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Alan Wake 2 Pitched With Live-Action Component, Became Quantum Break

"We've had and we are having discussions about it."

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Remedy Entertainment's upcoming time-bending action game Quantum Break is trying something new by telling its story across a game and a TV show, both of which are included with the $60 package. We've now learned that Quantum Break actually started out as Alan Wake 2. Creative director Sam Lake tells Eurogamer that, years ago, Remedy pitched an Alan Wake sequel with a live-action component.

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"Initially we went [to a Los Angeles studio] with the pitch for Alan Wake 2," Lake explained. "That did have a live-action show as part of the pitch. We had been doing small things, and tests with live-action, and I was interested in pushing it further. And they got really excited because they were talking about having that as a big thing. They even said to us, 'Why not make it even bigger?' And we were happy to take that! And say yes, let's make it bigger!"

What resulted was Quantum Break, which was to be just one part of Microsoft's wider entertainment programming push through its Xbox Entertainment Studios. This division was shuttered in October 2014, but Quantum Break's show, as well as Steven Spielberg's program, survived.

A concept video for Alan Wake 2 was showcased last year, but this video was from 2010 and represented what the game looked like all those years ago. The game would have starred fictional writer Alan Wake as he battles new enemies in new settings. The game also would have offered some kind of game mechanic that would let players "rewrite reality."

Back in April 2015, Lake explained that Remedy was in discussions with "multiple partners" to possibly work on Alan Wake 2. Asked by Eurogamer if Microsoft--which published the original Alan Wake and its follow-up American Nightmare--would be interested in returning, Lake wouldn't say one way or the other.

"It's too early to say anything specific about that," he explained. "We've had and we are having discussions about it. But there's no definite news at the moment."

With Quantum Break headed out the door in early April, Remedy will likely soon to move on to something new. Whether that's a sequel to Quantum Break or Alan Wake (or both) or something else entirely remains to be seen.

"We'd love an opportunity to do more Wake," Lake said. "We're obviously fully focused on Quantum Break, but we're always prototyping things on the side, bouncing around ideas. We're a creative team--we can't help it! All the time there are other concepts floating around, Alan Wake being very much one big one, but others as well.

"They come and go--sometimes they stick around for longer and it feels like there really is something to this. Right now, there's nothing new to say! No new news, we're just focusing on [Quantum Break]."

There would appear to be a business opportunity for an Alan Wake sequel, as Alan Wake and American Nightmare have combined to sell more than 4.5 million copies. While a sequel may not be happening soon, the first Alan Wake's American Nightmare is now playable on Xbox One via backwards compatibility.

In other Alan Wake news, it was recently confirmed that Alan Wake's Return is not a game at all.

Quantum Break launches on April 5 for Xbox One and PC. What would you like to see Remedy make next? Let us know in the comments below!

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