Stray is a series of action-packed games in which the main character, a tabby cat, finds a way to return to his family. It has up to 12 chapters with over 6-7 hours of gameplay. As he explores a neon-lit, robot-filled Cyber City, the feline Cat finds several robot companions and friends. But the end of this cat adventure game might make your heart hurt a little. So here’s our guide to find out all about Stray’s ending and whether or not the cat dies.
Disclaimer: SPOILER WARNING! This guide is filled with spoilers about the ending. So, continue only if you don’t mind spoilers.
Does the cat die in Stray (ending explained)
The answer to this question is no! Despite several rumors, the main character Cat does not die. Cats usually have nine lives, and you can also get a PS trophy for dying nine times. There may be multiple deaths as the game progresses. Be it Zurks or flying robot drones. But all these deaths are non-canon. So let’s start with what happens at the end of Stray.
When you get to the Control Room, all memories of B12 will return. The robot remembers everything about the plague and how it destroyed lives. He states that he couldn’t save his family, but would like to help the cat get to the Outside. While the two of you manage to breach the security gate, B-12 disables the control system to complete the lockdown cycle. But the override can destroy the drone robot. When the drone makes a sacrifice and falls to the ground, the cat mourns by hugging it.
When the city opens for the first time, all Zurks and Guardians are destroyed. The sky lights up the entire city as the companions from all over the world look on with hope.
Now, when the cat goes outside, it takes them a while to appreciate the bright light from the sky. The cat also pauses a little to look at the camera and blinks. And goes further. What makes me particularly sad is that the cat lost her feline family and then lost her B-12 again. Also, we can’t see much of Outworld. But the silver line is that the Cat finds his family.
When the camera pans out, you can see the lights flickering on the monitors. This may be the conspiracy theorist in me, but this flickering may be due to B12. Alternatively, it could also be hints from the developers about its sequel. We may have to wait quite some time for Annapurna Interactive developers to announce it.
That’s all if the ending is explained and if the cat dies in Stray.