To me, i can settle with a bad ending only if its done well. Not just another “uh oh, your character is dead” or “Oh no, someone you loved or liked is dead”. I hate when developers get lazy with their bad endings. I want bad endings to impact me in someway or another. I find that some bad endings can be better than the normal good endings where everyone lives happily ever after.
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I mean, why not? Nothing says you can’t only have bad endings. Some of my favourite writers only have “good” endings for example 
like character surviving and achieving their goals but being horribly physically and mentally mutilated, changed to the point that nobody would be able to recognize them.
Its interesting stuff when done right. Though it usually means the ball of badness snowballs from a very early point.
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I just wrote one where there’s a decent number of “bad” or at least not classic happily ever after fairy tale endings. Some could kind of be considered “good” but it’s impossible to fix everything for a everything wraps up and is completely fine in all respects. I think my favorite ending I wrote from that game isn’t exactly an ideal ending from the MC’s point of view, so sure, if they’re not lazy bad endings, bring them on 
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To me, I’d only really consider it a “bad” ending if the player clearly failed in what they’re supposed to be doing. For example, if you’re in the middle of a battle and you try to use a stat that you’re not really skilled in, fail miserably and the enemy kills you, that’d be a “bad” ending. If, however, the MC succeeds in everything they’re supposed to do, but the game ends in, say, for example, the MC sacrifices themselves in order to save their family and friends, I wouldn’t call that a “bad” ending. It’s a “good” ending that just happens to be really depressing. 
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lol A good, bad ending even?
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Anyone who read the web series Worm, Pact or Twig knows a thing or two about… endings…
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I think that it’s a bad good ending, actually. Since its a good end, but not a nice one.
Edit:Just wanted to add that, if there’s no happy ending, make sure your reader knows from the start, whether from the story itself, or the summary.
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I would second this. In non-interactive fiction, a downer ending is totally fine. But in a format where choice is the name of the game, if you don’t let people know beforehand that nothing they choose can prevent a terrible fate, you’re asking to get a torrent of 1-star reviews.
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I can if I know it going in. Best of it’s humorous.
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In a interaction there should be variety of ending in BASE OF PLAYER ACTIONS
if all endings are
BAD
BAD
BAD
BAD
BAD
BAD
Where is the point ? Hi play this game is awesome all your actions doesn’t matter as all endings are doomed and your actions only change how you suck.
The problem is what is a bad ending? for me a bad ending is one doesn’t give a damn sense to my character. Stuff like you are super evil pc but you magically at the end become a saint and beloved hero.
The hapy ever after is stupid and bad for me lol. The end has to be based in game choices and don’t be perfect
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I think that really depends on how one defines a ‘bad’ ending. It means different things for different people. For example, if the MC dies at the end it may be a bad ending for some, while others may be fine with it.
To make a game where the ending is unarguably ‘bad’, I think it must end with the player character doing some terrible things or simply dying helplessly without being able to make any significant changes to how the story evolves. The former would be fine with me if the writing and the plot is great, i.e. I can deal with the destination being bad if the journey was good. The latter, however, is not going to sit well with me. I may not resent it (if the writing and the characters are worth the time and the price), but I suspect it will never make my list of favorites.
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That’s exactly what I did with Seers Isle. I was super excited for that game, specially since I really enjoyed Along the Edge, but then you go to the end and all the ending are depressing. I was very upset about this not gonna lie.
So yeah, if you let the people know this before hand, you ensure that you won’t get that much backlash.
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Doesn’t bother me. Wrote a couple stories like that. (Or in one case, there is a way to achieve a really “bittersweet” ending which counts as the “good” one) Wrote one with only “good endings” as well.
As long as the author is keeping me interested in the story as I’m reaching these bad endings it’s fine by me.
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I’m not a fan of depressing endings. Sometime I can like bittersweet, but since I had gone throught four years of death in my family, sickness, and basically only bad news, with only the last four month or so being a little more decent, sorry, I like my happy, fluffy, Disney style endings.
I don’t think a game should not have bad endings, in an interactive fiction, in my opinion, there should be space for all the kind of endings: bad, sad, cruel, bittersweet, heroic, happy, hopeful, etc.
But I know I would not even start reading an interactive game knowing doom and gloom is all I could get.
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I think you’ve got to look at what is a “worthwhile” ending, rather than what is typically seen as good or bad. You can have really unsatifying “good” endings and really fitting “bad” or “bittersweet” ones. (Or at least bad for the character in a way. For example, you could have a game where the MC achieves what they set out to do, but at the cost of something else important to them.) Everyone should go off and read some good tragedies and dystopian futures (like 1984) to see examples of what can actually make a non-fairytale ending work. Bad endings can also add a degree of consequence or risk to the story compared to a game where all endings are good in the end. (Each to their own though There are some styles and genres I don’t enjoy reading as well, so not everyone is going to want to the inclusion of bad endings in a game.)
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“The Joy of a Meaningful Death” is an article in Rock, Paper, Shotgun that is about The Banner Saga 3 and it explains that the focus of the game is that no hero is immortal. According to the article: A meaningful death is
What these deaths actually do is tell a story. A story of sometimes bad deaths and one that shows not every hero dies from a chess-style tactical sacrifice.
You go through famine, war and large scale destruction, leading your people through an Epic journey, without any of the individuals being epic themselves.
Your people may not survive this epic journey that is made possible by the deaths of their heroes and the mechanics of the game sometimes means that quite a few deaths will happen in quick succession … sometimes in bad and horrible ways for a hero to die.
Yet, these are very meaningful, because without them, there would be no story of your people’s epic journey.
So, ya, a game with a bad ending just might be a great game.
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I actually prefer bad endings, it would be better if there was multiple bad endings which you can attain depending on your choices, in which the best possible ending is only marginally better than the other ones.
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I think I’m with @poison_mara for the most part. A tragedy would be interesting so long as there was ample warning, and overall I’m okay with games having downer endings, but if I’m trying as the protagonist and doomed to fail no matter what then it takes a bit of the fun out of it.
That being said, I’m fine with the success being at great cost, so long as the sacrifices make sense. I’m fine with things like needing to choose between saving the world or saving yourself/a dear friend. Choice based to pick the least awful outcome. As long as I can get a good outcome on something.
Though those types of endings can be a bit tricky though, since you’re stuck if the person’s not invested in the trade.
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As long as it’s clearly distinguishable as an actual ending an not just a “oh you stuffed up try again” type ending yeah. I’m always up for a bit of melancholy
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I hate bad ending . Bad ending for me , mean the writer (Or game dev) took away my choice and shoved into me…their own .
for exemple , if I choose at the end of a game or story…to make the Ultimate sacrifice . Thats my choice , I dont consider that a bad ending . I choose the martyr road…all I ask , is an epilogue to tear jerk me and show me how everyone is heartbroken over mah heroic deed!
homewhever , a bad ending…is when you do everything right…and you get a ‘Try again! better luck next time!’ kinda of ending . where whatever you do…you end up at the same crappy place .
A happy ending isn’t a bad thing , it’s closure . Thats what peoples want . After a journey , everyone want that bittersweet closure…to say a proper goodbye to a good tale .
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