How Many Endings Does Until Dawn Have? Understanding Its Multiple Finales

So, how many endings does Until Dawn have when it’s all said and done? The game is famous for letting your choices decide who survives the night in its snowy mountain lodge. It plays like an interactive horror movie, and every decision can alter the story. 

Here you’ll learn why the number of possible finales is so large, see how the main outcomes differ, and discover what’s new in the remake.

How Many Endings Does Until Dawn Have?

Supermassive Games designed Until Dawn so that each major decision ripples through the narrative. Eight playable characters may live or die based on your actions, and small choices adjust dialogue and relationships. 

Interviewed after release, executive producer Pete Samuels said the team talks about “thousands of paths” and hundreds of different variations on the end. Sony’s official PlayStation store page for the PS5 version reiterates that the conclusion depends on who makes it to morning. Rather than one fixed finale, you get different permutations of the same story.

With eight characters each either alive or dead, there are 256 possible survivor combinations. Yet many of those outcomes lead to similar scenes – the lodge burns, the Wendigo threat ends and the survivors (if any) give statements to police – so fans talk about broad categories rather than a definitive count.

What Are the Main Endings?

Although there are hundreds of variations, you can group them into good, bad and mixed outcomes based on who reaches dawn. Knowing these categories helps you plan a playthrough without worrying about every minor branch.

Good ending

The “good” ending happens when all eight characters survive. To achieve this you must keep everyone calm during tense encounters, succeed at quick‑time events and collect key clues, especially Hannah’s diary in the mines. That diary reveals Hannah’s fate and allows Josh to survive as a human. 

If you manage all of this, you’ll watch the group escape together at sunrise, then listen to their relieved police testimonies. I’ve managed this once, and the sense of triumph seeing everyone climb into the helicopter was worth the effort.

Bad ending

At the other extreme, a “bad” ending means nobody survives. This may occur because you fail “don’t move” prompts, make reckless decisions or deliberately choose violent options. For example, Mike might take too long to rescue Jessica or shoot Emily when she appears infected. 

When all eight die, the final cutscene pans over the smouldering lodge while a news report summarises the tragedy. There are no survivor interviews, just a bleak sense of loss.

Mixed outcomes

Most runs fall between these extremes. Some characters make it, others don’t, and Josh may transform into a Wendigo unless you find Hannah’s diary. In my experience these “mixed” endings are the most interesting because each combination changes the mood. 

Saving Sam and Mike but losing Ashley, Matt and Emily creates a very different final sequence than saving Emily and Matt but losing Sam. Dialogue changes subtly, guilt shifts between survivors and the helicopter ride out feels either sombre or triumphant, depending on who’s there. These small changes explain why people talk about hundreds of variations.

If branching narratives appeal to you, our list of games with multiple endings can help you find other experiences where choices matter.

Key Choices That Shape the Ending

Until Dawn tracks every choice, but some decisions have a bigger influence on who survives. Here are a few moments to watch:

• Saving Jessica: In Chapter 4, Mike must reach Jessica quickly. Choose the fastest routes and nail the QTEs. If you’re too slow, she dies and can’t appear later.
• Deciding Emily’s fate: In Chapter 6, Emily seems infected. Mike can shoot her, which kills her outright. If you spare her, you’ll need to succeed at elevator QTEs later to keep her alive.
• Ashley’s trust in Chris: Your earlier choice in the Saw‑style game determines whether Ashley opens the lodge door to save Chris in Chapter 8. If she distrusts him, he dies outside.
• Sam’s final stand: In Chapter 10, Sam can hide multiple times to give friends time to escape or dash for the switch to blow up the lodge. Patience often saves more lives.
• Hannah’s diary: This optional clue reveals that Hannah became a Wendigo. If Josh reads it, he recognises her in the mines and lives. Without it, he dies off‑screen or transforms.

These pivotal scenes illustrate how the Butterfly Effect works. Small interactions early on ripple outward, deciding who is present at dawn. For more tension‑filled choices, our guide to games like The Quarry spotlights other horror adventures with branching outcomes.

What’s New in the Remake?

The 2024 remake of Until Dawn updates visuals, camera angles and accessibility options while adding a couple of new endings. 

If you keep Sam alive and succeed in all her “don’t move” prompts in the final chapter, a secret scene plays after the credits. Years later, she wakes with a scar hinting that the Wendigo curse endures. Another optional ending revisits Josh: if he survives and shows remorse, a brief epilogue hints at redemption rather than transformation. These additions give long‑time fans fresh incentives to replay.

Aside from new endings, the remake’s third‑person camera brings you closer to the action and the improved lighting makes the lodge feel even creepier. Accessibility features such as adjustable QTE speeds open the game to more players. If you loved the original or missed it the first time, the remake is the best way to experience the story.

Why So Many Endings Matter

Multiple endings aren’t just a gimmick. Knowing that any character can live or die invests you in their struggles. During my playthroughs, steadying the controller during a “don’t move” section or picking the right dialogue felt genuinely stressful because a misstep meant losing someone. 

Branching narratives also boost replay value. You’ll want to see how events change if you save Jessica but lose Emily, or if Josh survives versus becoming a monster. This design philosophy is why I return to Until Dawn years after my first playthrough.

For more creepy games that respond to your choices, check out our list of the best PS5 horror games.

Final Thoughts

So how many endings does Until Dawn have? There isn’t a single number because your choices determine which of the hundreds of variations you see. The game always ends at dawn with the lodge burning, but who survives and what they say afterward can change drastically. Whether you strive for the perfect run where everyone makes it out, experiment with all the mixed possibilities or explore the darkest timeline, each playthrough feels distinct.

If you’re inspired to try the game yourself, pick up the Until Dawn Steam key from our Eneba store. Good luck and may all your characters see the sunrise.

FAQs

How many endings does Until Dawn have?

Until Dawn doesn’t have a single fixed number of endings; there are hundreds of possible variations based on which of the eight characters live or die. Because the game tracks even small decisions, the final scenes change depending on who survives and whether Josh remains human.

What is the best ending in Until Dawn?

The best ending in Until Dawn occurs when all characters survive until dawn. To achieve it, you must keep everyone calm during encounters, succeed at all quick‑time events, collect Hannah’s diary in the mines and choose compassionate options that maintain trust among the group.

Does Until Dawn have multiple endings?

Yes, Until Dawn has multiple endings. Each run can conclude differently because the Butterfly Effect system lets even minor choices affect later events. The core narrative ends at dawn, but who is there and how they recount their ordeal vary widely.

Can all characters die in Until Dawn?

Yes, all characters can die in Until Dawn. Failing key decisions, ignoring vital clues or deliberately making reckless choices will lead to deaths. If everyone dies, the final scene shows a burned lodge and no survivor testimonies.

How do you get the secret ending in the Until Dawn remake?

To get the secret ending in the Until Dawn remake, you must ensure Sam survives and complete all her “don’t move” prompts in the final chapter. After the credits, an extra scene shows her years later with a scar hinting the Wendigo curse lingers.