History Main / CuttingOffTheBranches

* ''[[http://www.dressupgamesjr.com/kal2 Kaleidoscope Dating Sim 2]]'' is a rare example in which the ''joke'' ending of the original game is made canon. You see, the joke ending of ''Kaleidoscope Dating Sim 1'' featured the male protagonist Cero [[ForcedTransformation turning into a mushroom]] [[YouAreWhoYouEat from eating too many mushrooms]] in the forest, and in the second game the female protagonist Soffie has a chance of finding a talking mushroom while gathering mushrooms in the same forest...

** ''Baldur's Gate III'' also establishes some canon outcomes for the tie-in module, ''TabletopGame/BaldursGateDescentIntoAvernus'', namely that the city of Elturel was rescued from Avernus and [[FallenAngel Zariel]] was neither killed nor redeemed as she still rules that layer of the Nine Hells.

* ''{{RPG World}}/StarFox'':

* ''VideoGame/StarFox'':

** Played straight with the original ''VideoGame/{{Star Fox|1}}'' and ''VideoGame/StarFox64'', where the {{Golden Ending}}s are unsurprisingly the ones used in the sequels.

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Pico}} Pico's School]]'' eventually has you as Pico decide whether or not to gun Nene down upon her request. She reappears in ''Pico vs. Uberkids'', confirming that Pico canonically spared her life.

** Averted in the original ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil'' . Depending on which character the player uses (Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine), only three S.T.A.R.S. members escape from the mansion together in the best possible ending. While Barry disappears after the opening intro in Chris's storyline and Rebecca is nowhere to be seen in Jill's, the sequels assume that all four characters survived the events of the Mansion Incident.

** ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' actually deserves special mention via the main villain of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'', Kronika. While cutting the branches is to be expected, the game outright points out that she's holding the shears and we get to see her in the act of pruning them. [[spoiler:Kronika's desire for a balanced universe has seen many iterations via the various Arcade stories; when those particular iterations fail to live up to her expectations, she erases that timeline and starts anew. This is particularly true of the rebooted timeline, but given how she was behind '''everything''' in the series, it could arguably extend to the pre-reboot timeline as well. The trailer for the next installment, ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'', also confirms that Fire God Liu Kang defeated Shang Tsung at the end of the ''Aftermath'' storyline in ''11'', rendering the latter's ending non-canon]].

** In [[AllThereInTheManual supplementary material]] it's established that Gorion's Ward was canonically the preset Fighter Abdel Adrian. ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'' never refers to him by name out of respect to the players' headcanons, but the in-game novel ''The Mortal View: Eyewitness Accounts of the Bhaalspawn Crisis'' alludes to [[spoiler:his death in ''Murder In Baldur's Gate'']].

** On the other hand, there has been a recent trend to avert this. Examples include the recent equivalents of both games listed above (the new ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 Mortal Kombat]]'' has a "story mode" that tells a single, unified version of events through the eyes of a series of protagonists, while ''VideoGame/{{BlazBlue}}'' builds its entire premise around deconstructing this).

** ''VideoGame/Tekken1'': Kazuya wins the tournament and throws [[AbusiveParents his father]] [[ArchnemesisDad Heihachi]] off the same cliff he was thrown from as a child, exacting revenge and claiming the Mishima Zaibatsu for himself.
** ''VideoGame/Tekken2'': Heihachi wins and wrests control of the Zaibatsu back from his son, throwing him into an active volcano afterwards.
** ''VideoGame/Tekken3'': Jin wins the tournament, but he is killed by his grandfather. [[SuperPoweredEvilSide His Devil Gene awakens and attacks]] Heihachi before flying off into the night, keeping the status quo but setting up an important plot point for the future games.

** ''Blaster Master Zero II'' ends in default with [[spoiler:the PartyScattering after Area G]], with Eve wishing they should have spent more time interacting with the other MA pilots and strengthening the bond between her and Jason before resigning herself to her imminent corruption. Meanwhile, [[TheRival Leibniz]] recieves [[spoiler: a distress signal from Earth meant for Jason]] and reacts by mockingly laughing over Jason's apparent failure as a hero. ''VideoGame/BlasterMasterZeroIII'' follows the ending you get when you collect all the trinkets from the other MA pilots, in which case [[spoiler:Eve had enough resolve to explore Area Ω, save Jason, cure her condition, and make it to the planet Sophia the 3rd (the setting of not just ''Blaster Master Zero 3'', but the original ''Metafight'' as well). As for Leibniz, he instead decides that if Jason isn't around to save his own homeworld, then he'll do it himself (at least for Jason's reaction)]].

* Both parts of ''VideoGame/DoomEternal'''s ''The Ancient Gods'' [=DLC=] duology both assume that the Slayer completed the main campaign having obtained all weapons (including the optional Unmakyr) and weapon mods, in addition to all mod upgrades (including those locked behind Mastery Challenges), Praetor Suit upgrades and Sentinel Crystal upgrades. The only weapon that isn't available in the [=DLC=] is [[spoiler: the Crucible, since [[ContinuityNod the Slayer broke its blade off inside the Icon of Sin at the end of the main game]]]].
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' ends with Gordon Freeman being allowed to choose between [[spoiler: rejecting the G-Man's offer for "employment" and accepting it.]] Since choosing the former option [[spoiler:results in [[BolivianArmyEnding near-certain death]]]], ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' continues from the latter.

* ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'' has similar but irreconcilable plots for X and Zero. ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'' can easily blend elements from both plotlines since players can choose either character before a stage, causing confusion. X can use with the previous game's armor and weapons if [[spoiler: he's the penultimate boss fight,]] and is confirmed as the one who fought General by one of the bosses, which means that X killed General. Zero can be confirmed by the same boss as the one who fought Colonel, but not General, and he [[spoiler:remembers Iris, who he killed in self-defense after she tried to avenge Colonel's death at ''Zero's'' hands.]]

* Konami's PC-playable adaptation of ''Film/BatmanReturns'' is an inversion: a case of grafting on ''new'' branches. In addition to featuring a subplot that wasn't in the movie [[spoiler: (an attempt to blackmail Mayor Jenkins with a phony, incriminating videotape)]], there are four possible endings. The first is the same as that of the movie: [[spoiler: The Penguin and Max Shreck both die, and Catwoman mysteriously vanishes]]. Two other possible endings are [[DownerEnding downer ones]]: either the Penguin defeats Jenkins in the recall election and Batman sits forlornly in the Batcave, hanging his head; or the Penguin succeeds in blowing up Gotham City with his army of missile-launching penguins, and Batman likewise sits forlornly in the Batcave and hangs his head. The fourth possible ending is the same as the movie ending, but with a twist: [[spoiler:as the game is structured around {{Random Encounter}}s, Catwoman will disappear at the game's conclusion ''unless'' you never meet up with her in your travels around the city. If you ''don't'' manage to encounter her, then you finally meet her at the end of the game, she gets a saucy grin on her face, you take her home with you to Wayne Manor, and... well, you can probably guess [[OffscreenInertia the rest]].]]

*** In ''ComicBook/KnightErrant'', Sebastian and Varric are shown to still be in communication and on good terms. [[spoiler: This pretty much confirms that Anders is dead, as Sebastian would otherwise be on his vengeance-driven warpath against Kirkwall.]]

*** Though the player was never forced to go at that point, ''VideoGame/PersonaQ2NewCinemaLabyrinth'' assumes the Phantom Thieves visited Mementos at least once during the 6th Palace arc in ''VideoGame/Persona5'', since it's the FramingDevice that leads them into the game's world [[spoiler: and is the only time they could've had Akechi with them before his reveal as the traitor]].

* In 1980s mode, the {{Prequel}} mode of ''VideoGame/YandereSimulator'', it's possible to eliminate the 10 rivals for Senpai's affections any way the player likes, but only one elimination method per rival is considered the 'canon' one. Getting all ten 'canon' eliminations in one playthrough is the way to get the S+ rank and the secret ending. The monologues that introduce the rival of the week hint at what those methods are: [[spoiler: causing Senpai to reject Kaguya's confession, burning Moeko alive, crushing Honami to death under a bookcase, poisoning Sumiko's food, drowning Ritsuko, electrocuting Ai, getting Teiko expelled, bullying Komako until she withdraws from school, getting Chigusa together with someone else, and befriending Sonoko and getting her to leave Senpai alone. (Along with this, Ryoba must not leave the corpse of anyone except Ritsuko, she cannot get Teiko arrested by planting narcotics, and she must be careful not to bully Komako enough to drive her to suicide.)]] Likewise, despite the fact that it is possible to get a bad ending where [[spoiler:Ryoba]] is convicted of murder because she just acted too suspicious, the canon ending is that she gets away with murdering Sumire and succeeds in kidnapping her Senpai.

* The first two ''VideoGame/FatalFrame'' games both have multiple endings, but the third game follows from the bad ending for both of them where [[spoiler: Mafuyu (in 1) and Mayu (in 2) die]]. By extension, the ''fifth'' game, canonically following the third game, also presumes that the bad ending [[spoiler: in the first game]] happened.

** An exception, as far as ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'' goes: ''VideoGame/PrinnyCanIReallyBeTheHero'' uses the normal ending of Disgaea in which [[spoiler: Laharl is dead. You later see him reincarnated as a Prinny, which also happened in that ending.]]

*** While the Emblems are stated to not be the same people as the protagonists of past games, rather being spirits with their memories, there are still a few cases of this. Emblem Marth makes it clear that he recruited Tiki in both ''Shadow Dragon'' and ''Mystery of the Emblem'', despite their being optional, while Emblem Celica mentions visiting the Seabound Shrine (and her Paralogue's map is based on the location) and fighting a Necrodragon there, which was optional in ''Gaiden/Echoes''. Emblem Roy is familiar with Idunn, which makes the True Ending path of ''Binding Blade'' canon. Emblem Corrin is familiar with [[spoiler: Anankos]], despite him being a ManBehindTheMan who only physically appears on Fates' ''Revelation'' route. (She even mentions how he's [[ArchEnemy somehow always at the end of her path]]) Emblem Byleth is consistently referred to as a "professor", cutting off the AlternateTimeline of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemWarriorsThreeHopes''.

** Discussed in the Otomate Party 2013 event, after the sequel game announcement, where Sousou, Chouryou and Chouun promise the heroine that even if their relationship resets, they'll find a way to be together again and Kakouen [[spoiler: states wistfully if he gets a second chance, he'd spend it better with Kakouton and Kan'u.]]

* The ''VisualNovel/MuvLuv'' games not only have multiple story paths for ''Extra'' and ''Unlimited'', but [[spoiler: multiple universes and Groundhog Day loops]] too. The final game, ''Alternative'', has a linear plot that explicitly references ''multiple'' paths from the previous games.
* The second installment of the ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' fan game ''VisualNovel/ProjectNA'' gives four possible endings (True, Bad, Blah, and Treasure). While the third and final installment has not yet been released, WordOfGod says that the True ending [[spoiler: where Matthew remembers his name as Canada and figures out how to use his powers with Alfred]] is naturally the ending the sequel will follow.

* ''Film/BladeRunner'': The original movie (to various degrees, depending on which version you watch) left the question of whether Deckard was human or replicant rather open ended. The sequel ''Film/BladeRunner2049'', while still not explicitely answering the question, definitely strongly suggests one possibility is more likely than the other [[spoiler: the story takes place 30 years after the original, and Deckard is still alive.]]

* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue : The Bloodgulch Chronicles'': Being an online series, ''Red vs. Blue'' was able to be a rare non-video game example of this trope. The final episode had three different endings (four more were added in the DVD). When the series continued into Reconstruction, one of them was deemed canon. However, it was obvious which one was the real ending, because none of the other six endings would work in a sequel. [[spoiler: In four of them, [[EverybodyDiesEnding everybody dies]], and the other two reveal the series to have been AllJustADream (while also killing off either Grif or the entire Blue team respectively)]].

* ZigZagged with ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion1'' due to the historic NegativeContinuity of the series. Luigi gets a new non-haunted mansion at the end of the game. The new mansion's look depends on how much money Luigi has earned throughout the game, the rank A being a huge one and the rank H being a tent. The rank A mansion appears in ''VideoGame/MarioKartDoubleDash'' but in ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon'', Luigi lives in the rank D mansion. And all the RPG games have Luigi living in the same house as Mario (who himself [[VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins downgraded to a smaller house in the past]]).

** In ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'', depending on which game you choose, the player character goes to either Naranja Academy or Uva Academy. ''Anime/PokemonHorizons'' ends up using the former school, with Uva Academy nowhere to be seen.

* Both parts of ''VideoGame/DoomEternal'''s ''The Ancient Gods'' [=DLC=] duology both for assume that the Slayer completed the main campaign having obtained all weapons (including the optional Unmakyr) and weapon mods, in addition to all mod upgrades (including those locked behind Mastery Challenges), Praetor Suit upgrades and Sentinel Crystal upgrades. The only weapon that isn't available in the [=DLC=] is [[spoiler: the Crucible, since [[ContinuityNod the Slayer broke its blade off inside the Icon of Sin at the end of the main game]]]].

* The ''Ancient Gods'' DLCs for ''VideoGame/DoomEternal'' assume that the Slayer obtained all the weapons (including the optional Unmakyr) and their upgrades, as well as all the stat upgrades. One weapon [[spoiler: the Crucible]] isn't available in the DLC because the Slayer [[spoiler: broke it off inside the Icon of Sin]] at the end of the main game.

* The ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' series may be digging itself a hole of this sort. The first game has two possible player characters, Vent and Aile, whose stories are similar but irreconcilable. The second has two new player characters, Grey and Ashe -- Ashe coexists with Vent, and Grey with Aile. There is a manga based on ''Mega Man ZX'', and the main character they chose to follow is Vent. However, the ''ZX Advent'' manga takes the MergingTheBranches approach, and issue #55 of the [[ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics Archie Comics series]] rather blatantly indicates that Ian Flynn intended to take the same approach with the entire ''ZX'' storyline.

** The events of ''VideoGame/SilentHill3'' establish that the original ''VideoGame/SilentHill1'' ended canonically with the "good" ending, which consists of Harry surviving and leaving with the newborn, innocent reincarnation of Cheryl.

** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2'' has two story paths depending on the order in which the player plays through both protagonists' storylines. ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'' follows the storyline from the Claire A/Leon B scenario, since it establishes that Sherry Birkin was injected with the G-virus vaccine, which never occurs in the Leon A/Claire B storyline. The remake timeline reverses this, as ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4Remake'' makes it clear that Leon met Marvin Branagh and got a knife from him, something which only happens to the 1st Run protagonist. As Sherry is infected with the G-virus on both of Claire's runs in the remake, this would not contradict Sherry in ''6''.

** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', you can customize which class paths each playable character goes through when they are in your class. If you don't recruit them and then fight them in Part II, they have predetermined canonical classes. In addition, the ''Cindered Shadows'' DLC gives Byleth and the three lords canonical classes for Part I.

* ''Videogame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'':

* In-universe, the ''VideoGame/HypnospaceOutlaw'' spinoff ''Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengeance of the Slayer'' is supposed to be made by Zane a couple decades after the events of ''Hypnospace''. [[spoiler:This would require Zane to have survived the Mindcrash.]]

** ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' actually deserves special mention via the main villain of ''11'', Kronika. While cutting the branches is to be expected, the game outright points out that she's holding the shears and we get to see her in the act of pruning them. [[spoiler:Kronika's desire for a balanced universe has seen many iterations via the various Arcade stories; when those particular iterations fail to live up to her expectations, she erases that timeline and starts anew. This is particularly true of the rebooted timeline, but given how she was behind '''everything''' in the series, it could arguably extend to the pre-reboot timeline as well.]]