Following on from the trailblazing 2013 release, The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Edition successfully continues the trend of hidden easter eggs and references with several notable updates. Willing players are subtly encouraged to explore The Stanley Parable's many alternate endings, but the game's constantly changing nature means attentive players can stumble upon unusual secrets.
Multiple versions of The Stanley Parable contain plenty of easter eggs, many of which re-appear in the Ultra Deluxe Edition. However, since a lot of them are still as elusive as ever, some easter egg mentions in this list can also be found in the 2013 version. Additional easter eggs have also been updated since the original release, resulting in unexpected new dialogue and secrets.
9 Hidden Payday Mask Reference
Despite only appearing in one confusing story path, "The Stanley Parable Adventure Line™" is one of the most iconic setpieces for the entire game. Along the meandering yellow plotline's path, it is possible to locate a facemask decorated with the Star Spangled banner as worn by Dallas in the Payday series. Fans may need to turn up the screen brightness to reliably see it, but this unmentioned reference is just one of The Stanley Parable's shout-outs to other games.
8 The Stanley Parable 2 QR Code
In The Stanley Parable 2's expo rooms, a merchandise stand is visible with shirts and posters that contain tongue-in-cheek lines about the sequel. Another part of the sign is a QR code which, when scanned successfully, leads to a promotional website for The Stanley Parable 2.
An unlisted YouTube video can also be watched on this site, similar in comedic tone to the game's trailers and fictional PSAs. Picking up the Reassurance Bucket in this room also allows the player to unlock new endings when revisiting story paths.
7 Coda's Three Dots
One room that Stanley can enter is the Cargo Room, with a lift and some diverging paths. A lot of the room is made up of boxes and industrial equipment, but a small symbol can be seen on the wall to the right of the platform when you enter. This is a reference to another environmental narrative game written by Davey Wreden, The Beginner's Guide.
This three-dot pattern is a recurring icon that appears frequently throughout The Beginner's Guide, thought to be a "signature" of Coda, the level designer. Its presence in The Stanley Parable raises many questions about any connection between the two games. Regardless of its purpose, this small logo is still an enticing easter egg hinting at more of the developer's other games.
6 Employee 432 References
The number "432" is a recurring motif hidden throughout different paths, in reference to another employee at Stanley's unnamed company. Along with other details easily visible such as the desk labeled 432 having no papers or computers on it, other notes about Employee 432 can be seen on whiteboards and other written notes. Even the secret Heaven Ending contains 432 buttons.
The biggest Easter Egg can be seen along The Stanley Parable Adventure Line™ while the triumphant music is playing. Along a secret corridor, a room can be seen through an adjoining window full of Employee 432's peer reviews. Some fans theorize that 432 is another employee like Stanley who has broken out of his routine, but no matter what its purpose is, this easily missed easter egg is a popular talking point among players.
5 Metal Gear Solid In Firewatch In The Stanley Parable
After disobeying everything the Narrator has been guiding you towards, he will eventually transport Stanley to "someone else's game," which in this instance is Firewatch, an open-world walking simulator. Fans who have played the original game will easily recognize the lookout tower they end up in, but close examination of the books on the shelf reveals a shout-out to the Metal Gear franchise.
Both "The Patriots" and "Donald Anderson" are important entities in the stealth-based series, which also has several iconic fourth wall breaks. Fans of the series will know their importance, and it is a fitting detail to preserve between all three games.
4 Mysterious Wandering Employee
The framing device for The Stanley Parable's story is that all of Stanley's co-workers have gone missing, but in the second office room Stanley can walk through, there is a window looking into Employee 425's room.
There is a small chance for eagle-eyed players to see another person walking through the office corridor. This unexplained NPC has the same character model as Stanley, which hints at the game's cyclical nature.
3 Mind Control Facility Song
The original Stanley Parable game had an infamous bug that resulted when players managed to climb off of the Mind Control Facility's catwalk, leaving them stuck at the bottom of the room until they reset. The Ultra Deluxe Edition acknowledges this if players manage to do this again, with some secret dialogue and an additional musical piece.
The Narrator lampshades this easter egg ending directly, saying that players can call it "Bottom of the Mind Control Facility Ending" if they so wish. Bringing along the bucket before falling off the catwalk leads to another alternate ending, although this one is considerably more dramatic.
2 Callbacks To Number 8
The Stanley Parable likes to reference its origins a lot, such as the Half-Life 2 mod versions or its demo. The latter presented the player with a "game" which only consisted of pressing a button and the word "EIGHT" being said. Since then, the number 8 can be found around the Ultra Deluxe Edition in some very unusual locations.
Examples include a number 8 on the side of every single forklift model and the suitcase item which appears when bringing the bucket to the Phone Ending. There is even a bonus achievement/trophy that is given when eight 8s are put into the Boss's Office keypad, and the same soundbite plays.
1 The Secret Countdown Song
The infamous Countdown Ending has been the subject of many hoaxes and theories trying to find a way to stop the bomb from going off. While this is confirmed as impossible, the section does house a humorous easter egg that many people wouldn't notice in the mad panic to shut down the timer.
In the final Mind Control facility room, a large screen with a timer can be found. In the top right of the screen is a series of letters and numbers that make up a unique YouTube URL. When typed in, they lead to a video of British musician Tim Minchin's "Three Minute Song." A fitting musical accompaniment for the typically tense ending.
Since 2013, The Stanley Parable has teased its players with the allure of finding yet more secrets and sharing them with others for comedy and/or art purposes. More secrets have yet to be discovered in the Ultra Deluxe Edition, but finding them is part of the fun.
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Edition is playable on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.