Stephen King’s quote for Alan Wake’s opening only cost $1

Renowned author Stephen King granted Remedy the rights to use his famous quote that opens the original Alan Wake game for just $1. The quote sets the tone for the game, capturing the essence of nightmares and their enigmatic nature.

In an interview with Eurogamer, Remedy's CEO Sam Lake revealed his strong desire to include a quote from King in Alan Wake's opening. Lake's intention was to align the game with King's style of supernatural horror, which resonated well with the game's themes. Fortunately, King agreed to the idea and offered the rights for a nominal fee of $1. Lake expressed his gratitude for King's generosity, as it allowed them to feature the quote prominently in the game.

For those who have yet to play the game, the opening sequence of Alan Wake features the protagonist, Alan Wake, driving through a desolate countryside while reciting the lines that include King's quote. The quote is: “In a horror story, the victim keeps asking ‘why?' But there can be no explanation, and there shouldn't be one. The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest, and it's what we'll remember in the end. My name is Alan Wake, I'm a writer.”

The quote itself originated from an article written by King in 2008 for Entertainment Weekly, titled “Why Hollywood can't do horror.” In the article, King critiques the inability of big-budget studios to effectively capture fear while aiming for mass-market appeal.

KitGuru says: What's your favourite opening quote from a videogame?

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