Cutscene

A cutscene interrupts play to show a story moment. Control is taken away while characters talk, a villain is revealed or a dramatic event unfolds, and then you are handed back the controller. Cutscenes are the main way many games deliver plot, introduce characters and reward you after a big fight.

Pre-rendered and in-engine

There are two broad types. Pre-rendered cutscenes are video files made in advance, often with more detail than the game can show in real time. In-engine cutscenes are performed live by the game itself using the same models and lighting as play, which keeps the look consistent and allows your character’s current outfit to appear. As game graphics have improved, in-engine scenes have become the norm.

Skipping, watching and speedrunning

Many games let you skip cutscenes, at least after you have seen them once, while others make them mandatory. Players argue about the balance: long cutscenes can feel like a break from playing, but well-made ones are often the most memorable parts of a game. Some games blend the two with quick time events or by letting you walk and look around while characters talk.

Speedrunners care about cutscenes a great deal, since unskippable ones add fixed time to every run. Games with long scenes may have speedrun categories that account for them.

Practical tips

Many games let you pause a cutscene, which helps when real life interrupts. Subtitle and text-size options usually apply to cutscenes too, and are worth switching on for younger readers or anyone in a noisy room. If you skip a scene by mistake, look for a theatre or memories option in the menu, where some games let you rewatch them. Finally, a long cutscene is a natural moment to pause: if someone needs to stop playing, waiting for the next scene to end is often fairer than stopping mid-fight.