the Nintendo Switch. Knowing it was a make or break product, Nintendo went all out on advertising campaigns and the showcase events to make sure the gamers see it, get a feel for it and would want to buy it.
It paid off massively for the company: as of 2021, it shipped over 73.20 million units. Its most popular game, Mariokart 8 Deluxe (which was a Wii U title), sold 37.08 million copies. It pretty much outpaced the PS4 and Xbox One. Nintendo even took portability further by releasing the Nintendo Switch Lite, which plays most of the Switch games and sold 15.84 million units as of 2021. However…
As popular as the console is, there are problems. Chief among them is the Joy-Con stick, which can drift after extended hours of gameplay. The Switch Lite also suffers. It’s so bad, an action-class lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court of the Western District Washington against Nintendo. The company has tried to offer assistance and even offered a minor fix in one Joy-Con bundle, but it will take more than that to fix the Joy-Cons. Then there’s the system itself, which is struggling to play some recent titles, to the point where it resorts to cloud gaming to play even more demanding games. Unless Nintendo does something, they will eventually be left behind due to demand for recent consoles that can handle those demanding titles on a pretty display.
The Nintendo Switch pales in comparison with the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but it won’t stop it from being widely available. The first-party and third-party games (at least those that aren’t demanding) are excellent. The system is now available in three options: the standard model ($300), the Nintendo Switch Lite ($200)… and the OLED model ($350). It is great for casuals, I wanted it initially… but with the Steam Deck on my radar, getting the Switch is now a far-away acquisition (even more so since while I will sell my Xbox One S, I’ll try to hunt down an Xbox Series S).
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