Life is Strange: Double Exposure launched its two-week early access on October 15th, offering players willing to pay $79.99 early access to the first two chapters. Since its announcement, Double Exposure has sparked intense fan debate, particularly around the unprecedented early access model, the return of a beloved character whose story seemed complete, and, most notably, the lack of Chloe Price. The game's marketing kicked off in June, revealing the return of Max Caulfield, the original protagonist. Fans, however, quickly noticed the conspicuous absence of her loyal companion, Chloe, who can remain by Max's side depending on player choices.

A day before Life is Strange: Double Exposure went into early access, fans got their hands on a review article that was seemingly released before the embargo lifted. It revealed the reason behind Chloe's absence in Deck Nine's marketing was exactly what many fans feared: a breakup. This revelation sparked chaos within the fanbase. Some have accepted the breakup, and those who chose to sacrifice Chloe at the end of Life is Strange are largely unaffected. However, other fans are refunding the game or choosing not to purchase it at all. Deck Nine's creative decision is proving divisive, and it looks like it may not have resonated with the dedicated fanbase or honored the spirit of the original game.

How Does Deck Nine Handle the Breakup?

For Deck Nine to break up two characters who, at the end of their journey, vowed never to leave each other's side, they had to resort to some unfortunate character assassination. Before the game's release, Deck Nine announced that Double Exposure would let players choose if they had sacrificed Chloe or Arcadia Bay in the original game. Early in Double Exposure, players are presented with a devastating choice: declaring Chloe dead or saying that Chloe and Max broke up.

This happens during a conversation with Safi, Max's new best friend. Before the key question, Safi asks about "the blue-haired girl whose picture you keep in your wallet." Players can respond with "We were friends" or "We were high school sweethearts." Regardless of the answer, the major choice ultimately forces players to confirm that, one way or another, Chloe is no longer a part of Max's life.

Aside from this devastating conversation, Deck Nine lays it on thick, presenting players with a breakup note from Chloe later in the game. It appears that Chloe and Max's relationship involved a lot of long-distance, as they both had to travel for work. In the note, Chloe explains that she can no longer be with someone who doesn't know how to look forward and stop rewinding instead of embracing the messiness of life together. Chloe expresses that this is all she ever wanted for the two of them, but since Max can't provide that, she wants her to find someone who can make her happy. She ends the note by telling Max that she'll always love her.

The note provides concrete evidence of what led to their breakup, but before finding it, players can also review Max and Chloe's last text conversations and find issues that had been coming to the surface. As Chloe mentions in her note, Max's use of her rewind power seems to have been a major issue. In the texts, Max spontaneously asks Chloe to settle down with her in Chicago, but Chloe responds by saying it seems "so final." The conversation continues with Chloe asking Max to consider her perspective, implying that Max might just rewind time until Chloe agrees. It's clear even through text that this question hurts Max, asking Chloe how she could even suggest that.

Deck Nine seems to have believed that the only way to justify a breakup between these two beloved characters was to plant the seeds of discontent, leaving many fans feeling betrayed. Not only is this seen as a poor creative choice, but considering everything shown about their relationship in the original game—without even factoring in the comics that Double Exposure clearly draws inspiration from—the breakup doesn't add up.

Chloe and Max Would Never Break Up, Especially Due to the Reasons that Deck Nine Has Provided

Based on the evidence provided in Double Exposure's first two early access chapters, it seems that Max and Chloe's breakup was about three key issues: Max's continued use of her rewind powers, Chloe's lingering resentment over the sacrifice of Arcadia Bay, which cost her mother's life, and Max's inability to focus on the future. However, when breaking down these reasons, none align with what players know about these characters from the original game, nor with Deck Nine's own statements about them.

How Can Max Have Been Using Her Rewind Powers When It Was Previously Revealed She Hadn't Used Them Since Arcadia Bay?

Not long after Deck Nine announced Life is Strange: Double Exposure, they held a livestream featuring a conversation with the Narrative Director and Game Director and a gameplay preview. During this, Narrative Director Felice Kuan stated that Max had not used her powers since the events in Arcadia Bay, having been traumatized, and could no longer use them, comparing it to "losing fluency in a language." Given that the Narrative Director would be deeply familiar with the story, why does a key reason for Max and Chloe's breakup go against what Kuan said just months before the game's release?

Max's continued use of her rewind powers contradicts Kuan's statement and goes against everything players know about her character. Max was traumatized by the events in Arcadia Bay. If she chose to sacrifice Chloe, she would return to a timeline where Chloe died, and she never even started using her powers. If she decided to sacrifice Arcadia Bay, she couldn't bear to watch as the tornado destroyed the town. The comics also align with this, and since Double Exposure borrows heavily from them—especially with Max's reality-shifting powers and Victoria Chase's apparent friendship with Chloe—it seemed the game would follow that direction. Yet, despite the creative decisions it borrowed and Kuan's own words, Max apparently couldn't resist rewinding and lost Chloe in the process.

An undisclosed number of years has passed since Max and Chloe's breakup, and now Max can no longer use her rewind powers. Apparently, even though her powers caused a significant rift in her relationship with Chloe, Max eventually stopped using them long enough to lose the ability altogether. This inconsistency is just one of many within the narrative presented in the first two chapters. Still, considering this lore is meant to justify such an out-of-character breakup, it's disappointing that Deck Nine couldn't keep their story straight.

Chloe Would Have Never Resented Max For Her Decision

Chloe's apparent resentment towards Max for sacrificing Arcadia Bay is not only out of character but also contradicted by the events in Life is Strange. In Double Exposure, players see a photo of Joyce, Chloe's mother, who was lost in the storm. When Max finds the photo, she says, "Chloe never really looked at me the same after she found out." However, players already know Joyce's death is unavoidable if Arcadia Bay is sacrificed. Max rewinds far enough to undo any action that could save Joyce, as she has to rewind to a specific point to protect herself and Chloe. Sadly, Joyce perishes when the diner succumbs to the storm

At this point, players might wonder if anyone at Deck Nine played the original game. Chloe never has to "find out" Joyce died; she already knows it will happen. During the emotionally charged conversation at the lighthouse, as Max's decision between saving Chloe or Arcadia Bay approaches, Chloe says, "[Joyce] deserves so much more than to be killed in a f-cking storm." While this line could be twisted into a reason for future resentment, the potential fades when Chloe later says, "No matter what you choose, I know you'll make the right decision."

Max's comment about Chloe's reaction doesn't align with the original story. No matter how hard Double Exposure's narrative tries to portray Max and Chloe's relationship as fraught with lingering resentment, it simply doesn't add up. It feels as though Deck Nine has crafted its own version of Chloe, one who never experienced that week in 2013 with Max or the devastating moment at the lighthouse that changed everything.

Max May Have Plausibly Struggled With Looking Forward, But Chloe Would Never have Held That Against Her

After enduring a traumatic week that involved discovering her time-manipulating powers, Max had to make an impossible decision. If players choose to sacrifice Arcadia Bay, Max watches the storm ravage the town for a few moments before burying her face in Chloe's shoulder, who witnesses it for both of them. Max has to deal with the unique guilt of feeling responsible for the town's destruction.

While it's never clear if Max truly caused the storm, she did have to decide whether it would stay. Chloe, however, shows immense empathy for the weight Max carries with her powers and the decisions she must make. As Max begins to doubt herself, Chloe reassures her, saying, "You were given a power. You didn't ask for it. [...] Okay, so you're not the goddamn Time Master, but you're Maxine Caulfield...and you're amazing."

Chloe understands that she can never fully grasp the overwhelming responsibility and impossible choice thrust upon Max. That's why she tells Max she knows she'll make the right decision—because Chloe knows she can't decide for her, as it's an entirely different lived experience. Chloe watched as Max's rewind power became more than she ever bargained for, and this moment of trust and understanding was the culmination of their journey. Chloe's apparent resentment towards Max completely misrepresents her character and goes against everything from the original game, especially its final moments.

Chloe Would Have Never Left Max

When players first meet Chloe in Life is Strange, it's immediately clear that even after five years, Chloe hasn't let go. She's mad at Max for leaving, has never forgotten her, and quick to dive right back into their ride-or-die friendship, regardless of the bumps along the way. Chloe is grappling with a lot by the time players meet her—she's angry, burdened with abandonment issues, and struggling to figure out how to move forward.

In Life is Strange, Chloe has spent six months waiting for her best friend, Rachel Amber, to return after her mysterious disappearance. Despite not hearing a word from Rachel, Chloe still talks about her as if she fully expects her to come back. She even borrows an irresponsible amount of money from a drug dealer, planning to use it for her and Rachel to get away from Arcadia Bay when she comes back. Chloe hasn't even considered the idea that Rachel might not come back. This shows that Chloe doesn't let go—she digs her heels in, and she would never abandon Max.

Chloe's attitude toward relationships remains consistent. She tends to fixate on one person and invest her entire being into them. This is evident with Max, whom she can't let go of for five years, and with Rachel, as she continues putting up missing posters and expecting her return six months after her disappearance. She doesn't walk away—especially not from Max.

Rubbing salt in the wound, Deck Nine chose to scatter re-recorded lines of Max and Chloe's most iconic dialogues from the first game throughout Double Exposure. These are the very conversations that depict exactly why they would never leave each other. It's an odd choice, as it only serves to prove that Deck Nine shouldn't have broken them up and solidifies why they would have stayed by each other's side.

Chloe and Max didn't necessarily have to be romantically involved in Life is Strange: Double Exposure, though as of last night, 77% of players who previously sacrificed Arcadia Bay chose to make their relationship romantic. Regardless of whether they were romantic or not, the fact that they aren't even in each other's lives anymore undermines the original game. Throughout Life is Strange, players witness Max and Chloe's bond grow into something unbreakable, shaped by the hardships they face together. Chloe's final line in the game is, "Max... I'll always be with you," to which Max responds, "Forever." This is just one of many moments where they swear to always be there for each other. It's a point hammered into the player's mind throughout Life is Strange, and Deck Nine seemingly dodged the nail.

If All This is True, Why Did Deck Nine Choose to Break Up Max and Chloe?

Since the announcement of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, some of the fanbase has accused it of being a cash grab. This stems from Deck Nine's decision to bring back Max when they could have introduced an original character. Knowing that players missed Max, Deck Nine opted for what they likely saw as a surefire way to boost sales. However, Deck Nine underestimated just how much players missed Chloe, leading to growing demands for her whereabouts.

Deck Nine wanted to use Max in an original story, and having Chloe alongside her wouldn't have made sense for those who chose to sacrifice Arcadia Bay. However, they could have easily explained Chloe's absence by saying she was off working her own gig. Since she seemingly works in a sound tech career that takes her all over, it would have made sense. It seems that Deck Nine wanted to preserve one of the key appeals of the original Life is Strange: romance.

Deck Nine tore Max and Chloe apart to deliver that and gave Max two new romance options. Players can reject both romantic paths and keep relationships platonic, but Deck Nine seems to be pushing for these romances. This is emphasized by the idle comments Max makes about one of her possible suitors, Amanda, which seem romantic even if the player chooses the platonic route with her.

It seems like Deck Nine wanted a fresh start with Max and the freedom to shape her character in their own way. In doing so, they chose to disregard her original story to create one that served their own goals, bending the plot to make it work for their new project. While the breakup between Max and Chloe is technically a creative choice by Deck Nine, it comes across as a business decision. Since some disappointed players are now refunding or refusing to buy the game, it may not have been the right option.

Ultimately, Their Breakup is Disrespectful to the Fans and the Nature of the Games

Life is Strange is all about choices and their consequences. The first game has become a staple of the choice-driven narrative genre, and player decisions play a crucial role throughout the franchise. Each Life is Strange game asks players to confirm their ending choice from the first game, as all the stories exist within the same universe, with decisions having lasting effects. Player choice has always been respected, with tangible outcomes. At the end of the first game, players either attended Chloe's funeral or drove away from a decimated Arcadia Bay with her, side by side. For those who chose to save Chloe, the final scene offered the comfort of knowing they'd always be together.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure disregards the player's choice, bending the outcome to fit Deck Nine's narrative. Whether players viewed Max and Chloe's relationship as romantic or platonic, they knew they were inseparable. Max had just sacrificed an entire town for Chloe, and they promised to stick together forever. Ten years later, players discover that Chloe left, and Max accepted it. Fans are both confused and angry because this is not the decision they made at the end of Life is Strange. Deck Nine overwrote the player's decision for the sake of their story. This not only undermines the core of the games—that player choices matter—but also tells nearly half the fanbase that their decision didn't count.

When fans piece together all the facts, it's a disappointing and upsetting realization. In 2015, having two queer women in a video game be either subtly or explicitly romantic—if players chose to sacrifice Chloe, they may kiss goodbye depending on previous choices—was a huge deal. Fans took comfort in knowing that Max and Chloe could have a happy ending together if they chose and that two women got to be together. Deck Nine ended this important relationship to serve their narrative, which some fans see as an insult to themselves and the original game.

Max sacrificed an entire town for Chloe—that's no small thing. Even before that, she bent and twisted the fabric of space and time to save her over and over again. Chloe understands that Max would do anything for her, as shown in their conversation at the lighthouse when Max tells her she's her number one priority. That's why Deck Nine's decision that Max wouldn't give up her rewind powers for Chloe—despite supposedly never using them again after Arcadia Bay—suggests a deep misunderstanding of their relationship. Many fans believed that Chloe and Max would never leave each other's side, but Deck Nine had a different vision, and now, players have to grapple with that choice. Of course, there are still three chapters left of Double Exposure, so there's an inkling of hope that Chloe and Max might reunite.