Playdead's Inside Hack -

: By pulling the plug, the boy—and by extension, the player—is disconnected. It suggests that just as the boy was controlled by a mind-control device, the player was the "hacker" or ultimate controller.

Playdead's is a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling, but its "hack" or secret ending is one of the most debated meta-narratives in gaming history. To "hack" the game’s standard loop, players must uncover a deeply hidden alternate path that shifts the entire perspective of the story. The Blueprint for the Secret Ending Playdead's INSIDE Hack

: Some theorists believe this is the only "good" ending. It allows the boy to escape the cycle of experiments and the "Huddle" (the mass of flesh found in the standard ending) by choosing a definitive end rather than becoming part of a hive mind. : By pulling the plug, the boy—and by