Alan Wake Update Replaces Bowie’s Space Oddity with New Track

Remedy Entertainment has announced an upcoming update for the original Alan Wake, set to be released on September 10, 2024, at 11 a.m. UTC. This update will remove David Bowie’s iconic song, Space Oddity, from the game due to licensing changes. The replacement will be an original track entitled Strange Moons, composed by Petri Alanko, who previously collaborated on Alan Wake and its sequel. While fans may be disappointed by the removal, Remedy assures that the new composition will maintain the atmospheric essence of the series. Notably, the remastered version, Alan Wake Remastered, will remain unaffected by this change. The update reflects a wider trend in the gaming industry, where expired music licenses can lead to significant alterations, impacting titles such as Spec Ops: The Line earlier this year.

Space Oddity is being removed due to expired licensing agreements, prompting Remedy Entertainment to introduce a new original song in its place to retain the game’s immersive experience.

Alan Wake is a psychological horror action-adventure game first released in 2010. Players assume the role of Alan Wake, a bestselling author whose life becomes intertwined with the unnerving events in the town of Bright Falls. The game is renowned for its gripping storytelling and atmospheric design, which continue to resonate with fans through its sequels and remasters. The impending update serves as a reminder of the complexities surrounding music licensing in video games, a challenge that many developers face today.