Photo: Michael Förtsch / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Sam Lake is an author, screenwriter and video game producer, born on March 28, 1970 in Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland. That puts Sam Lake at 56 years old in 2026. Schooling on record includes University of Helsinki. Notable works include Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne.
My Take
Sam Lake, born Sami Jarvi, is one of my favorite stories in gaming. A University of Helsinki graduate who not only wrote Max Payne but literally lent his own grimacing face to the hero, he blurred the line between author and creation in a way that still delights me. As Remedy's creative director he carried noir literary sensibility into an interactive medium, later giving us Alan Wake's beautiful gloom. To me his work proves that games can hold genuine narrative ambition. There is something fitting about a Finnish writer channeling those long northern winters into stories drenched in shadow. I deeply respect him.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Sam Lake
- Name (Japanese)
- サム・レイク
- Reading
- さむ・れいく
- Born
- March 28, 1970 (age 56)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Dog
- Origin
- Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
- Occupation
- author / screenwriter / video game producer / male actor
2. Background
- University
- University of Helsinki
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Max Payne | — | |
| Notable work | Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.samlake.com
- Xhttps://x.com/SamLakeRMD
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam%20Lake
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B5%E3%83%A0%E3%83%BB%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1065520
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-18
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Sam Lake born?
Born March 28, 1970 (age 56).
Where is Sam Lake from?
Sam Lake is from Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland.
What does Sam Lake do?
Sam Lake works as author, screenwriter, video game producer, male actor.
What is Sam Lake known for?
Notable works include Max Payne, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne.
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