Alan Wake is a title that many consider a worthy representative of the survival horror genre. One thing that helped captivate players in their adventure is the opening sequence, which includes a phrase from genre writer Stephen King, who offered it almost as a gift to Remedy Entertainment.
"Stephen King once wrote that nightmares exist outside of logic, and there's little fun to be had in explanations; they're antithetical to the poetry of fear," reads the opening sequence that sets the stage for the story of Alan Wake.
This exact phrase is what Stephen King said in a 2008 article from Entertainment Weekly, in which he explains why Hollywood fails in its horror films.
Stephen King gifted his phrase to Alan Wake
The writer of Alan Wake and creative director of Remedy Entertainment confessed that he "really, really desperately" wanted to use King's phrase to start the video game.
To do so, the studio had to get in touch with the author to obtain permission, and the interesting part is that King not only liked the idea but also agreed to grant permission after being paid only $1 USD, a complete bargain.
"As far as I know, [Stephen King] wanted $1 USD for us to have the rights to use it. [He was] very, very generous," Lake expressed in an interview with Eurogamer.
This phrase not only makes sense in Alan Wake because it is intimately linked to nightmares, but also because the protagonist, Alan Wake, is a writer, just like Stephen King. Furthermore, it is possible to identify inspiration from The Shining, a work by the American author, in the adventure. Therefore, Lake's desire to obtain King's phrase for the game is understandable.
"In a horror story, the victim keeps asking 'why?' but there can be no explanation, and there shouldn't be," Wake continues in the second part of the game's opening sequence. "The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest and is what we'll remember in the end. My name is Alan Wake. I'm a writer."
What do you think of this interesting anecdote? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Alan Wake 2 will debut on October 17, 2023, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Epic Games Store).
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