Alan Wake 2’s New Patch Promises Technical Fixes And ‘Friendlier’ Error Messages

Alan Wake is shown in a dark room with red light and having what seems to be a bad time.

Image: Remedy Entertainment

Alan Wake 2 has been out for just a weekend, and Remedy has already put out a new patch. However, the patch notes aren’t terribly specific, with one amusing exception.

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The full list of tweaks can be found on the game’s official website, and have different fixes for each platform. The PC and PlayStation 5 versions have general “bugfixes” and “localization fixes,” while the PC notes also mention adding a “significantly friendlier error message” if you have some third-party software that prevents Alan Wake 2 from booting up on your device.

Out of context, I would have assumed this meant the game previously led with a message that creative director and Max Payne face model Sam Lake was about to kick down players’ doors for using third-party software. But apparently, the original message read: “The game failed to connect or authenticate with your Epic account. Third-party overlays may prevent the game from resolving this issue. Please try disabling third-party overlays temporarily and restart the game.”

Beyond that, the Xbox Series X/S version has a few more notes, primarily around technical troubles. But again, they’re not too specific beyond noting visual, UI, and progress-blocking bugs. The full list reads as follows:

PC (1.0.6)

  • Bugfixes
  • Localization fixes

-Significantly friendlier error message when third-party software stops the game from starting.

PlayStation 5 (1.00.05)

  • Bugfixes
  • Localization fixes

Xbox Series (1.0.0.4)

  • Bugfixes
  • Fixed multiple visual issues
  • Fixed multiple UI-related issues
  • Fixed an issue where players could get stuck in interacts and not exit

If you never played the original Alan Wake and you’re hearing all the hubbub about Alan Wake 2 and are curious if you should jump in, the sequel does a lot to make its story accessible to new players. However, the first game is available on most modern devices thanks to the remaster that launched in 2021. If you decide to go that route, keep in mind that Alan Wake Remastered doesn’t include the 2012 spin-off Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, which is most easily accessed on PC.

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