The game introduced players to some of the most iconic and sprawling worlds ever formed in any medium. While developers put a lot of effort into making their worlds and characters stand out in the minds of gamers, some players form their own amazing theories based on various in-game moments..
When many aspects of a game depend on gamer interpretations, these interpretations can completely change the mood of the game forever. According to one fan theory, even the most simplistic and friendly titles can suddenly become darker and more grown-up than initially thought.
Updated by Cameron Miller on April 13, 2023:
If there’s one thing video game fans do wonders for, it’s change everyone else’s mind about the games they love. Anything like that is an inventive fan theory. Simple theories that are incredibly deep or poorly thought out can have serious repercussions.
Trigger Warning – This list references fan theories related to Legacy.
15 Worm Jars and World’s End – Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls series has so much lore tied into each game that shocking fans have room to come up with unique theories. One of the most interesting fan theories has to do with the many bug complexes that can be found all over the world.
The various jars of worms have little symbols that bewilder fans. Some theorize that the entire jar of worms and their symbols form a pentagram that could cause the end of the world once something is triggered.
The theories are pretty wild, but the fact that people are still looking for something new in Skyrim to this day seems more likely.
14 It was all a stage play – Super Mario Bros. 3
Standing on blocks in Super Mario Bros 3 Giant World
This is a widely known fan theory that you may have pondered on your own before hearing about it. For anyone playing the NES classic Super Mario Bros 3, how does everything…
Everything from the almost set-like levels to the way the curtain opens to begin the game seems all too convenient. Some people think that the whole game is just played for entertainment. This could explain the choices that haven’t fully come back yet, but some use this theory to argue that far more Mario games are simple play. , Paper Mario series.
13 Squall Is Dead – Final Fantasy 8
Series that are full of fantasy aspects are usually the easiest to create fan theories for, so it’s no surprise that the Final Fantasy series has tons of unique fan theories. A simple theory that makes sense is that Squall is dead for most of Final Fantasy 8.
Fans believe that after Squall is stabbed by Edea, the rest of the game is just a trip through some kind of vision or some kind of limbo during his final moments. Players point to the strange escalation of the plot and the way the characters seem to change after the incident as proof of the theory.
Sadly, this theory has been proven wrong, but that hasn’t stopped people from still believing it to be true.
12 John Marston’s Eternal Punishment – Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare
Some fans of Red Dead Redemption have been impressed by the theory that John Marston was actually trapped in a purgatory-like state during the events of Undead Nightmare. Fans just want this to fit into the main series’ timeline. It probably wasn’t really meant to be.
Still, it’s interesting to think that Marston had committed such horrific things in the past that he couldn’t fully atone for what he had done and was stuck in a zombie-based punishment. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it gives you something new to think about when replaying the series.
11 Baby Harley Quinn – Batman Arkham City
Sometimes fan theories can get into rather dark territory, and while some games don’t directly confirm fan theories, it can be hard to argue against them. The evidence behind the fan theory that Batman caused Harley to lose her baby is murky and backed up in-game.
Many gamers were excited about the possibility of a future Arkham game in which the Caped-Crusader would have to fight the Joker and Harley’s child, but some fans of the excellent DLC said Batman did more harm than good, including a negative pregnancy test.
10 Player killed a Pokémon – Pokémon Red/Blue
The Pokemon series is almost always a lighthearted adventure meant to introduce young gamers to RPGs. The series has taken some interesting risks over the years, but some fans have made some interesting discoveries about the player’s rivalry.
After meeting a rival in SS Anne, we meet him again in creepy Lavender Town. However, the rival does not have Ratticate with him from the previous fight, leading fans to believe that the player died thanks to the damage inflicted.
9 Solaire is actually the son of Lord Gwyn – Dark Souls
This Dark Souls theory lost a leg thanks to the introduction of the Nameless King, but for a long time people were convinced that Solaire could be Lord Gwyn’s son. Players have scoured the deep lore of the entire series to justify this fact.
The problem is that many theories that believe Solaire is truly Gwynn’s son have information that appears to be misrepresented. Nonetheless, there are still staunch fans who believe that these theories are true and that one day, somehow, they will be proven right.
8 Ruined Earth – Kirby 64
The Kirby series can sometimes be too cute for some players, but there are fan theories that may change some gamers’ opinions. Players who grew up with the Nintendo 64 are likely to remember the Kirby 64, but may not be aware of the most talked about theories regarding the game.
Kirby 64 has a level called Shiver Star, which looks suspiciously similar to our Earth. Many gamers have theorized that entering that level actually sees Kirby enter a post-apocalyptic Earth.
7 Link Is Dead – The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Majora’s Mask is a strange game. It was completely different from other Zelda titles before and after, and received intense scrutiny from fans. Numerous theories have sprung up as fans have been digging everywhere.
One of the most popular fan theories of all games is that Link dies during a fall at the beginning of Majora’s Mask, and the rest of the game is a journey through the afterlife. Fans point to a world that serves as a stage for Link’s sorrow before he finally departs for the afterlife.
Fans actually went so far as to say that most of the series is just a simulation, but the big theory revolves around Snake Eater. There are many potential clues that this is actually the case, but most people cite the beginning of the game as an example.
At first, Snake mistakenly calls his mission a fictitious one, with information as important as the name of the task that Snake is unlikely to forget. There’s a lot to dig into this theory, and it puts the entire series in a new light.
5 Fall Out of the Treehouse – Limbo
Limbo is a game that on the surface looks like standard indie puzzle fare, but the deeper players dig, the weirder it gets. The community surrounding the game has created over 15 unique theories about the amazingly short puzzle game.
One of the most interesting is implied to be a game about a boy who travels through Limbo after he and his sister fall to their deaths from a collapsing treehouse. The game’s creatures represent his journey, and his sister is said to attempt to determine whether or not they are really dead.
4 Shepard was brainwashed – Mass Effect 3
The Mass Effect series told one of the most ambitious sci-fi stories in gaming history. It was only a matter of time before gamers started making theories in an amazing world full of incredibly deep knowledge.
Thankfully, this theory makes the arguably lackluster ending much more satisfying.
This theory is relatively straightforward, and throughout Shepard’s adventures in the series, it is said that he was slowly brainwashed by the series’ Reapers.There’s a lot in Mass Effect 3 that seems to solidify this theory, namely the final sequence after being hit by a Reaper beam, but hardcore fans fight the theory at every opportunity.
three James’ Dead Wife – Silent Hill 2
It’s a bit of a wild theory, but it’s also a potentially confirmed theory. This theory states that James’ wife, Mary, whom he went to Silent Hill to find, was actually killed in James’ car earlier in the game.
People use evidence like one of the endings with James driving into the lake so the pair can be together forever, albeit a bit weak. Perhaps the developers have confirmed the theory to be true, but as is the case with all theories, there is a lot of controversy among fans.
2 The Companion Cube is full of people – Portal Series
Chell in Portal 2 runs away from a portal containing GLaDOS.
It’s amazing how deeply the universe of Portal games goes into such a tightly packed story. The game is packed with amazing characters and some of the best writing in the industry, which has led to many great fan theories.
It’s hard to argue that Glados isn’t an iconic character with equally iconic lines. A few lines from her suggest that the Companion Cube could actually be populated with people.
As for how the sinister Glados might meet, the theory isn’t hard to believe.
One The Pokemon War – Pokemon Red/Blue
The Pokemon series has spawned many fan theories, but the most interesting and widely enjoyed ones seem to come from the original games. Over the years, fans have started asking a lot of questions about the series and why there seem to be so few grown men in the world.
Fans have theorized that there was some kind of epic war before the original Pokemon games. Why the war happened and what happened during it is open to interpretation, but it helps justify the odd design decisions in the game.