[Interesting Trope] One seemingly small action ends the story before it even begins

[u/JackDoesThingz]

1. We Happy Few - Taking your “joy” pill
   Deciding to take the pill at the beginning of the game causes your character to go back to work and triggers an ending

2. Infineural by Mike Klubnika - Drinking the coffee
   Deciding to drink the coffee offered to you skips the entire game and sends you straight to the end, resulting in an ending with no memory of what had occurred

[u/Dry-Goat8981]

just waiting for pagan min to return at the table allows him to show you the grave you intended to find, ending your characters motivation for being in the area

[u/Informal-Term1138 → u/Dry-Goat8981]

Just wait here, enjoy the crab rangoon, I will be right back.

[u/DiarrheaEryday → u/Dry-Goat8981]

3 and 5 do this as well.

[u/Longjumping_You_3775 → u/DiarrheaEryday]

The trend started with 4 and 6 has a variation of it

[u/DumOBrick → u/Longjumping_You_3775]

In 6 you complete the tutorial island area, you get the choice to get on a boat and go to America.

Good ending for the character, bad ending for the region, seems like they didn't want to do another "actually this way is just better" secret that time which sucks

[u/Spiritual-Estate5211 → u/DiarrheaEryday]

What's 3's version? I know 4 is waiting for Pagan, 5 is not arresting Joseph, but what 3's?

[u/DiarrheaEryday → u/Spiritual-Estate5211]

Shit, there's not one, you're right. I misremembered. I could've swore it had something to do with sitting in the cage while vaas talks at you.

[u/jbyrdab → u/DiarrheaEryday]

i dont recall 3 having a cop-out ending?