How to switch between Alan and Saga in Alan Wake 2

Switch it up.

Alan Wake looking straight ahead, with a troubled look on his face
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Alan Wake isn’t the only playable protagonist in Alan Wake 2, with players able to switch between Alan and FBI agent Saga Anderson. Read on to find out how you can switch between Saga and Alan.

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How to switch character in Alan Wake 2

Before you can switch between Alan Wake and Saga Anderson, you need to have completed the first section where you play as Alan. This section takes place after you find Alan and question him in the Elderwood Palace Lodge in Bright Falls. Once you finish this playable Alan section, as Saga you need to Profile Alan and ask him some further questions. Once that’s done, you are given the ability to switch between Alan and Saga.

You cannot switch between Alan and Saga at will. Instead, you need to locate a Janitor’s Bucket and then hold the interact button at the bucket to Switch Realities. Janitor’s buckets can be found in Janitor closets in both the Dark Place and Saga’s reality.

I find going to the Elderwood Palace Lodge bucket for Saga and going to the Janitor’s closet in the Studio for Alan the easiest, but you do come across more closets as you progress.

Saga looking at a Janitor's Mop bucket
A clean switchover. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Switching characters changes the reality you are in. If you choose to play as Saga then you can continue completing her goals as she hunts down the Cult of the Tree. Alan’s reality is a bit… weirder. I won’t spoil exactly how.

Just remember, it’s worth jumping between realities regularly, as the progress you make in one reality will affect the other. This is especially worth doing if you get stuck at a point in one reality, as you may need to progress in the other to figure out what you should be doing or to progress the Alan Wake 2 main story.

Author
Image of Vic Hood
Vic Hood
Vic is Gaming Editor at Dot Esports. An award-winning games journalist, Vic brings experience from IGN, Eurogamer, TechRadar, and more to the Dot Esports table. You may have even heard her on the radio or speaking on a panel. Not only is Vic passionate about games, but she's also an avid mental health advocate who has appeared on both panels and podcasts to discuss mental health awareness. Make sure to follow her on Twitter (@hood_vic) for more.