History PutOnABus / VideoGames

* Grant [=DaNasty=] from ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse'' and the [=DaNasty=] family line beside brief mentions and a doppelganger boss of him through out the series no one ever talks of him or his family before or after Dracula's Curse. No character has tried to take his place and in other games where Alucard and family members of the other two meet. One of the saddest video game examples as this is now over 20 years since the release of Dracula's Curse. He's not even present for the [[WesternAnimation/Castlevania2017 Castlevania Netflix series]], which is an adaptation of ''Castlevania III''[[note]] Season 3 does have Trevor and Sypha mention a “Pirate of the Roads” which Creator/WarrenEllis confirmed was a throwaway reference to Grant, a gesture that did little to appease fans [[/note]].

** Although he's often considered the most popular character Leon S. Kennedy was PutOnABus after [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil2 RE2]] (1998) and didn't appear in a mainline Resident Evil game until [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 RE4]] (2004).... since the game was actually released in 2005 Leon was technically absent from the franchise for a total of six years and only mentioned once by Claire in ''Code Veronica''. Ironic since he's one of the most beloved characters nowadays. Leon’s prominence in the CG movies have likely made up for his lack of appearances in games after [=RE6=] (barring the [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil2Remake RE2make]] of course)

* Grant [=DaNasty=] from ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse'' and the [=DaNasty=] family line beside brief mentions and a doppelganger boss of him through out the series no one ever talks of him or his family before or after Dracula's Curse. No character has tried to take his place and in other games where Alucard and family members of the other two meet. One of the saddest video game examples as this is now over 20 years since the release of Dracula's Curse. He's not even present for the [[WesternAnimation/Castlevania2017 Castlevania Netflix series]], which is an adaptation of ''Castlevania III''.

* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' has the winning distinction putting ''every single one of it's protagonists'' on a bus at some point, though some characters do tend to reappear in remakes, Mercenary Mode, Crossovers and the [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles light gun]] [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheDarkSideChronicles Wii games]]. The five characters who've chronically had the most games are Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield and Ada Wong thus all five are considered the series mainstays.
** Rebecca Chambers story-wise is the first protagonist chronologically but despite being a main character of [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 RE0]] and [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil RE1]] she was never seen again after those game, 19 years later she appears in ''Anime/ResidentEvilVendetta''. Rebecca's lack of appearances can be attributed Creator/ShinjiMikami having disdain for her [[AmazonChaser compared to tougher]] [=RE=] [[ActionGirl heroines]].

** Although he's often considered the most popular character Leon S. Kennedy was PutOnABus after [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil2 RE2]] (1998) and didn't appear in a mainline Resident Evil game until [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 RE4]] (2004).... since the game was actually released in 2005 Leon was technically absent from the franchise for a total of six years and only mentioned once by Claire in ''Code Veronica''. Ironic since he's one of the most beloved characters nowadays.
** Claire Redfield (Leon's partner) was lucky enough to get [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica a game]] fairly soon after [=RE2=]... however she then vanished for 7 years until her appearance in ''Anime/ResidentEvilDegeneration'' then Claire was then put on a bus for another 6 years until ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilRevelations2''. What’s most painful is the [[WordOfGod knowledge]] that [[WhatCouldHaveBeen Claire was actually supposed to Leon’s partner in]] [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil6 RE6]] but she was pulled out late into development and replaced with Helena so she could be in the aforementioned ''Revelations 2'' two years later meaning Claire’s bus trip got prolonged.

** Sherry Birkin first appeared in [=RE2=] as little girl taken in by Leon and Claire, only to be taken away by TheGovernment after the events of [=RE2=]. Sherry only reappeared in [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil6 RE6]] as a grown woman ''13 years later'', she reunites with Leon (whose [[AdultFear horrified]] that she's been raised by [[BigBad Simmons]] all this time). Sherry hasn't appeared with Claire in the games canonically since 1998, which considering their [[ParentalSubstitute relationship]] is upsetting. [=RE6=] has some files reveal that Claire got see Sherry in the between years, but fans unmoved had the ShowDontTell response.
** Technically Chris was put a bus after Code Veronica since (not counting the light gun Wii Game ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles'') Chris didn't star in a mainline game for 9 years until [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 RE5]]. Though after [=RE5=] he subsequently appears in [=RE6=], [=RE7=] and ''Vendetta'' which more than makes up for his hiatus in which Leon [[SpotlightStealingSquad ruled]] the Resident Evil games and [=CG=] movies.
** Jill is considered the franchise main ActionGirl appearing in more games than Claire, Ada and Rebecca combined so it's quite disconcerting that after [=RE5=] (where she spent most of game BrainwashedAndCrazy) Jill drops off the face of the earth for the rest of the games. The last we hear of her whereabouts is when Barry gets a email from Jill where she says she's bored being stuck in a [=BSAA=] lab undergoing treatment and observation for all BioAugmentation she went through under Wesker's hand.
** Even Ada has been Put On The Bus now as despite being an integral character in [=RE6=], she vanishes completely in the following titles. Even in ''Anime/ResidentEvilVendetta'' Leon (whose smitten with her) makes no mention of her despite Ada's prominence in the [[Anime/ResidentEvilDamnation previous]] CG movie.

* ''VideoGame/AngryBirds2'' has done this with Hal, Bubbles, and Stella. The special ability of the new bird Silver incorporates the backwards turning aspect of Hal's ability, and the Pig Inflater spell takes Bubbles' ballooning and uses it on the pigs as a weapon. Nothing so far replicates Stella's bubbling ability.

** Although he's often considered the most popular character Leon S. Kennedy was PutOnABus after [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil2 RE2]] (1998) and didn't appear in a mainline Resident Evil game until [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 RE4]] (2004).... since the game was actually released in 2005 Leon was technically absent from the series for a total of five years and only mentioned once by Claire in Code Veronica. Ironic since he's one of the most beloved characters nowadays.

** Prarie and the Guardians from ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' completely disappear in ''VideoGame/MegaManZXAdvent'', though their airship is used by [[SchrodingersPlayerCharacter Vent/Aile]] to help shuttle the player and a few Hunters to Ouroboros.

** The remaining Four Guardians completely disappear from the plot after ''VideoGame/MegaManZero3'', though it's later explained [[AllThereInTheManual in supplementary material]] that [[spoiler: they were all killed at the end of ''Zero 3'' when Omega exploded.]] The Mother Elf similarly flies off at the end of ''Zero 3'' and is completely absent from ''Zero 4''.

* A rare literal example occurs in ''VideoGame/Uncharted3DrakesDeception''. Charlie Cutter, established as a ass-kicking Brit, has his last scene on a tour guide bus. Chloe Frasier gets put on the same bus. Neither of them appear again in the game. Chloe ends up replaced with Elena Fischer (just like in the second game). This is an example of RealLifeWritesThePlot, as Cutter's actor, Graham [=McTavish=], was to be cast in ''Film/TheHobbit'', meaning that he couldn't be around to voice Cutter for the last third of the game, since he was intended to be a part of the whole game.
* ''VideoGame/RandalsMonday'': [[spoiler:Kramer just disappears from the game after he sends you to prison]].
* Meta-example - ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsX'' is the first game since ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsNEO'' to not feature any one of ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'', ''Anime/DancougarNova'' and ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny''; it also excludes ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn'' and any form of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'' for the first time since their respective debuts.
* The Hero of Ferelden from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' is revealed to disappeared completely by 9:40, explained through letters in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' as their quest to cure the Calling and grant themselves and fellow Wardens a longer life free of the taint and its negative effects.
** Subverted in Trespasser if the Warden is in a relationship with Divine Leliana: [[spoiler:she allows open romantic relationships within the Chantry, meaning the Warden once again becomes a very public figure to the people of Thedas.]]
* A number of playable characters in past ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' games are absent from ''Xrd'''s roster. While most of them make minor appearances in the game's Story Mode, the most notable absences are Bridget, who's sole post-''XX'' appearance has been in the ''Vastedge'' pachinko game, and A.B.A., who disappeared completely just after ''XX Accent Core Plus'' finally gave her her own Story Mode route.
** Everyone who's not Sol, Ky, That Man or, to a certain extent, Dizzy is completely absent from ''Guilty Gear 2: Overture'', which is part of what made it such a ContestedSequel (along with the GenreShift into a strategy game.)
* ''VideoGame/MegaMan''
** A number of characters have disappeared throughout the ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' series. Dr. Cain vanished after the third game, with some implications that [[BusCrash he retired and eventually died offscreen]], and the ''VideoGame/MegaManMaverickHunterX'' timeline retcons that he was killed before the game even ''started''. Both Douglas and Dynamo disappear without explanation after [[VideoGame/MegaManX6 the sixth game]], and the Lifesaver Reploids only appear in [[VideoGame/MegaManX5 the fifth]].
** Prarie and the Guardians from ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' completely disappear in ''VideoGame/MegaManZXAdvent'', though their airship is used by [[SchrodingersPlayerCharacter Vent/Aile]] to help shuttle the player and a few Hunters to Ouroboros.
** Proto Man and Bass are completely absent from ''VideoGame/MegaMan11'', not even mentioned outside a single database entry. Duo's appeared in ''VideoGame/MegaMan8'' and a few other games released around the same time, only to fly off into space and never appear again outside of the occasional subtle cameo. King only appeared in ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass'' and last the player heard from him he was WalkingTheEarth after his defeat. Cossack and Kalinka more or less vanished after ''VideoGame/MegaMan4'', though Cossack was mentioned as one of the creators of OVER-1 in ''VideoGame/RockmanXover'', and more recently Tundra Man from ''11'' was created by Cossack Robot Laboratories.
** The remaining Four Guardians completely disappear from the plot after ''VideoGame/MegaManZero3'', though it's later explained [[AllThereInTheManual in supplementary material]] that [[spoiler: they were all killed at the end of ''Zero 3'' when Omega exploded.]] The Mother Elf similarly flies off at the end of ''Zero 3'' and is completely absent from ''Zero 4''.

* [[BigBad Morden]], [[TheDragon Allen]], and the Rebel Army are nowhere to be found in ''[[VideoGame/MetalSlug Metal Slug 5]]'', instead being replaced by a much different terrorist organization called the Ptolemaic Army. Also, Nadia and Trevor, who appeared in the fourth game, are left out of the series following the fifth game.

*** Still Rebecca has it lucky compared to her partner form ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 0]]'' Billy Cohen, who unlike other examples has official status of "[[UncertainDoom unknown]]" as he was a escaped convict. Billy's last appearance is Rebecca giving him a chance of freedom by taking his dogtags before he goes off into the wilderness never to be seen or mentioned again.

** Speaking of ''Revelations 2'' that was first time Barry Burton was seen seen since [=RE1=], a whooping 16 years later and it's his only canonically playable appearance.

* A rare literal example occurs in ''VideoGame/Uncharted3DrakesDeception''. Charlie Cutter, established as a ass-kicking Brit, has his last scene on a tour guide bus. Chloe Frasier gets put on the same bus. Neither of them appear again in the game. Chloe ends up replaced with Elena Fischer (just like in the second game). Sure, Charlie's leg was broken, but they could have at least shown him in an epilogue, or something.
** This is also an example of RealLifeWritesThePlot, as Cutter's actor, Graham [=McTavish=], was to be cast in ''Film/TheHobbit'', meaning that he couldn't be around to voice Cutter for the last third of the game, since he was intended to be a part of the whole game.

** Rebecca Chambers story-wise is the first protagonist but despite being a main character of [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 RE0]] and [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil RE1]] she was never seen again after those game, 19 years later she appears in ''Anime/ResidentEvilVendetta''. Rebecca's lack of appearances can be attributed Creator/ShinjiMikami having disdain for her [[AmazonChaser compared to tougher]] [=RE=] [[ActionGirl heroines]].

** Although he's often considered the most popular character Leon S. Kennedy was PutOnABus after [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil2 RE2]] (1998) and didn't appear in a mainline Resident Evil game until [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 RE4]] (2004).... since the game was actually released in 2005 Leon was technically absent from the series for five total years and only mentioned once by Claire in Code Veronica. Ironic since he's one of the most beloved characters nowadays.
** Claire Redfield (Leon's partner) was lucky enough to get [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica a game]] fairly soon after [=RE2=]... however she then vanished for 7 years until her appearance in ''Anime/ResidentEvilDegeneration'' then Claire was then put on a bus for another 6 years until ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilRevelations2''.
*** Speaking of Revelations 2 that was first time Barry Burton was seen seen since [=RE1=], a whooping 16 years later and it's his only canonically playable appearance.
** Sherry Birkin first appeared in [=RE2=] as orphaned little girl taken in by Leon and Claire, only to be taken away by TheGovernment after the events of [=RE2=]. Sherry only reappeared in [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil6 RE6]] as grown woman ''13 years later'', she reunites with Leon (whose [[AdultFear horrified]] that she's been raised by [[BigBad Simmons]] all this time). Sherry hasn't been with Claire in the games canonically since 1998, which considering their [[ParentalSubstitute relationship]] is upsetting. [=RE6=] has some files that reveal Claire got see Sherry in the between years, but fans unmoved had the ShowDontTell response.
** Technically Chris was put a bus after Code Veronica since (not counting the light gun Wii Game ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles'') Chris didn't starred in a mainline game for 9 years until [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilRevelations RE5]]. Though after [=RE5=] he subsequently appears in [=RE6=], [=RE7=] and ''Vendetta'' which more than makes up for his hiatus in which Leon [[SpotlightStealingSquad ruled]] the Resident Evil games and [=CG=] movies.

** Even Ada has been Put On The Bus now as despite being an integral character in [=RE6=] she vanishes completely in the following titles. Even in ''Anime/ResidentEvilVendetta'' Leon (whose smitten with her) makes no mention of her despite Ada's prominence in the [[Anime/ResidentEvilDamnation previous]] CG movie.

* In ''[[VideoGame/MitsumeteKnight Mitsumete Knight R : Daibouken Hen]]'', all characters of the original ''Mitsumete Knight'' game save for [[TheHero Sophia]], [[EmotionlessGirl Rai]][[EnsembleDarkhorse zze]], [[HugeSchoolgirl Leslie]], [[{{Bokukko}} Hanna]], [[RichBitch Linda]], and [[spoiler: [[MonsterClown Carneau]]]] are reduced to mere cameos. Which is really baffling in [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses Priscilla]] and [[MysteriousWaif Anne's]] cases, as both were poster girls in the original game [[DemotedToExtra and vital characters for its plot]], as well as being well-liked by the fandom.

* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' has the winning distinction putting ''every single one of it's protagonists'' on a bus at some point, though the characters do tend to reappear in remakes, Mercenary Mode, Crossovers and the [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles light gun]] [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheDarkSideChronicles Wii games]]. The four characters who've chronically had the most games are Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield thus all four are considered the series mainstays.
** Rebecca Chambers story-wise is the first protagonist but despite being a main character of [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 RE0]] and [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil RE1]] she was never seen again after those game, 19 years she appears in ''Anime/ResidentEvilVendetta''. Rebecca's lack of appearances can be attributed Creator/ShinjiMikami having disdain for her [[AmazonChaser compared to tougher]] [=RE=] [[ActionGirl heroines]].
*** Still Rebecca has it lucky compared to her partner form ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 0]]'': Billy Cohen, who unlike other examples has official status of "[[UncertainDoom unknown]]" as he was a escaped convict. Billy's last appearance is Rebecca giving him a chance of freedom by taking his dogtags before he goes off into the wilderness never to be seen or mentioned again.

** Sherry Birkin first appeared in [=RE2=] as orphaned little girl taken in by Leon and Claire, only to be taken away by TheGovernment after the events of [=RE2=]. Sherry only reappeared in [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil6 RE6]] as grown woman ''13 years later'', she reunites with Leon (whose horrified that she's been raised by [[BigBad Simmons]] all this time). Sherry hasn't been with Claire in the games canonically since 1998, which considering their [[ParentalSubstitute relationship]] is upsetting. [=RE6=] has some files that reveal Claire got see Sherry in the between years, but fans unmoved had the ShowDontTell response.
** Technically Chris was put a bus after Code Veronica since (not counting the light gun Wii Game ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles'') Chris didn't starred in a mainline game for 9 years until [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilRevelations RE5]]. Though after [=RE5=] he subsequently appears in [=RE6=], [=RE7=] and Vendetta which makes up for his hiatus in which Leon [[SpotlightStealingSquad ruled]] the Resident Evil games and [=CG=] movies.
** Jill is considered the franchise main ActionGirl appearing in more games than Claire, Ada and Rebecca combined so it's quite disconcerting that after [=RE5=] (where she spent most of game BrainwashedAndCrazy) Jill drops off the face of the earth for the rest of the games. The last we hear of her whereabouts is when Barry gets a email from Jill where she says she's bored being stuck in a [=BSAA=] lab undergoing treatment and observation for all BioAugmentation she went though under Wesker's hand.
** Even Ada is On A Bus now as despite being the main focus of [=RE6=] she vanishes completely in the following titles. Even in ''Anime/ResidentEvilVendetta'' Leon (whose smitten with her) makes no mention of her despite Ada's prominence in the [[Anime/ResidentEvilDamnation previous]] CG movie.

** '''All''' the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' characters drop off the face of the earth in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' as Tetsuya Nomura elected to put his original characters over recurring ones. [=FF=] characters only cameo as toy boxes in ''Franchise/ToyStory'' world.

** The remaining Four Guardians completely disappear from the plot after ''VideoGame/MegaManZero3'', though it's later explained [[AllThereInTheManual in supplementary material]] that [[spoiler: they were all killed at the end of ''Zero 3'' when Omega exploded.]] The Mother Elf similarly flies off at the end of ''Zero 3'' and is completely absent from ''Zero 4''.
* Half of your opponents from the original ''VideoGame/StreetFighterI'' - Retsu, Geki, Joe, Mike, and Lee - have never made another appearance since that game (contrary to CommonKnowledge, Mike is ''not'' Boxer, nor are he and Joe the two guys fighting in the original ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' intro.) Supplementary materials reveal that Geki [[BusCrash has died at some point]] and been succeeded by [[LegacyCharacter "Geki II"]].

* Half of your opponents from the original ''VideoGame/StreetFighterI'' - Retsu, Geki, Joe, Mike, and Lee - have never made another appearance since that game (contrary to CommonKnowledge, Mike is ''not'' Boxer, nor are he and Joe the two guys fighting in the original ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' intro.)

* Half of your opponents from the original ''VideoGame/StreetFighterI'' - Retsu, Geki, Joe, Mike, and Lee - have never made another appearance since that game. Contrary to CommonKnowledge, Joe is ''not'' Boxer, nor are he and Joe the two guys fighting in the original ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' intro.

* Half of your opponents from the original ''VideoGame/StreetFighterI'' - Retsu, Geki, Joe, Mike (who, contrary to CommonKnowledge, is ''not'' Boxer) and Lee - have never made another appearance since that game.

** The remaining Four Guardians completely disappear from the plot after ''VideoGame/MegaManZero3'', though it's later explained [[AllThereInTheManual in supplementary material]] that [[spoiler: they were all killed at the end of ''Zero 3'' when Omega exploded.]] The Mother Elf similarly flies off at the end of ''Zero 3'' and is completely absent from ''Zero 4''.

* The remaining Four Guardians completely disappear from the plot after ''VideoGame/MegaManZero3'', though it's later explained [[AllThereInTheManual in supplementary material]] that [[spoiler: they were all killed at the end of ''Zero 3'' when Omega exploded.]] The Mother Elf similarly flies off at the end of ''Zero 3'' and is completely absent from ''Zero 4''.

** Proto Man and Bass are completely absent from ''VideoGame/MegaMan11'', not even mentioned outside a single database entry. Duo's appeared in ''VideoGame/MegaMan8'' and a few other games released around the same time, only to fly off into space and never appear again outside of the occasional subtle cameo. King only appeared in ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass'' and last the player heard from him he was WalkingTheEarth after his defeat. Cossack and Kalinka more or less vanished after ''VideoGame/MegaMan4'', though Cossack was mentioned as one of the creators of OVER-1 in ''VideoGame/RockmanXover'', and more recently Tundra Man from ''11'' was created by Cossack Robot Laboratories.

** Proto Man and Bass are completely absent from ''VideoGame/MegaMan11'', not even mentioned outside a single database entry. Duo's appeared in ''VideoGame/MegaMan8'' and a few other games released around the same time, only to fly off into space and never appear again outside of the occasional subtle cameo. King only appeared in ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass'' and last the player heard from him he was WalkingTheEarth after his defeat. Cossack and Kalinka more or less vanished after ''VideoGame/MegaMan4'', though Cossack was mentioned as one of the creators of OVER-1 in ''VideoGame/MegaManXover'', and more recently Tundra Man from ''11'' was created by Cossack Robot Laboratories.

** Everyone who's not Sol, Ky, That Man or, to a certain extent, Dizzy is completely absent from ''Guilty Gear 2: Overture'', which is part of what made it such a ContestedSequel (along with the GenreShift into a strategy game.)

* Grant [=DaNasty=] from ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse'' and the [=DaNasty=] family line beside brief mentions and a doppelganger boss of him through out the series no one ever talks of him or his family before or after Dracula's Curse. No character has tried to take his place and in other games where Alucard and family members of the other two meet. One of the saddest video game examples as this is now over 20 years since the release of Dracula's Curse.

* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' EVERYONE who isn't Franchise/DonkeyKong, Diddy, Cranky, Funky or Dixie (And almost all the animal friends besides Rambi). Candy, Swanky, Kiddy, Chunky, Lanky, Tiny, and Wrinkly [[note]] though likely justified that she's a ghost now [[/note]], even King K. Rool is long replaced. All just vanished. Contrary to popular belief, Nintendo still owns the characters; they just stopped appearing outside of collectible trophies in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''.

** Everyone who's not Sol, Ky, That Man or, to a certain extent, Dizzy is completely absent from ''Guilty Gear 2: Overture''.

* A number of playable characters in past ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' games are absent from ''Xrd'''s roster. While most of them make minor appearances in the game's Story Mode, the most notable absences are Bridget, who's sole post-''XX'' appearance has been in the ''Vastedge'' pachinko game, and A.B.A., who disappeared completely just after ''XX Accent Core Plus'' finally gave her her own Story Mode route.

** Subverted in Trespasser if the Warden is in a relationship with Divine Leliana: [[spoiler:she allows open romantic relationships within the Chantry, meaning the Warden once again becomes a very public figure to the people of Thedas.]]