It was an intimate event in the U of T library. The sign standing in front of the antique doors read "closed for special event". Only us privileged few knew how special the event was. The setting was perfect. Bordered by monolithic bookshelves, the library was subtly highlighted by subdued light all set to emphasize the haunting music playing from a 50+ LCD screen.
 
There was a murky, cloudy visual morphing like clouds in a night sky. After settling we were introduced to Oz Hacknin from Remedy Entertainment. He began detailing Alan Wake's journey today on the brink of release. He explained that Alan Wake was playable since last May and this past year has been all about tweaking. The team at Remedy has created its own engine and all the tools for this release so attention to detail is a priority. The extra diligence has been well received. Microsoft claims the working build is virtually bug free and they're excited about its release. There were some interesting tidbits mentioned during the Q&A period in which Oz briefly talked about Alan Wake DLC content and the possibilities of a novel. Look out for Alan Wake May 18th for Xbox 360.

Words by. Sean Watson