The upcoming reboot of classic horror franchise Alone in the Dark has been delayed to 16 January 2024, several months beyond its initial October 2023 launch. According to publisher THQ Nordic, the decision was twofold: it allows the game to escape the long shadows of blockbuster releases like Alan Wake 2 and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and it also allows the Pieces Interactive development team more time to work on the game.
“Our intention is to avoid competing with the wake of Alan’s epic release and to evade the dazzling skyline of cities adorned by the graceful swings of Spider-Man. We aim to truly remain as Alone in the Dark as possible,” THQ Nordic said in its announcement.
“This extension will serve a dual purpose: not only will it permit us to meticulously perfect the gaming experience, but it will also grant us the opportunity to fully immerse ourselves in the remarkable releases of October.”
The move echoes similar decisions from other game developers – with even Remedy recently choosing to push Alan Wake 2 back by several days, to account for the popularity of Spider-Man 2. October 2023 is a massively stacked month, and realistically, there’s only so much room on the gaming calendar for big titles to thrive.
Read: Alan Wake 2 delayed to late October 2023
There’s also the matter of budgets to consider. While competition is healthy, it’s fair to say economic conditions aren’t ideal at the moment. With the ongoing cost of living crisis to consider, gaming audiences are likely to make tougher choices going into October. That may mean leaving certain games in the cold, or waiting longer for sale periods.
The Alone in the Dark reboot, which stars Jodie Comer as Emily Hartwood and David Harbour as Edward Carnby, has shown off spooky intrigue in its early looks, and appears to be a worthy horror adventure for fans of the genre – but the simple fact is the franchise does not have the core name recognition that Spider-Man or Alan Wake holds, despite its long, impressive legacy.
With the game now officially moving to January 2024, there is hope it gets the time and scope to breathe without the added pressure of being overshadowed by other blockbusters. Those looking forward to the upcoming reboot will likely be disappointed by the months-long shift – but at the very least, it eases a lot of the pressure of playing every game in October 2023.
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