Alan Wake 2 hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on October 27, but shortly before its release, developer Remedy Entertainment revealed that it would be getting a New Game Plus mode with an alternative narrative and nightmare difficulty, amongst other things. During The Game Awards 2023 last night, Remedy, which picked up three wins during the show, revealed that "The Final Draft" update, which includes the aforementioned New Game Plus mode, goes live next week. 

More specifically, The Final Draft hits Alan Wake 2 on Monday, December 11. It features a new ending to the story of Alan Wake that Remedy says will spark speculation and theory crafting among its most dedicated fans. Plus, there's new lore to find in the form of new videos and manuscript pages. 

"Players will retain all Weapons, Charms, and character upgrades earned during their first playthrough," a blog post about The Final Draft reads. "They should come in handy when you seek the ultimate challenge of trying out the new Nightmare Difficulty level. Brace yourselves for intensified enemies, strategic gameplay, and an adrenaline-pumping experience that will push your skills to the limit." 

You will find all of your unlocked weapons in the first available shoebox for the characters, so don't expect to immediately start the game with all of your weaponry. 

Remedy says The Final Draft update also includes numerous bug fixes and slight performance optimizations that will be further detailed in the complete update notes, which go live alongside the update on Monday. 

The Final Draft update for Alan Wake 2 goes live at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET on Monday, December 11, on all platforms where you can play the game.

For more, read Game Informer's Alan Wake 2 review and then check out all of the wins Alan Wake 2 nabbed during The Game Awards 2023 last night. Read about Remedy's latest update on Control 2 and its Max Payne remakes after that. 

Are you jumping into a New Game Plus playthrough of Alan Wake 2 next week? Let us know in the comments below!

During The Game Awards, we learned that The Outlast Trials is wrapping up its time in PC early access and is heading to consoles next March. The game was first announced in 2019 and entered Steam Early Access in May. 

The game is a co-op take on the popular horror series, with up to four players controlling test subjects fighting to survive in a dangerous test facility. Check out its latest trailer below (headphone users beware: it's got a lot of shrieking streamers). 

The 1.0 launch will include a new Toy Factory trial with new MK challenges. It will also feature new evidence documents, character customization, cell decorations, legendary outfits, an increased level cap, weekly programs, and other quality-of-life improvements. 

The game will be sold alone in a $39.99 Standard Edition and a $49.99 Deluxe Edition that includes the Regent Start Pack, giving players four legendary skins, exclusive cell items, posters, and player icons. 

The Outlast Trials launches on March 5 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.