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So, Alan Wake... gone forever?

badnewsbeers

badnewsbeers

Member
Dec 10, 2017
430
Ontario, Canada
I recently decided to buy Alan Wake on my Xbox one and give it a go again. I live in Canada. To my dismay, it's not available? I researched and saw it was removed for licensing reasons but then came back last fall. Am I missing something? Do I just never get to play this game again short of getting a used disc?
 

Deleted member 32374

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Nov 10, 2017
8,460
They might have a cute reference to him in a dark deep ocean of blackness writing on a typewriter or something in Control......
 
Zojirushi

Zojirushi

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,297
Lol you guys stop it with the references as if you remembered what happend at the end of Alan Wake.

I want AW2 too :(
 
Clive

Clive

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,091
Strange that it's gone from Xbox but not from other platforms. I know there was a music licensing issue back then but it got re-listed after that. It shouldn't only impact Xbox either if the licenses had expired again.
 
Lowrys

Lowrys

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,389
London
Why is it that movies with licensed musicare basically available forever, but games aren't? Do film studios just buy a longer license?
 
Tetra-Grammaton-Cleric

Tetra-Grammaton-Cleric

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Oct 28, 2017
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Lowrys said:
Why is it that movies with licensed musicare basically available forever, but games aren't? Do film studios just buy a longer license?
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That's a really good question.

I know that TV shows can and do loose their rights to certain music but I don't know how it works with film or if studios have to pay out additional money when they re-release movies.
 

thevid

Puzzle Master
Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,305
Clive said:
Strange that it's gone from Xbox but not from other platforms. I know there was a music licensing issue back then but it got re-listed after that. It shouldn't only impact Xbox either if the licenses had expired again.
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Maybe a Microsoft issue? The PC versions are published by Remedy.
 
Xbox Live Mike

Xbox Live Mike

Prophet of Truth
The Fallen
Oct 29, 2017
2,434
USA
No one's ever really gone. I think we will see Alan Wake again, seems like perfect content for GamePass IMO.
EDIT to actually answer the question: I was under the impression that they need to iron our some rights to the music and it will be back
 
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MazeHaze

MazeHaze

Member
Nov 1, 2017
8,579
It has licensed music and they only bought 10 years worth of rights to the music when they made the game.
 
XR.

XR.

Member
Nov 22, 2018
6,582
It's odd because it's back on Steam and GOG thanks to Microsoft apparently - but they never made it available on the Xbox Marketplace again for some reason.



Maybe someone could ask @P3 about it.

Lowrys said:
Why is it that movies with licensed musicare basically available forever, but games aren't? Do film studios just buy a longer license?
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Many production companies in Hollywood often own the production companies that produces the music, which is why they rarely lose the license.
 

Harlequin

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,614
Lowrys said:
Why is it that movies with licensed musicare basically available forever, but games aren't? Do film studios just buy a longer license?
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I've read that film and TV studios simply tend to have better connections to the music industry and thus have an easier time renewing licences than game studios/publishers do. But there have been cases of distributors/networks having to switch out music in older films and TV shows due to licencing issues, apparently.
 
LewieP

LewieP

Member
Oct 26, 2017
18,097
You can buy Xbox live codes for it on ebay. Or you could track down a sealed copy of Quantum Break (which it was bundled with).
 
RavFiveFour

RavFiveFour

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Dec 3, 2018
1,721
You should come to grips with Microsoft abandoning games (entire xbox original generation) but yeah MIA.
 
Cocolina

Cocolina

Member
Oct 28, 2017
7,985
It'll depend how well Control does but I don't think Alan Wake is a high enough profile IP to whip out as a lifebuoy in tough times. I don't know how well American Nightmare did but it didn't have much of a fanfare.
 
litebrite

litebrite

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
21,832
MS renegotiated the licenses late last year and the game got relisted on PC storefronts. Remedy said it would get relisted shortly back on Xbox marketplace but it never did. My guess is the game is getting X enhanced and will get relisted when it's finished and announced to the public.
 
LewieP

LewieP

Member
Oct 26, 2017
18,097
litebrite said:
MS renegotiated the licenses late last year and the game got relisted on PC storefronts. Remedy said it would get relisted shortly back on Xbox marketplace but it never did. My guess is the game is getting X enhanced and will get relisted when it's finished and announced to the public.
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Maybe. Might end up on Game Pass then, too.
 
Secretofmateria

Secretofmateria

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Oct 27, 2017
8,424
Speaking of delistings i went to buy avp on the xbox live market place and its no longer availible in the us : (
 
Syriel

Syriel

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Dec 13, 2017
11,088
Lowrys said:
Why is it that movies with licensed musicare basically available forever, but games aren't? Do film studios just buy a longer license?
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Studios dealt with this in the early 90s and the VHS heyday.

There were a LOT of movies (and TV shows) that had music changed when it hit home release because the original license was just for theatrical or TV use.

Nowadays, it is either licensed for "all media, forever" or done as a work for hire.
 
sredgrin

sredgrin

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Banned
Oct 27, 2017
12,276
Lowrys said:
Why is it that movies with licensed musicare basically available forever, but games aren't? Do film studios just buy a longer license?
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Movies have had experience with long tail revenue for several decades. They planned their licenses around the fact they might be selling a 4th run 12 years down the run.


TV is probably the one that's had the most issues like video games. Studios bought licenses to songs for broadcast because they knew they would syndicate, but never had any idea that people would actually be buying TV seasons to own. So things like the Wonder Years got their music butchered (or some shows have episodes that are flat out missing).

Gaming didn't catch on to the idea of frequent rereleases and the prevelance of digital customers until this generation and part of last one. We'll likely see less of an issue with games from this one.
 
Psamtik

Psamtik

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,868
I can't wait for Alan to emerge from the Dark Place as Mr. Jackpots.

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Bufbaf

Bufbaf

Don't F5!
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Oct 25, 2017
12,653
Hamburg, Germany
Nothing is gone forever. Sooner or later, there will be a new Alan Wake game, it's too interesting a franchise to never get brought up again.
 

Deleted member 28076

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Lowrys said:
Why is it that movies with licensed musicare basically available forever, but games aren't? Do film studios just buy a longer license?
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Movies are sold as products.

Digital games are, legally, sold as subscriptions that you pay once for (yes, it's absurd) and therefore the publisher is ordered to cease the "service" for content they no longer own.
 
OP
OP
badnewsbeers

badnewsbeers

Member
Dec 10, 2017
430
Ontario, Canada
Well this is all very sad. This is the first time the digital gaming era has personally affected me.

I bought a code on eBay... we'll see if it works in Canada.
 
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