Remedy will remove the legendary David Bowie song from Alan Wake on PC, but it could be worse

Finnish studio Remedy Entertainment has warned players of imminent content changes in the 14-year-old action adventure Alan Wake due to music licensing issues.

Image source: Remedy Entertainment

As it became known, the update scheduled for September 10 (8:00 Moscow time) will remove the legendary composition Space Oddity by British rock musician David Bowie from Alan Wake.

The change will affect the PC version of Alan Wake on the digital stores Steam, GOG and EGS. The original game on Xbox 360 and the updated edition released in 2021 (Alan Wake Remastered) will not be adjusted.

Space Oddity credited Alan Wake

Space Oddity debuted in the summer of 1969, and appeared in Alan Wake 40 years later. The song was used by developers Remedy Entertainment during the game’s end credits.

The fans will be left with nothing. Space Oddity in Alan Wake will be replaced by the song Strange Moons by composer Petri Alanko. It was written for a level cut from the game and is about an astronaut with big problems.

What does Strange Moons sound like until it’s revealed?

The loss of Space Oddity is unfortunate, but it could have been worse. Spec Ops: The Line recently disappeared permanently from digital stores due to licensing problems, and Alan Wake itself was removed from sale in 2017-2018 for the same reason.

Alan Wake was released in May 2010 on Xbox 360, and reached PC in 2012. The game earned recognition from critics and fans, but the sequel (American Nightmare doesn’t count) had to wait more than 13 years.