Starting on September 10th, 2024, Alan Wake fans will notice a key change in the game’s soundtrack. Due to expiring music licenses, the iconic song Space Oddity by David Bowie will be removed from all PC versions of the original 2010 game and affect Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.
Remedy Entertainment, the game’s developer, announced the update, stating that Space Oddity will be replaced with a new original composition called “Strange Moons” by composer Petri Alanko. Alanko is well known for creating the soundtrack for Alan Wake and other titles from the studio, such as Control.
Alan Wake Remastered (2021) will remain unaffected by the update, keeping the David Bowie track intact. Remedy made it clear that this decision was strictly due to licensing issues. In a post on X/Twitter, the studio announced the update, clarifying that this only impacts certain versions of the game.
Alanko revealed that “Strange Moons” was initially written for a discarded level in Alan Wake but has since been adapted for this new role. The song tells the story of “an astronaut who does have quite a few problems,” which thematically fits the game.
Licensing challenges in video games aren’t new. Alan Wake was previously removed from storefronts in 2017 for similar reasons but returned in 2018. Thankfully, this time, players will not lose access to the game, only the famous track.
🛠️ Alan Wake (2010) will receive an update on September 10th at 11am UTC. The update will be to all PC versions (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG).
This update removes the song Space Oddity from the game due to changes in licensing, and replaces it with a new original song by Petri… pic.twitter.com/Eem40e6vRd
— Alan Wake 2 (@alanwake) September 5, 2024
