"We really feel there needs to be a satisfying conclusion [to the first game]. But at the same time, it needs to end in kind of a cliffhanger - and we need to open doors for a larger story beyond this one.

He added: "I think a good cliffhanger is always your friend - it keeps the tension high. That episodic structure of Alan Wake means you can always end the episode a couple of minutes or a few seconds before things are resolved [to make people want more]."