Stephen King’s Great Deed With Alan Wake Creators You Probably Didn’t Know About

Today Alan Wake is one of the most famous action and psychological horror games in the industry. In fact, a remaster was released in 2021 that brought it to the PlayStation console for the first time, and it’s coming this year. Alan Wake II, its long-awaited sequel. However, before it debuted on the Xbox 360 in 2010, few people expected the game to become a cult classic. But that didn’t stop the developers from getting a vote of confidence in an icon like Stephen King.

The influence of King’s literary work on Alan Wake This is evident from the first minute. But what many do not know is that it was the American writer who gave his “blessing” to the developers of the Remedy studio, allowing them to use a quote of their authorship in the first scene of the game.

This was confirmed by Sam Lake, the creator Alan WakeIn a recent interview with Eurogamer. The head of Remedy Entertainment commented that his biggest wish was to open the game using Stephen King’s catchphrase. about the meaning of nightmares. However, working with material belonging to one of the greatest exponents of horror literature in history did not seem easy. Also not cheap.

Fortunately, Stephen King himself was predisposed to include his name and one of his quotes in Alan Wake. And all for the modest amount of $1..

Stephen King and his link to Alan Wake

“Having created Alan Wake original, desperately wanted to include a phrase from his [por Stephen King] at the opening. I understand that you wanted us to get usage rights for just $1. It was really very generous,” explained Sam Lake. Thus, Remedy gave itself a real creative pleasure, allowing to include a reference to the work of the author, which has a direct impact on both the game and its protagonist.

In any case, it is worth clarifying that the Stephen King quote in the introductory part Alan Wake it has nothing to do with his most famous literary works. This is not a snippet taken from Carrie, Element or glowbut from the concept expressed by the writer in a 2008 article for Entertainment Weekly. In it, he criticized the major Hollywood studios and accused them of failing to make good horror films.

At the end of his text, the author stated:

“Great films require great explanations that are often tedious and great backstories that are often burdensome. If a studio is going to spend $80 or $100 million in hopes of making another $300 or $400 million, they feel the need to cram in WHAT IS. DOES THIS EVERYTHING MEAN that the public is down the throat? Is there a serial killer? So his mom didn’t love him (insert memory). A monster from outer space? His planet exploded, of course (and the poor misunderstood guy probably needs a luscious Earth woman to have sex with). But nightmares exist outside of logic, and there is little interesting in the explanations; are the antithesis of the poetry of fear“.

Stephen King.

It is the last sentence of this paragraph that is at the beginning Alan Wake. In the opening sequence, the protagonist of the video game delivers a monologue of sorts referring to the author.

“Stephen King once wrote that nightmares exist outside of logic and that there is little fun in explanations as they are the antithesis of the poetry of fear.. In a horror story, the victim constantly asks “why?” But there can be no explanation, and there shouldn’t be. The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest, and it’s what we’ll remember in the end. My name is Alan Wake, I’m a writer.”

Alan Wake.

Undoubtedly, the mention of Stephen King at the beginning Alan Wake this is a small detail. But, as they say, it’s all about the little details. It’s no coincidence that Remedy has earned public and industry acclaim as a tribute to literary and television works filled with suspense and horror. A virtue that lasts over ten years after its original release.

This year is expected Alan Wake I It will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X | S and PC. Will there be more Stephen King references in it? Until we know. We’ll have to wait until the next 17 October to figure out.