Unlike modern open-world RPGs, classic arcade game machines were not designed with extensive player-created lore in mind. Their hardware limitations and focus on short, high-score-driven gameplay meant narrative was often minimal. However, players found ingenious ways to project backstories and create emergent lore within these constraints.

The most fundamental method was through the high score board. By entering their initials (3-4 character "tags"), players weren't just claiming a score; they were leaving a permanent mark. A recurring set of initials could become legendary within an arcade, creating a narrative around an anonymous, highly skilled player. The machine itself became a chronicle of these local champions.

In fighting games like "Street Fighter II" or "Mortal Kombat," lore was created through player rivalry and character preference. A player who exclusively mastered a specific character, like Zangief or Sub-Zero, would build a reputation. Their winning streaks became the character's story within that specific arcade cabinet. The community would develop narratives around these rivalries, effectively creating a localized canon that supplemented the game's official backstory.

Furthermore, the limited in-game dialogue and ending sequences fueled player imagination. The brief, often cryptic endings in games like "Pac-Man" or "Donkey Kong" were open to interpretation. Players would discuss and expand upon these snippets, creating elaborate theories to explain character motivations and the game's world, far beyond what the developers explicitly showed.

Ultimately, arcade machines handled player-created lore passively. They provided a structured framework—high scores, character selection, and minimal narrative—that served as a canvas. The players, as a community, were the active agents who painted rich, personalized stories onto that canvas, turning a standalone cabinet into a vessel for shared local history and myth.