Photo Credit: Supergiant Games
Only after four weeks of release, popular video game Hades II has already made a major in-game update: the ending.
After being under fire from fans, developers at Supergiant Games were pushed into tweaking the ending of their game that has been in production for almost four years. But why?
Hades, the roguelike action roleplaying game, is arguably the face of Supergiant Games. Released in 2020, the game gained traction for its well-balanced and fun gameplay.
Audiences adored its engaging story, brilliant design and creative characters.
After two quiet years, Supergiant Games returned with an exciting announcement during The Games Awards on Dec. 8, 2022. The game company revealed a trailer to fans and gamers of its developing successor, Hades II.
A perfect game ruined
Pleased with the first game, many fans were looking forward to the new release. On May 6, 2024, Supergiant Games launched early access for the game to the public. Many fans –including myself– rushed to buy the game, and the game’s full release would come over a year later in September, 2025.
Video game critics were quick to review the awaited game, many describing the experience as “breathtaking” and “thrilling.” Media company IGN even labeled Hades II as “some of Supergiant’s best work on nearly every level” in an article review.
The character designs, environment, music and gameplay were exemplary. Supergiant Games showcased a worthy product after all those years spent in development.
It was perfect, except for one thing: the ending.
Coming onto the final scenes of the game, a variety of emotions welled within me. Hours worth of grinding, researching and dying were all about to pay off.
Filled with irritation and annoyance, I struggled to come to terms with the narrative, as cheery end credits rolled on my screen. The ending was overall unsatisfactory. Years worth of waiting and months spent playing the early access felt wasted.
The most bothering aspect of the game to me was the erasure of buildup. The slogan for the entire game is to “go kill time.” Chronos, the “Titan of Time,” is stressed throughout the narrative as the ultimate antagonist.
The games’ writers did a great job at making the players hate Chronos with his snarky dialogue, his constant obstruction of the player’s main goal and his ridiculous set of moves for the final boss fight.
However, all this perfectly crafted tension unraveled away as the game forced the player to spare the enemy they were trained to hate. There was no player choice in the decision, which was the most bothersome aspect of this disappointing ending.
My enthusiasm to play the game in its entirety diminished. The plot was flipped on its head, and I saw no point in revisiting the game after I finished.
Public’s reaction to the disappointing ending
Many shared similar thoughts when first witnessing the end, viewing it as nonsensical, rushed and out-of-character for the franchise. Many fans were so disappointed that they dropped the series as a whole.
On the flip side, some fans did not see any issues with the ending and enjoyed it. This opinion primarily came from gamers who bought the game after its full release on Sept. 25, 2025, meaning they doled less time and investment into the narrative compared to those who played throughout the early release time period.
As a huge fan of the game, I completely understood the community’s outrage. It wasn’t fair to fans who poured their energy into an ending that didn’t meet their standards.
On the much angrier side of the fanbase, however, I did not agree with the hateful tirades some fans exhibited. Such a reaction was bound to happen, but harassing developers over a game ending is excessive.
Supergiant Games listen to their fans’ woes
The game’s community was divided, both sides arguing aggressively and persistently for days. Eventually, they turned their complaints to Supergiant Games, demanding an explanation for the subpar ending.
After only four weeks of the official release, the community’s cries were heard and a patchwork for an altered ending was announced. On Oct. 24, news spread that an updated version would soon be released with changes to the end scenes.
I was unsure of what to think of at first, as it was shocking that the criticism and feedback was genuinely taken into account by developers. I was also slightly saddened that an adjustment driven by demanding fans occurred at all.
Nonetheless, I was invigorated to pick the game back up after weeks of not playing. The community needed to see just how well our critique was advised.
To my relief, all issues I had prior to the update were resolved. There were no sudden switch ups in character, unaddressed plot holes or examples of abrupt writing, effectively tying the story together in a neat little bow.
Like magic, the community was whole again. They were ultimately satisfied with the new contents of the revised ending. Although certain fans still had some complaints about the revision, it was generally welcomed with positive feedback.
This controversy revealed just how little it takes to completely massacre a game and upturn its community- as well as the power of an angry fanbase.
