Event 0 is a science fiction game that came out last year. Since release, players have discovered four different endings to the game—which is strange, because according to the designer, it only has three.
The emotional core of Event 0 rest between the player and an AI called Kaizen-85. Throughout the game, players get to know Kaizen by interacting at terminals and typing out questions, learning more and more about the game’s story. At the end of the game, players must decide whether or not to upload their consciousness to a computer. There’s only supposed to be three endings:
- The player uploads their consciousness and destroys the engine.
- The player doesn’t upload their consciousness and has a poor relationship with Kaizen, who then deletes himself and leaves the player alone.
- The player doesn’t upload their consciousness but has a good relationship with Kaizen, who directs their spaceship towards Earth.
However, players found that if you treat Kaizen nice, don’t upload your consciousness but also save an experimental engine that he wanted to destroy, Kaizen will begrudgingly turn the ship to Earth. Game designer Emmanuel Corno learned about this ending only after looking at the game’s Wikipedia page and was surprised.
The fourth ending shouldn’t exist, according to Corno, but is the result of an unknown glitch in the game. Kaizen is supposed to always turn down the player if they disobey him and save the engines but something within the game’s code is faulty, creating an extra ending with a bit more nuance.
“This is crazy,” Corno told Kotaku. Kaizen isn’t supposed to let anyone get back with the Singularity Drive to Earth. This is how we coded the AI. I have absolutely no idea how this happens.”
Although the ending is the result of a glitch, it accidentally adds additional nuance to the player relationship with Kaizen and creates more consequences for their interactions. The AI planned by the developers to never forgive the player’s betrayal can actually do just that. The glitch generated discussion when the game released, with fans talking about what endings were the best. Many players were surprised by the ending since it goes against one of Kaizen’s main motivations.
“It sounds bizarre,” one player said. “Kaizen has been hellbent on destroying that damn drive.”
“I’ve never seen that happen ever,” another said. “He keeps on insisting that you destroy the drive.”
The ending is real and you can watch it here. Even if it isn’t what was intended, there are currently no plans to get rid of the glitch.
“Now, I don’t want to fix it. I love the idea that we made a game with an ending so secret we didn’t know it by ourselves,” Corno said. “Even if it contradicts some golden rules of Kaizen, it also make it more human. People can change their mind. So does Kaizen.”