ExplainerExample Game
What happens at the end of Example Game?
Spoiler warning: this page discusses story events. The short answer stays light on details; the rest is marked where it matters.
Short answer
Example Game has two endings, decided by one choice in the final quest, The Last Lantern. Both are explained below inside spoiler blocks, along with what decides them and what the epilogue shows.
Explanation
What decides the ending
Everything comes down to one choice at the top of the lighthouse in The Last Lantern. Earlier choices don’t lock either ending, and the game autosaves just before the choice, so you can see both.
Spoiler: the choice itself
The Lantern Keeper asks you to relight the Last Lantern with your own life force, or to let its flame burn out.
The Lantern ending
Spoiler: what happens in the Lantern ending
Relighting the lantern saves Millbrook and drives the Ember Hounds out of the Vale for good. The cost is your character, who becomes the new Lantern Keeper and can never leave the lighthouse. The epilogue jumps ahead ten years and shows the people you helped visiting the lighthouse.
The Ember ending
Spoiler: what happens in the Ember ending
Letting the flame die frees your character from the lantern, but the Vale falls into a long night. The epilogue shows Millbrook rebuilding by firelight, and the final scene hints that the Ember Hounds were once people, which sets up the sequel teased after the credits.
What side quests change
Side quests don’t change either ending, but they change the epilogue. Characters you saved, such as Bob from The Old Mill, appear in it, and anyone you didn’t help is missing. Several of those quests close when The Last Lantern starts; see the missable quests checklist before you begin it.
Related questions
How many endings does Example Game have?
Two: the Lantern ending and the Ember ending. Side quests change the epilogue, not the ending itself.
Can you see both endings on one save?
Yes. The game autosaves before the final choice, so you can reload and pick the other option.
Sources
Example Game is a fictional game made up for testing. This content is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored or specifically approved by Example Studio, and Example Studio is not responsible for it.
Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report a mistake. Fixes usually go out within a few days.