Alone in the Dark is back from the dead. The franchise that began in 1992 with the first survival horror game is getting another shot thanks to THQ Nordic. The last Alone in the Dark game came out in 2015, but under new ownership, the series is looking to come back in a big way. Bringing the franchise into the modern console age with stunning visuals, this reboot seeks to capture the same design mentality as Capcom’s Resident Evil 2 remake. Here is everything we know about THQ Nordic’s reboot of Alone in the Dark.
What is the Alone in the Dark release date?
There is no official release date yet for the newest Alone in the Dark reboot from THQ Nordic.
Is there an Alone in the Dark trailer?
Yes! The latest Alone in the Dark reboot was announced with a shiny trailer. Check it out, but be warned it is pretty creepy.
The main star of the show in the trailer is the reboot’s visuals, giving fans a look at Derceto Manor on modern hardware. It also teases the game’s horror vibes and is immediately unsettling with an opening shot of dolls hanging from a ceiling.
What platforms is Alone in the Dark coming to?
The reveal trailer announced that the Alone in the Dark reboot will be coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles, and PC. The reboot has no mention of last-gen console versions, nor a Nintendo Switch port. As the title looks to emulate the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes it is likely the Switch does not have the necessary tech to run the game.
What is the Alone in the Dark series?
Both Resident Evil and Silent Hill owe a lot to Alone in the Dark. Originally released in 1992, the first Alone in the Dark has been called the first survival horror game. The original title allows players to choose between two protagonists, Edward Carnby or Emily Hartwood, and explore the haunted Derceto manor. The game used fixed camera angles as the player directed the protagonist of their choice through the manor. The game balanced combat and puzzle solving, offering alternative solutions to many combat encounters, including some enemies that could not be defeated at all.
The original’s gameplay and story directly impacted the development of the original Resident Evil. The series continued with Alone in the Dark 2 and 3 in 1993 and 1994, respectively. 2001 saw the release of Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare, which was the franchise's first reboot. It sought to emulate much of what made Resident Evil 2 and 3 special, creating a situation where Alone in the Dark was seeking to emulate the series that was inspired by Alone in the Dark.
The franchise was rebooted yet again in 2008 as Alone in the Dark. Again, this reboot failed to lead to the franchise picking up steam. 2015 was the last hurrah from Atari, with the release of the co-operative multiplayer game Alone in the Dark: Illumination. This new reboot, simply titled Alone in the Dark, will return the series back to its roots as a traditional survival horror game. Players will again be able to choose between Edward Carnby or Emily Hartwood and explore Derceto Manor. In many ways, this reboot aims to modernize the original in the same way Resident Evil 2 remake did.
Who is making the new Alone in the Dark?
After negative reception to Alone in the Dark: Illumination, Atari decided it was time to dump the franchise. In 2018, Atari sold Alone in the Dark to THQ Nordic. The company later rebranded as the Embracer Group as they continued to acquire other companies and intellectual property from across the gaming industry.
In 2021, Embracer acquired Borderlands developer Gearbox Software for $1.3 billion. In May of this year, Embracer also announced they were acquiring Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal from Square Enix for a measly $300 million. Included in the deal were the rights to the Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and Thief franchises. This adds to the collection of over one hundred studios that Embracer Group already owns.
Embracer studio Pieces Interactive is the studio behind development of the new Alone in the Dark reboot, with help from Soma and Amnesia: The Dark Descent writer Mikael Hedberg. Alone in the Dark is the perfect chance for the massive corporation to show how they intend to revitalize franchises that have been neglected or run into the ground by their previous owners.
