The Secret Ending In Inside That You Probably Didn't See

The studio Playdead is known for three things: atmospheric and challenging 2D platformers, dark and vague narratives told exclusively through environmental storytelling, and weaving them together to create engrossing (yet short) experiences that leave audiences with as many questions as answers. The company's first game, Limbo, introduced gamers to what Playdead was capable of, and its most recent title, Inside, capitalized on that with a devilishly hidden secret that recontextualizes the narrative.

Even though Inside seems about as linear as Limbo, neither game is actually a straight line. Each hides a different series of collectables, and once all are gathered, they unlock new content. While Limbo only hid a secret level in its inky depths, Inside went above and beyond with a new ending.

Since Inside's secret ending is locked behind items you might never find, the related conclusion is likewise a rare sight. If you ever wanted to find the true meaning behind Inside, keep reading. Just remember you're heading deep into spoiler country.

Throughout Inside, you control a boy who can plug into strange helmets to puppet human-shaped flesh mannequins, and the game culminates with the boy being assimilated into an amorphous ball of arms and legs. The game raises important questions, such as the origin of the blob and mannequins, but never answers them. Inside's secret ending, meanwhile, sheds light on why the boy can control these creatures.

Every so often, Inside hides small globes in secret areas. Once you unplug all the globes, you can access a larger globe and unplug that. Afterward, you have to reload to the cornfield and find a door you can unlock by moving a nearby lever in a specific sequence. Behind the door resides a hidden room and a giant plug. Once unplugged, the room goes dark, and the boy slumps to the ground.

While the ending doesn't explicitly explain what happened, it implies the boy was another flesh puppet, and you were never playing as him — you were playing as something controlling him. By pulling the plug in the room, you unplugged your only means of commanding him, sort of like unplugging a video game controller. How very meta.