‘Alan Wake 2’ ending explained

One of the most talked about games of 2023, Alan Wake 2 confirmed its status as a game that will be remembered for the longest time, owing to its incredible storyline and gameplay experience.

One of the most expensive cultural products to have come out from Finland, the game remains Remedy Entertainment’s fastest-selling game to date. A major reason why the game was received so well was because of its confusing but incredible conclusion!

Spoilers ahead for Alan Wake 2!

Note: This article explains the ending of Alan Wake 2, which differs from the conclusion of New Game Plus mode The Final Draft.

In the game, it’s established that the antagonist, The Dark Presence wants to exert its control over the world by taking over the conscience of artists. Alan Wake becomes one of his primary targets because of his superior writing skills, and the Presence coerces him into writing a horror novel, which if written correctly, will enable the villain to realize its dream of making the world dance at its tips.

Under the influence of The Dark Presence, Wake becomes Mr. Scratch, penning the novel just as the dreadful entity wants to him write it. The Presence inhabits an alternate universe called the Dark Place, and controls its subjects from there. Meanwhile, the real Alan Wake is sent into disarray, finding it difficult to reality from fiction as he grapples with his inner fears.

Alan, while being stuck, gets to know that his wife has committed suicide under duress from Mr. Scratch. He also finds out that he is stuck in a loop, as his different versions try to write an alternating end to their stories and end up killing each other, making zero progress. Frustrated, Alan decides to write a fresh story which he believes can save everyone.

In parallel, FBI agent Saga Anderson is shown to be investigating ritualistic murders in Bright Falls. She also gets sucked in the world of The Dark Presence, after Scratch starts possessing people who are close to her. She gets aid from an unknown woman, who provides her with the tools to kill Scratch. Saga ends up shooting Alan Wake and Scratch (who are in the same body) with the “Bullet of Light,” bringing an end to the abomination.

At the end, players find out Alan is alive and well, who in turn discovers that Alice is alive, and faked her death to mislead Scratch. She then explains her plan to Alan, who wakes up and exclaims, “It’s not a loop; it’s a spiral.” It is alluded to that Alan escapes The Dark Presence with Alice’s aid, with further challenges likely to be a part of the third game in the series.