Highly Anticipated Horror Game Delayed to Avoid Developer Crunch

While the video game industry has picked up pace after the pandemic, some development processes still struggle to meet their schedules while trying to avoid the specter of labor exploitation, known in the business as "crunch." Despite these efforts, delays are inevitable, and a highly anticipated horror game will have to apply it once again.

Alone in the Dark Delayed Again, but It Now Has a New Release Date

Through a post on the official accounts related to the project, THQ Nordic and Pieces Interactive announced that Alone in the Dark will be delayed again. According to the information, both the publisher and the studio leaders want to avoid crunch during the holiday season, so, thinking about the well-being of their staff, they made the decision to postpone the release.

The post states: "The well-being of our teams is an absolute priority, and both companies want to avoid any possible crisis during the holidays." That said, the new release date for Alone in the Dark is scheduled for March 20, 2024.

Together with @PiecesInt, we have decided to postpone the release of #AloneInTheDark.

The well-being of our teams is a top priority, and both companies want to avoid any potential crunch over the holidays – this is why we have decided to move the release date to March 20, 2024. pic.twitter.com/VRJNVXDw16

— THQ Nordic @ TGS 2024 (@THQNordic) December 7, 2023

Alone in the Dark initially had a release date set for October 25, 2023, but the release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 intimidated the publisher and developer, so they decided to move the debut to January 16, 2024. Despite this, everything indicates that the horror game was not truly ready for release on the two planned dates, so there is a new opportunity to ensure a well-prepared launch.

This release of Alone in the Dark harks back to the essence of the franchise, one of the pioneers in Survival Horror, but it will opt for a first-person immersive experience as the project is led and written by Mikael Hedberg, director of Amnesia and SOMA.

In this version of Alone in the Dark, players will take control of Edward Carnby, the renowned private investigator and protagonist of the franchise. Players will also be able to play as Emily Hartwood, the niece of Jeremy Hartwood, another classic character in this series. Everything will unfold in the Derceto Manor during the 1920s.

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