I’m fastidiously making my approach by way of a haunting forest of crushing darkness. Wolves snarl at me as twisted beings who have been as soon as human stumble about, their aggressive muttering filling my head with worry. My coronary heart charge is elevated; I’m utterly immersed at midnight fantasy of Alan Wake II. Then, instantly, a pleasant chime shatters the second, and as a banner unfurls onscreen to tout some accomplishment of mine, all that worry the sport is working so laborious to ascertain evaporates. That is the Epic Video games Retailer reminding me it exists with an inescapable nightmare of an achievement notification, spoiling the superbly woven expertise that’s this recreation. And you may’t flip it off.
Alan Wake II lastly arrives on PS5, Xbox Sequence X/S, and PC on October 27, 2023. Should you’re taking part in it on PC, nevertheless, you’re restricted to the Epic Video games Retailer. Sadly for Alan Wake II, this selection of retailer and launcher truly mars the expertise a bit. Like many recreation launchers, the Epic Video games Retailer options an achievement system: Do a factor, earn an achievement. This function was added to the shop in 2021. However a function that also has but to be added is the choice to show its giant, glowy, rectangular banner and obnoxious chime sound off. Sadly, it makes for an ill-fitting distraction in an in any other case superbly lush, darkish, and moody recreation.
Should you can’t recall what the Epic Video games Retailer notification sounds or seems to be like, test it out right here:
Okay, possibly that’s superb for Rocket League, however simply think about this spontaneously exhibiting up in a recreation like this:
Having spent a number of hours in Alan Wake II on PC, I can let you know that it’s a dramatically distracting expertise, made worse by the truth that you possibly can’t take management and shut it off.
The best way to disable the Epic Video games Retailer achievement notifications (you possibly can’t)
On the time of writing, there doesn’t seem like any official method to shut off the Epic Video games Retailer achievement notifications. You possibly can kill different notifications, like retailer gross sales and such within the settings, and you may flip the overlay (which is what shows this horribly distracting impact) into “Do Not Disturb” mode, however even with that, these notifications will disturb you.
If there’s an official repair, we’ll make sure to replace this put up. However primarily based on conversations on the web going way back to a number of years in the past, EGS’ annoying achievement notifications have been a problem for some gamers. Some have identified that firing up the Process Supervisor and killing the “EOSOverlayRenderer” course of does the trick, however it doesn’t at all times appear to work (and it looks as if it might kill achievements generally, which will not be completely fascinating).
I’ve tried to kill the EOSOverlayRenderer a number of occasions to see it simply present again up once more, achievement notifications and all the things. Even when this can be a killable course of, it’s nonetheless removed from a super answer.
Once more, for a recreation like Fortnite or Rocket League, this in all probability isn’t an enormous challenge. However Alan Wake II aspires to realize a excessive degree of visible and auditory immersion. It’s an intense, beautiful recreation that calls for full consideration in a approach that I’m loving—however these rattling chimes and banners really feel dramatically misplaced.
The Epic Video games Retailer’s obnoxious achievements are a critical damper on the in any other case beautiful and immersive expertise I’m having with Alan Wake II in the intervening time. When mixed with its very steep PC necessities, it could be value testing Alan Wake II on a console if the thought doesn’t offend you. I do know I want I used to be taking part in this on my PS5 proper now.
