Life is Strange: Double Exposure and the Chloe controversy, why has it upset some fans?

An impossible choice for Max Caufield: destroy Arcadia Bay or save Chloe Price, his best friend, his girlfriend. Both decisions have drastic consequences, but that’s what players had to consider in the original Life is Strange. Since then, the story of both characters has evolved in Life is Strange: Before the Storm and other products. For example, Life is Strange 2, which tells a new story with new characters, mentions that the two girls are in a relationship, confirming that the canon decision was to prevent Chloe’s death. However, Life is Strange: Double Exposure has turned this reality on its head, causing controversy among some fans.

Deck Nine Games, the studio that took over from Don’t Nod Entertainment, has developed the latest titles in the series, including True Colors. In their new game, which has just been released on Nintendo Switch, the story takes place years after the events of Arcadia Bay. The protagonist is an adult Max Caufield, who works as a photographer at Caledon University. When her friend Safi is murdered, she tries to use her rewind powers and discovers that she can now open portals to another reality. But where is Chloe?

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Two versions of the same story

This new title justifies Chloe’s absence in two ways: first, it does not establish a single canon, unless Deck Nine decides to do so in the future. There are two possible fates, depending on the player’s choice: in one case, Chloe Price will have died in the toilets of Arcadia Bay School, leaving the town standing. Throughout the game, Max remembers her fondly through photographs from the past. In the second case, Arcadia Bay no longer exists and Chloe has survived. However, the protagonist of Double Exposure confirms that they had their differences and eventually split up.

None of these solutions satisfied the community, as many had hoped that what was established in Life is Strange 2 would be maintained, that the two would continue to live as a couple. However, Max will return in the future, so who knows what fate will bring. On the other hand, the existence of different realities allows you to play with different storylines.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure is available for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC and Nintendo Switch.