3 Beloved Games That Almost Had Completely Different Endings

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It’s always interesting to think about what might have been with any creative project – a book, a film, or a game. Every creative endeavor has ideas that were discarded or changed along the way. But in video games, those abandoned ideas feel especially present because players can actively experience the choices made during development.

Many of gaming’s most popular stories didn’t have clear endings from the start. They evolved through periods of doubt, intense discussions between the writers, and bold creative decisions. The finished stories feel inevitable now, but that feeling is often carefully crafted. There were actually other possibilities – different choices for beloved characters and completely different outcomes. Here are three famous games that almost had very surprising endings.

3. The Last of Us (2013)

The conclusion of The Last of Us remains a major talking point among gamers. Players continue to debate whether Joel’s choice to rescue Ellie from the Fireflies was motivated by love or self-interest. However, many don’t know how different the ending could have been. According to the game’s writer and director, Neil Druckmann, early versions of the story considered several other possibilities. Some drafts had Joel dying in the hospital, while others showed Ellie learning the truth about the Fireflies and leaving Joel, resulting in a different kind of painful outcome.

The final ending – Joel’s quiet deception, and Ellie’s questioning “Okay” – wasn’t the most straightforward option. The team intentionally chose a subtle, emotionally complex scene over a dramatic one, and they worried players wouldn’t embrace such restraint. Other possible endings would have offered a clear resolution, but this one left things uncertain and raw. It portrayed a realistically complex relationship, leaving it open-ended. Looking back, it’s hard to picture The Last of Us concluding any other way, but knowing it could have been a definitive, tragic ending makes the actual ending even more powerful and unsettling.

2. BioShock (2007)

The ending of BioShock is famously debated, and it went through significant changes during its creation. Ken Levine, the game’s creator, has discussed how difficult it was to finish such a complex story about morality. Early versions of the ending were much bleaker. Instead of leaving Rapture, the player character, Jack, could have chosen to follow Andrew Ryan’s ideals and become the new leader of the city, fully embracing the idea that his choices weren’t truly free.

The original ending idea was scrapped in favor of the now-famous one involving the Little Sisters, but remnants of it still influence the game. Elements like the confrontation with Ryan, the feeling of losing control, and the theme of obedience suggest a story that could have ended with total defeat instead of redemption. Ken Levine described BioShock as being about the struggle to control a chaotic world. The current ending offers a momentary feeling of freedom, but the abandoned version would have shown players that no escape was ever truly possible – a much bleaker outcome.

1. Red Dead Redemption (2010)

Rockstar Games is known for surprising players, but Red Dead Redemption really pushed boundaries. The game’s ending, where John Marston makes a final, selfless stand to protect his family, is considered one of the most impactful moments in video game history. Interestingly, the developers originally considered a different ending. They talked about letting Marston escape and live in hiding, achieving redemption through survival instead of death. While appealing, this would have made Red Dead Redemption a more typical western story – and probably less unforgettable.

Dan Houser, a key creative at Rockstar Games, explained that John Marston’s death was crucial to finishing his character’s story – a man trying to outrun a troubled past. Allowing him to live would have weakened the game’s point about how difficult, if not impossible, it is to truly escape a violent world. Marston’s decision to face gunfire, and accept the consequences of his actions, was a bold move. It shattered the hopeful idea of a happy ending, replacing it with a more honest and unavoidable fate. While a cheerful ending where John escapes would have felt good, it probably wouldn’t have had the same lasting impact.

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2025-11-09 19:13