Remedy teases an Alan Wake 2 New Game+ update in the most obvious way possible

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It's not actually an announcement for an NG+ mode, but it might as well be.

Alan Wake 2 New Game+ mode teaser image - Alan Wake shining a flashing illuminating the words New Game+ on a wall
(Image credit: Remedy Entertainment)

It sure looks like Alan Wake 2 will be getting a New Game+ mode soon, and I mean "looks like" in the most literal sense possible. Remedy teased the upcoming addition with an image of its titular hero standing on a nighttime rooftop, with the words "New Game+" silhouetted in a flashlight beam.

Here it is:

(Image credit: Remedy Entertainment (Twitter))

New Game+ essentially lets players replay a game they've completed with some or all of the items, abilities, and content from their first playthrough already unlocked. There are variations from game to game, but the general intent is to give players more freedom to explore and try new things without the headache of having to start over from scratch. 

Elden Ring's New Game+ mode, for instance, turns players loose in a fresh game with all their stats, armor, spells, runes, and most crafting materials and non-quest related items intact, so instead of having to run away from trash mobs when you first step foot into the Lands Between, you can just go ham on everything.

Remedy hasn't yet shared any details on what Alan Wake 2's NG+ will encompass, and to be fair it hasn't actually confirmed it at all—although as teases go, this is about as blunt as it gets. It literally says "New Game+" so it's not like there's a lot of room for misinterpretation there. 

The "new month" bit of the tweet is perhaps marginally less obvious, although given that today is December 1—the start of a new month—I think it's fair to assume we can expect the New Game+ mode (or whatever it is) sometime in December.

I would even go so far as to guess that we might see the official announcement of the new mode at The Game Awards 2023, which is set to happen on December 7. Alan Wake 2 is tied with Baldur's Gate 3 as the most-nominated game at this year's show, with eight nominations apiece, and while the smart money is on Baldur's Gate 3 domination (sorry, Remedy, but it is what it is), just drawing that many nominations is an impressive achievement. What better time to reveal a new addition to your game than a widely-watched show where everyone's talking about it anyway?

Just in case, I've reached out to Remedy to confirm the Alan Wake 2 New Game+ mode, and I'll update if it does.

Andy Chalk
Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.