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Game developers have shown willing to remove and add game features, change art assets and remake parts of their games in following updates, but why don't they ever change the plot? Some times parts are added to the story, but only as attachments, never revisions.

Why is plot thought as a feature beyond editing, even if it would enhance player experience just as much as any graphical update or gameplay tweak?

P.S.: I would like to ask for a game-narrative/writing/story tag, and they are just as important part of game development as game mechanics.

P.S.²: This is as broad a question as why not to release source code. Therefore I think it is not too broad for answering.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Can you provide an example, please? \$\endgroup\$ Commented Mar 16, 2015 at 21:32

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Because stories are subjective and tied to emotion.

(The rest of this answer contains daaaangerous TV Tropes links.)

Players can become really attached to arguably awkward story or dialogue. They might feel robbed if the details were retroactively changed, without any hope of re-experiencing them that way, regerdless of whether the changes were generally seen as good or bad. This is especially true of games which hinge on story, like visual novels or dating sims.

If fans were so invested in the story that they felt it needed changes, they probably liked it enough to buy your re-release or sequel anyway (especially if you target them with it), and fill the gap with fix fic. (But don't take it too far.)

Bug-fixes are much easier to justify, as players are unlikely to have become fond of a technical flaw. Although… that happens sometimes too.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I realised after submitting this that the question was on hold, but the answer got through anyway. Magic! \$\endgroup\$ Commented Mar 15, 2015 at 22:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ That's pretty surprising actually. I know there's a grace period after you've started creating an answer that you're allowed to submit it, but you have more than half an hour grace period (assuming you even started creating the answer before it was on hold). \$\endgroup\$ Commented Mar 15, 2015 at 22:19

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