Is Alone in the Dark a reboot or a sequel?

Sam Smith
alone in the dark

The Alone in the Dark series has had many iterations, but where does this latest entry fit in? Also, is it a sequel to an existing timeline or a full reboot?

Alone in the Dark originally came out in 1993 and would go on to heavily inspire games like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and the entire Survival Horror genre. The original game told the story of a young woman and a private detective returning to her family home only to discover that an evil force has taken over it, as well as its inhabitants. The game was a classic survival horror experience as players explored the spooky mansion, unlocking doors, and avoiding or battling monstrous creatures.

The game received several sequels, a reboot, and later a soft reboot that went back to the original timeline, only set one hundred years later, muddying the waters of the series’ continuity. Now that Alone in the Dark (2024) is here, some fans may be confused as to when this new entry is set. After all, there are already arguably 3 existing Alone in the Dark timelines already.

Alone in the dark gameplay image
Players will encounter lots of monsters during their playthrough.

Is Alone in the Dark (2024) a reboot?

Yes, Alone in the Dark (2024) is a full reboot of the series, disregarding all the previous entries in favor of a new timeline that’s heavily inspired by the original 1993 game of the same name.

Like the original Alone in the Dark, this reboot goes right back to the very beginning of the story as Emily Hartwood (Jodie Comer) and private investigator Edward Carnby (David Harbour) travel to Derceto Manor to investigate the disappearance of Jeremy Hartwood, Emily’s uncle.

The game will likely be a faithful retelling of those events with a few surprises thrown in along the way. We also expect it to pay homage to the Lovecraftian themes of the original game.

While some previous sequels and reboots tried to change Alone in the Dark or set it in a more modern, action-packed setting, this reboot aims to be a true survival horror experience and has taken inspiration from other horror remakes such as Resident Evil and Dead Space to name a few.

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