Survival horror game Alone in the Dark has been delayed for a second time, to help developer Pieces Interactive avoid having to crunch on the game over the Christmas period.
In a press release, Pieces and publisher THQ Nordic suggested that with a planned release date in January, "the Christmas season would have been filled with stress" for the developers. Stating that "the well-being of the teams is a top priority, and both companies want to avoid any potential crunch over the Christmas holidays," the release confirmed that the new release date is set for March 20, 2024.
The release also mentions a desire "to exceed the expectations" of the community, and praises the "outstanding performances" of the game's stars - Stranger Things' David Harbour and Killing Eve's Jodie Comer.
Originally planned to launch in October 2023, the game was initially delayed a month before that date when the developers said that there were simply too many good games coming out around that time. In their defense, juggernaut games like Alan Wake 2 and Baldur's Gate 3 moved their release dates to dodge games like Starfield and Marvel's Spider-Man. Those adjustment put Remedy's own survival horror title - firmly in contention for Game of the Year awards - directly in line with that initial Alone in the Dark. That kind of competition isn't great for a smaller studio, suggesting that the first delay was a sensible decision.
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