Everything that has a beginning has an ending. No matter how beloved some gaming characters and stories are, there comes a time when players must say goodbye. The retirement of a fan-favorite hero is always a risky endeavor, demanding that developers consider all fan expectations and deliver a grand finale that feels like a sincere closure.
The games below are such examples of the end of an era — in many cases, not only for iconic characters and their stories but also for the familiar formula, marking a change for the studio responsible for the franchise, or even grander shifts. Notably, with a few rare exceptions, almost every case below ended on a high note, providing a satisfying conclusion to years of storytelling and the evolution of a franchise.
Mass Effect 3
A Farewell to Commander Shepard & Former BioWare
One of the last games developed by the “old” BioWare, Mass Effect 3 marked the conclusion of one of the best action-RPG trilogies, bringing Commander Shepard’s fight against the Reapers to a close. With all of the player’s choices from previous games carrying over to the finale with meaningful consequences, the Mass Effect trilogy stands in a league of its own.
Of course, not everything went smoothly, given the high fan expectations for the trilogy’s finale. Mass Effect 3’s ending was among the most controversial not only in BioWare’s history but in gaming at large, prompting the team to release the Extended Cut DLC to smooth things over. Since then, Mass Effect: Andromeda has largely ignored the Reaper and Shepard plot, and it remains unknown whether Shepard will play any role in the next Mass Effect game.
Assassin’s Creed 3
An End To Desmond Miles’ Modern-Day Narrative
Assassin’s Creed 3 not only wrapped up the modern plot featuring Desmond Miles but also marked a significant shift in the franchise’s turbulent evolution. For a time, the games featured as little modern-day storytelling as possible before moving forward with a rather messy narrative driven by Layla Hassan, only to scrap that again with the recent Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which features no modern-day subplot.
While not as impactful as some other games listed here, especially given how closely Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag followed the gameplay formula of the third game, many fans still consider Assassin’s Creed 3 a cornerstone of the series, and many miss Desmond to this day.
Gears of War 3
Epic Games Is Done With Marcus Fenix
A soft conclusion to Gears of War, given that Marcus Fenix and other familiar characters appeared in both Gears of War 4 and Gears 5, Gears of War 3 was marketed as a big finale to the characters’ story, concluding his active role in the never-ending Locust War. It was also the last game in the series made by Epic Games.
In many ways, the game was a fitting end to the Marcus Fenix era of the Gears franchise, featuring refined gameplay, a strong emotional core, and plenty of memorable moments to satisfy longtime fans. Still, it is evident that the creators don’t want to say goodbye to Marcus just yet, leaving Gears 5 on a cliffhanger and focusing on Gears of War: E-Day instead to bring the series back to its roots.
God Of War 3
The Final Chapter Of Greek-Era Kratos
Another soft conclusion to a major era of the franchise, God of War 3 serves as an epic finale to Kratos’ Greek era, wrapping up his period of rage-fueled revenge against every Olympian. A pinnacle of the action genre of its time, God of War 3 raised the stakes and spectacle to a whole new level, with few competitors capable of matching its visuals and brutal combat.
What’s even greater is that it wasn’t the end of Kratos. God of War (2018) followed as one of the best reboots that players have seen so far, presenting a different yet familiar version of Kratos while respecting the character’s past and legacy in just the right way.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Geralt Of Rivia Has Earned His Rest
Some may argue that CDPR’s Witcher trilogy can rival Mass Effect among action-RPG trilogies with overarching narratives, yet Geralt’s closure feels even more emotional and satisfying. After all the events of three games, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt lets Geralt finally earn his rest, leaving players on a bittersweet note without needless tragedy.
In addition, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt marked the end of an era for CDPR as a niche European RPG developer, elevating the studio to the higher echelon of RPG makers with one of the most acclaimed games ever. It would be hard for the studio to pass up the opportunity to bring Geralt of Rivia back in some capacity in the upcoming Witcher 4, but for now, fans can only guess.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
A Perfect & Heartwarming Finale For Nathan Drake
Perhaps one of the most satisfying endings for an iconic character, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End concluded the series in a wholesome way, sending Nathan Drake to his long-earned family life. An incredible achievement both technically and in storytelling, it’s hard to imagine a more fitting end for Nate and Elena, with Uncharted 4 standing as one of the highest points among PlayStation titles.
On top of that, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was the last universally beloved mainline game from Naughty Dog, given how divisive The Last of Us Part 2 proved to be. Now, after years spent on these two franchises, the studio is preparing to introduce its new IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, claimed to be its most expansive game yet.
The Walking Dead: The Final Season
A Truly Final Season In More Than One Way
The Walking Dead: The Final Season was not just an emotional end to Clementine’s story, which spanned five seasons of episodic games, but also, unfortunately, marked the decline of the old Telltale Games. After The Final Season, things were never the same for the studio, which entered a turbulent phase — evident in the ever-elusive The Wolf Among Us 2 that many believe will never see the light of day.
The Walking Dead: The Final Season also signaled a notable shift away from the once-popular episodic format in gaming, which had dominated story-driven titles since the first season in 2012.
Batman: Arkham Knight
Perfecting The Superhero Action Genre
Another title that marked the end of an era, not just for an iconic character but also for an acclaimed studio, Batman: Arkham Knight served as an epic finale for Bruce Wayne (voiced by Kevin Conroy) and represented a new high point for superhero games in general. From groundbreaking visuals to refined combat and open-world mechanics, Arkham Knight was a prime example of a fitting, high-profile conclusion as the studio prepared for new horizons.
However, almost no other DC follow-up has been well-received ever since. After the disappointing results of both Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (despite featuring the return of Batman), Rocksteady is reportedly looking to recapture its former glory with a new single-player Batman game. Whether it can win back longtime fans remains to be seen.
Halo 3
Bungie & Master Chief Go Their Separate Ways
Halo 3
9/10
Released
September 25, 2007
A satisfying and fulfilling ending to the Master Chief’s story, envisioned by the series’ original creators at Bungie, Halo 3 represented one of the biggest gaming blockbusters of its time. Garnering glowing reviews and worldwide recognition, Halo 3 stood as a new high point for the FPS series, with many believing Bungie came as close to perfection as possible.
While Halo 3 wasn’t the true ending for Master Chief, given that the character plays a major role in every subsequent mainline Halo game, including Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, and Halo Infinite, things just weren’t the same after Bungie ended its work on the franchise and 343 Industries took the reins.
An Epic Conclusion To The Metal Gear Saga
A game unlike any other, wrapping up an extremely ambitious and expansive Metal Gear saga with a tangled narrative, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was a true event and an epic closure to Hideo Kojima’s influential stealth-action series. Packed with set pieces and emotional twists, the game rightfully earned its place among the best releases of the PS3 era.
While Guns of the Patriots essentially wrapped the overarching narrative of the entire saga, serving as a farewell to many well-established characters, including Solid Snake himself, it wasn’t the end for the series. Several years later, Kojima returned to Metal Gear one last time with Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, but that’s another story.
