After E3 this year, one question was on everyone's mind. It wasn't about what Microsoft's doing with the next Xbox, or what Sony's even up to at this point - nothing that trivial. No, we all wanted to know: was the dog from Blair Witch going to live on that big farm in the sky or not?
For the uninitiated, Blair Witch follows Ellis, a Gulf War veteran who ventures into the infamous Black Hills Forest in search of a missing child. At his side is Bullet, a trusty German Shepard and a certified good boy.
Of course, any horror game or movie worth its salt will drop a dog like a hot potato. What's scarier and more sad than watching a dog die, after all? All eyes, then, were on Bloober Team after E3. Were they going to take Bullet behind that proverbial shed, or would they be more merciful?
[Spoilers For Blair Witch Below]
As it turns out, Bullet can die in Blair Witch, but he can also come out the other side unscathed. It's all up to player choice, but we'll be honest: it seems pretty hard to mess up unless you're actively trying to be a jerk.
If you routinely pet Bullet, get rid of the totems that scare him, and give him treats, he'll survive to the very end. There's also a vital choice you have to make when Bullet gets injured, and you have to decide whether or not to carry him. Obviously, if you want him to live, and if you're just a decent person, you'll do that.
On the flip side, you can just be the worst if you want. You can scold Bullet, never pet him, never give him treats, and leave him to die in the forest. If you do that, don't be shocked when he's not there as the ending credits start to roll. Don't worry, though - all dogs do, in fact, go to heaven.
What's interesting about Blair Witch is that there are actually two variants of each ending - one with Bullet surviving and one with him going to way of Old Yeller. Bullet's ultimate fate is disconnected to whatever happens to Ellis, basically, which is an interesting and novel way to handle that.
So there you have it. Bullet can die in Blair Witch, but if you make the right calls and treat him like the good boy he is, he'll be safe and sound.