History BreakoutCharacter / VideoGames

* Varric Tethras from ''Franchise/DragonAge'' debuted in perhaps the [[VideoGame/DragonAgeII most controversial game]] of the series but, thanks to his snarky, yet friendly personality, defiance of virtually every popular dwarf cliche, and his excellent chemistry and endearing friendship with the PlayerCharacter of said game[[labelnote:*]]while it is possible to form a rivalry with him, it's almost impossible to do so unless deliberately antagonizing him[[/labelnote]], that has not slowed down his popularity at all. He's the only party member from that game to be universally well-received and since then, he was a main character in three comic series as well as being one of the only two party members of the entire series to return as a party member in a sequel, ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' in his case. Of those two, he's the only one who was a party member in two base games.

* [[VideoGame/{{Yakuza}} Goro Majima]] was introduced as a borderline AxCrazy [[TheRival rival]] to leading man Kazuma Kiryu. As the series progressed, his popularity grew as his character developed into one of the most complex and likeable members of the Tojo Clan, eventually granting him a starring role alongside Kiryu as [[PromotedToPlayable a playable character]] in ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', along with a side-story campaign of his own in ''[[VideoGame/Yakuza2 Yakuza Kiwami 2]]''.

* Originally, the most iconic character from ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' alongside the Villagers was probably Tom Nook. Then came ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewLeaf'', which introduced Isabelle, your assistant helping you in your duties as mayor in that game. She was instantly popular and has since become the other face of the franchise, becoming a mainstay in all future entries, "running" the social media accounts for the games, and showing up in other franchises like ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', and ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter''.

*** Generation III: Blaziken,[[note]]Although not to the level of Charizard, Blaziken ended up becoming the most used starter of the third generation. Blaziken's popularity led to the game developers into creating ''two'' {{Expy}} starters in the form of Infernape and Emboar. Blaziken also was the first starter after the originals to get a Mega Evolution in Gen VI (and as an event, at that!). As an aside, Torchic is also popular in its own right as it received plenty of minor showcasing.[[/note]] Gardevoir,[[note]]Gardevoir and the whole family has become much more prominent in later generations than its first. It got Gallade as an alternate second stage evolution, and Generation VI gives it a Mega Evolution which is the Champion's signature Pokémon.[[/note]] Rayquaza[[note]]Rayquaza, like Charizard, ranks high in popularity polls and was voted as the most popular version mascot in a Japanese poll. It got quite a few gratuitous appearances across the franchise from late 2011 to early 2012, including as UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga's strongest Pokémon in ''VideoGame/PokemonConquest''. It also got a Mega Evolution in ''Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire'', which is considered to be the biggest GameBreaker in the franchise since Mewtwo in Gen I (before the Special stat was split in two).[[/note]]
*** Generation IV: Piplup,[[note]]Piplup is extremely popular in Japan, moreso than its future evolutions. Part of it might have been due to the [[Film/MarchOfThePenguins penguin]] [[WesternAnimation/HappyFeet craze]] around at the time, but Piplup's popularity was solidified when it became Dawn's starter [[Anime/PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl in the anime]] and given co-star treatment next to Pikachu only several episodes in. Since then, Piplup has appeared prominently in the franchise, being the starter Pokémon for protagonists such [[Manga/PokemonDiamondAndPearlAdventure Haerta]] and [[Manga/PokemonAdventures Platinum]], as well as the main hero in the ''Mystery Dungeon Explorer'' specials. Dawn's Piplup in particular has led to several {{Expy}}s such as Ash's Oshawott and Clemont's Chespin. If that wasn't clear already, Piplup appears as a starter for one of main characters in the [[Anime/PokemonIChooseYou twentieth movie]] despite being neither a Gen I or VII Pokémon.[[/note]] Bidoof,[[note]]Despite being a ComMon, Bidoof would get a lot of attention from official and unofficial sources, thanks to memes surrounding its derpy appearance and status as a BoringButPractical HM Slave. In addition to receiving a good amount of merch, for April Fools' Day 2021, Pokémon's social media pages became entirely Bidoof themed, and later that year they announced a new fandom holiday in the form of Bidoof Day and the animatedshort ''Bidoof's Big Stand''.[[/note]] Lucario,[[note]]Lucario's popularity exploded upon release, quickly overshadowing the starters of the gen as the most popular Pokémon. Lucario became the focal Pokémon of [[Anime/PokemonLucarioAndTheMysteryOfMew the eighth movie]], a gift Pokémon in ''every'' subsequent game released after its introduction, became a fighter in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, and even given an expy in the form of Zoroark. It's even set to be prominently featured in the [[Anime/PokemonIChooseYou twentieth movie]] despite the fact Gen IV is not being advertised at the time. Ash himself eventually got one in the ''Journeys'' anime as well.[[/note]], Garchomp,[[note]]Garchomp is commonly considered the most popular [[InfinityMinusOneSword pseudo-legendary]] Pokémon in the franchise, and often ranks second in popularity to Lucario as far as Generation IV goes. It is the SignatureMon of the aforementioned Champion Cynthia, and was made playable in ''VideoGame/PokkenTournament'' due to its popularity.[[/note]] Darkrai[[note]]Despite being a Mythical Pokémon, which are usually treated as in-game secrets that get one anime movie in the limelight, its [[WhiteHairBlackHeart JRPG villain aesthetic]] made it popular enough to be an antagonist in several spinoff games along with its expected role in ''Anime/PokemonTheRiseOfDarkrai''. It had a memorable appearance as the TrueFinalBoss of ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers'', and was also the FinalBoss of ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRanger Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/PokeparkWii PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond]]''[[/note]], Arceus[[note]] Being the at the time absolute strongest Pokémon and InUniverse CreatorDeity quickly helped Arceusgain a lot of mainstream appeal for a mythicalPokémon, which culminated in it getting it's own game years down the line in ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus''.[[/note]]

*** Generation VIII: Dracovish,[[note]]Dracovish would become a surprise fan-favourite due to its [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass utterly insane capability in battle]] contrasted with its goofy appearance and cursed existence. Consequently, it began getting featured heavily in merch and the official twitter, and being made part of Ash's team in ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries''.[[/note]] Hisuian Zorua/Zoroark[[note]]The Normal/Ghost variant of Generation V's Zoroark line, Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark managed to find immense popularity thanks to their unique typings, [[WoobieSpecies tragic backstory]], and cute/CreepyAwesome designs respectively. A shiny Hisuian Zorua (later Zoroark) is featured heavily in ''WebAnimation/PokemonHisuianSnow'', while Hisuian Zoroark was among the first Pokémon to be confirmed to return in ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet''.[[/note]]

** The early ''MK'' games featured Liu Kang as the lead character and the intro of [[VideoGame/MortalKombatII the second game]] even goes as far as to declare him as the canonical winner of the first tournament. However, the rival ninjas Sub-Zero and Scorpion ultimately prove to be more popular characters (to the point that Midway created ''Ultimate VideoGame/MortalKombat3'' in response to all the complaints about Scorpion's absence in the original edition) and as the series went on, the marketing for the newer games tended to focused more around them, culminating with their appearances on the packaging of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' and ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX''.
** [[SunGlassesAtNight Johnny Cage]] certainly wasn't the most popular character in the original ''MK'' and its sequels, but by the time of ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 MK9]]'' and the start of ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatX MKX]]'', he's grown in popularity so much he get can get away with beating both mascot ninjas Scorpion and Sub-Zero in a two on one match at the start of the game. Johnny pretty much replaces Liu Kang as TheHero of Earthrealm.
** Quan Chi wasn't much more than a manipulating {{Necromancer}} in his early games though his [[GrievousHarmwithaBody fatality]] was admittedly pretty awesome, but in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' where he is redesigned into a [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]]-looking badass, he immediately became way more popular, continuing into ''[=MKX=]'' where he is one of the most played characters.
** Fair to say Mileena, despite being considered a AxCrazy ButterFace, is far more popular than the rest of the franchise's female characters and is on many top ten [[MsFanservice sexiest]] female video game character lists as well as best ''MK'' character lists. Her sheer popularity's led to her return after dying in ''MKX'', which lampshaded during her long [[TheBusCameBack awaited return]] in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' specifically, her reveal trailer with Erron Black.

** [[SunGlassesAtNight Johnny Cage]] certainly wasn't the most popular character in the original ''MK'' and its sequels, but by the time of ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 MK9]]'' and the start of ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatX MKX]]'' he's grown in popularity so much he get can get away with beating both mascot Ninjas Scorpion and Sub-Zero in a two on one match at the start of the game. Johnny pretty much replaces Liu Kang as TheHero of Earthrealm.
** Quan-Chi wasn't much more than a manipulating {{Necromancer}} in his early games though his [[GrievousHarmwithaBody fatality]] was admittedly pretty awesome, but in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' where he is redesigned into a [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]]-looking badass, he immediately became way more popular, continuing into ''[=MKX=]'' where he is one of the most played characters.

** Kotal Khan became very popular after his debut and was especially given a lot of screen time in the ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'' comic.
** Kenshi from ''Deadly Alliance'' is easily the most popular character to debut from that game. In fact, he was the only returning post-''Mortal Kombat 3'' character, besides Quan Chi, to be part of ''Mortal Kombat 9'''s roster, as downloadable content. He would also return for ''Mortal Kombat X'', this time as part of the base roster.

%%Needs more context about their roles growing.** Along with Kotal, D'vorah, Erron Black and Ferra/Tor instantly became popular in X, with fans praising their designs and playstyles compared to previous new characters introduced in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat3'' and ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon''.

** However, Baiken barely even holds a candle to the likes of Bridget, who has arguably been ''the'' breakout character of the series since her debut in ''XX'', thanks to her cute design, as well as the humor revolving around it, even originally being the trope namer for UnsettlingGenderReveal. However, her reintroduction in ''STRIVE'' truly cemented her status as a breakout character eith her being retooled from an effeminate young man made to wear feminine clothing, to a full-on transgender woman; a decision that, while initially controversial, resulted in her gaining a ''massive'' surge in popularity, especially since the ''Guilty Gear'' series was already incredibly popular in the LGBTQ+ community. It's gotten to the point that Bridget is now the de-facto face of the series, eclipsing mainstays such as Sol and Ky.

** However, Baiken barely even holds a candle to the likes of Bridget, who has arguably been ''the'' breakout character of the series since her debut in ''XX'', thanks to her cute design, as well as the humor revolving around it, even originally being the trope namer for UnsettlingGenderReveal. However, her reintroduction in ''STRIVE'' truly cemented her status as a breakout character eith her being retooled from an effeminate young man made to wear feminine clothing, to a full-on trangender woman; a decision that, while initially controversial, resulted in her gaining a ''massive'' surge in popularity, especially since the ''Guilty Gear'' series was already incredibly popular in the LGBTQ+ community. It's gotten to the point that Bridget is now the de-facto face of the series, eclipsing mainstays such as Sol and Ky.

* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'': Baiken has always been among the most recognizable characters the series has but was never too much around the cream of the crop like Sol, Ky, Dizzy, etc. However over the years, she has grown more and more popular for her design and personality that by the time of ''Xrd'', newcomers and outsiders were interested in Guilty Gear solely for Baiken alone, to the point that [=ArcSys=] is very confident in lending Baiken for other video game series as a guest, and as a selling factor for separate DLC in ''Guilty Gear'' itsself. Baiken also plays a central role in ''STRIVE'''s [[SimultaneousArcs Another Story]], when in past games she tended to have more of a solo arc largely independent from most characters.

*** Within the ''VideoGame/WarioWare'' series is Ashley, the [[CuteWitch young witch]] introduced in ''[=WarioWare=]: Touched!'' Quite popular in Japan (and well-liked outside of Japan), Nintendo started to catch on her popularity after the release of ''Game & Wario'' and started to heavily promote her: she was made into an Assist Trophy in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'' and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', had a reward themed after her on the Japanese Club Nintendo, had three UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS themes before any ''Wario'' games were released for the system, was used in Japan to [[WolverinePublicity promote games she doesn't appear in]], has a ridiculous number of badges in ''VideoGame/NintendoBadgeArcade'' and was even the subject of a 2017 AprilFools gag about a fake game starring her, has her own minigame with an unlockable character gallery dedicated solely to her and her assistant Red (and no one else) in ''[=WarioWare=] Gold'', and is an unlockable costume in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker''. This makes her the first and so far only ''[=WarioWare=]'' character to appear in a ''Mario'' game in any form.

* One of the Waddle Dees in the ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' series has turned into his own character. He originally appeared as a minor opponent in the MegatonPunch ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'' minigame, but later went on to become the joke boss in ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror''. He would end up being very popular with the fans after that, so the developers followed up by making him a major character in ''[[UpdatedRerelease Kirby Super Star Ultra]]'' in the ''Revenge of the King'' episode, and eventually [[PromotedToPlayable promoting him to playable]] in ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand'', with his primary abilities being the [[BladeOnAStick spear]] and being able to simply jump continuously rather than float or fly with wings, and he acquired an UniformityException-inducing bandanna. Since then, Bandanna Waddle Dee has been a core part of the series.

*** Rydia too, she almost rivals Kain in popularity. This resulted in her being arguably the main protagonist in ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIVTheAfterYears The After Years]]'', with her Eidolons are a strong plot point and the main villain is her EvilCounterpart. She has also appeared in ''VideoGame/TheatrhythmFinalFantasy'' and ''VideoGame/WorldOfFinalFantasy''.

*** Amusingly, ''Dirge of Cerberus'' led to its own breakout character: Shelke Rui (Shelke the Transparent). Since her appearance as a [[HeelFaceTurn antagonist-turned-ally]] and possible LoveInterest, she's become the token ''Dirge of Cerberus'' character transplanted into the greater ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' crossover metaverse: she appears as one of four ''Final Fantasy VII'' characters in ''VideoGame/WorldOfFinalFantasy'' (Cloud, Tifa, and Sephiroth as [=DLC=]; note how Vincent isn't here), and she, a non-player character from a spin-off, also joins the cast of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyRecordKeeper'' before several party members featured in their main game (Alma and Meliadoul from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'', Gogo and Umaro from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' among others).

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect''

* In most games, the child that the protagonist is saddled with protecting is despised. The developers of ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' played their cards right with [[TheHeart Clementine]], however. She's one of the most popular characters in the game.

* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'':
** Axl Low started out as a recurring comic relief character and {{Homage}} to [[Music/GunsNRoses Axl Rose]] with tenuous connections to the rest of the cast and the story, but starting with ''Overture'', several [[TheReveal massive revelations]] about the true nature of his existence and his TimeTravel abilities turned him into a WalkingSpoiler for the entire setting.
** Baiken has always been among the most recognizable characters the series has but never too much around the cream of the crop like Sol, Ky, Dizzy, etc. However, over the years she has grown more and more popular for reasons sometimes unrelated to her role in the story or gameplay style, her design and personality has earned Baiken a lot of fans by the time of ''Xrd'', where newcomers and outsiders were taken into Guilty Gear solely for Baiken alone, to the point [=ArcSys=] is very confident in lending Baiken for other video game series as a guest, and a selling factor for separate DLC in ''Guilty Gear'' itself.

** Camilla and Takumi, while having major roles in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', placed incredibly high on the ''Fire Emblem Heroes'' poll, both placing higher than their big brothers (who are more important to the story of ''Fates'' overall), and the latter beating out fellow BreakoutCharacter Female Corrin. Both were among the eight mainline ''Fire Emblem'' characters promoted for ''Heroes'' as well (these characters consisting of three Lords and fellow {{Breakout Character}}s), got their own video that plays when you summon them, and even appeared on a promotional poster over either Corrin (the main character of the game they appeared in).

** Possibly the humblest origins of any popular Fire Emblem character belongs to the Gatekeeper from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses''. He was nothing more than a generic recurring NPC in the base game, who would cheerfully declare he had nothing to report, before making some small talk. His sunny disposition and chatty nature won him enough fans that he was put up for a vote to be included in ''Heroes'' and he won handily, beating iconic series hero Marth by nearly 30,000 votes. He proved popular there too, and was added into the Three Houses stage in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' where he observed the battle from the background. This culminated in not only his return as an NPC in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemWarriorsThreeHopes'', but also his promotion to the playable cast.

* Sergeant Johnson of ''Franchise/{{Halo}}: [[VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved Combat Evolved]]''. Originally intended to be a homage to the DrillSergeantNasty stock character type, he became so popular that Bungie {{retcon}}ned his death in the legendary bonus cutscene to add him into ''VideoGame/Halo2'' and ''VideoGame/Halo3''. He even got a starring role in the novel ''Literature/HaloContactHarvest'', penned by one of ''Halo'''s main writers. This is largely due to David Scully's hilariously stellar delivery as Johnson's voice actor.

** For the next four years, it was just between those two for the biggest hit with the fans. It would take until the release of the sixth Lostbelt in 2021 for a new challenger to arrive. But arrive she did, in the form of said Lostbelt's king, '''Morgan'''. She appeared as the ruler of Faerie Britain, stood in the heroes' way, and made for an ''incredibly'' dangerous opponent. And yet, as the story went on, players discovered her [[DarkAndTroubledPast absolutely HORRIFIC backstory]], which quickly turned her into one of the biggest [[{{Woobie}} Woobies]] in the game -- and given that this is the ''Nasuverse'', that's no small feat. She also won fans over with her interactions with her knights, her interactions with the protagonist as a playable Servant and her CharacterDevelopment as such, and received a huge boost in gameplay with the release of the sixth anniversary Servant (Koyanskaya of Light), who turned her into an excellent Berserker for farming. Since her release, she has had rate-up events ''three times'' in the span of ''ten months.'' Not even Jeanne Alter and Ereshkigal can boast that!

** A particularly prominent example of a BreakoutCharacter from the ''Fire Emblem'' series is Ike, protagonist of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' and co-protagonist of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn''. When Ike was first announced for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'', most of the Internet's reaction was "Who the hell is Ike?" But he would later prove to be so popular there [[ColbertBump that it got people going back to play his games]]. And among the people who played his games, he's extremely popular for his unique status as a non-Lord main character, [[ComingOfAgeStory his character development]], and his [[LightningBruiser incredible power in battle]], and since ''Brawl'', he's appeared in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' (along with his descendant, Priam), ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U'' and ''Ultimate'', got an amiibo made, and made further appearances in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', ''VideoGame/CodenameSTEAM'', and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemEchoesShadowsOfValentia''. On the ''VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes'' "Choose Your Legend" poll, Ike's ''Path of Radiance'' incarnation won the male category, while his ''Radiant Dawn'' incarnation placed fifth. He's the only person to appear in either top ten twice. And if you combine his votes, he beats out the winner of the women's bracket ([[VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade Lyn]]) by ''1500 votes''.
** From Ike's series, the most popular non-main character is far and away Nephenee, who not only appears in ''Heroes'', but has [[{{Expy}} expies]] in both ''Awakening'' and ''Fates'' - Donnel and Mozu, respectively.

* Sergeant Johnson of ''Franchise/{{Halo}}: [[VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved Combat Evolved]]''. Originally intended to be a homage to the DrillSergeantNasty stock character type, he became so popular that Bungie {{retcon}}ned his death in the legendary bonus cutscene to add him into ''VideoGame/{{Halo 2}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}''. He even got a starring role in the novel ''Literature/HaloContactHarvest'', penned by one of ''Halo'''s main writers. This is largely due to David Scully's hilariously stellar delivery as Johnson's voice actor.

%%Needs context about his role grew after he became popular.** Raiden was very much the ReplacementScrappy when he first appeared in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' and the backlash to him was so great, Creator/HideoKojima created Raiden’s Russian {{Expy}} [[ButtMonkey Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov]] in ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater Snake Eater]]'' just so the players and himself could [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential vent out their frustration]] on him. ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' made Raiden more popular by turning him into a [[TookALevelInBadass ninja cyborg]], but it was ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'' which skyrocketed his popularity among the mainstream, to point where Raiden temporarily kicked [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Dante]] off his throne as the white haired HackAndSlash MasterSwordsman of video games[[note]] mainly due to ''[=MGRR=]'' being released in the same year as the controversial reboot ''VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry''[[/note]].

--->'''Mileena''': A coin for your thoughts, Erron?
--->'''Erron Black''': Just trying to reckon why the hell you're back.
--->'''Mileena''': A ''[[LeaningOnTheFourthWall million souls]]'' cried out for my return.

-->'''Murray:''' "...and the forces of darkness will applaud me as I STRIDE through the gates of Hell carrying your head on a pike!"
-->'''Guybrush Threepwood:''' "Stride?"
-->'''Murray:''' "Alright then, ROLL! ROLL through the gates of Hell... Must you take the fun out of everything?"

* Naoto Shirogane from ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' also proved popular enough to get [[Literature/PersonaXDetectiveNaoto a spin-off novel, which was later adapted into a manga]].

%%Needs more context about her popularity.** Aigis from ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' also got her own Social Link in the UpdatedRerelease of her home game. She also becomes the main character of the new PlayableEpilogue ''The Answer'' and gains the Wild Card [[spoiler:since the PlayerCharacter of the main story is dead]]. Aigis was also one of the first characters from ''P3'' to appear in ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena'', whereas most of the main cast of that game wouldn't appear until ''Ultimax''.

** The debut of the Wisps was in ''VideoGame/SonicColors'', where Eggman was harvesting their power to use in his interstellar amusement park, and existed mostly as a gameplay mechanic. After the success of ''Sonic Colors'', Takashi Iizuka declared them a staple of the franchise going forward, and they and their corresponding powers have since reappeared in ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', ''VideoGame/SonicLostWorld'' and ''VideoGame/SonicForces''.

** Akuma is one of the most popular characters in the game for being an epically difficult {{Superboss}} and has made appearances in ''Videogame/{{Cyberbots}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}''.

* Emilie "Lili" De Rochefort from the ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' series. Originally appearing in ''Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection'', she eventually became widely popular. Today, she's perhaps the most recognizable female character in the series, besides Nina Williams. She even makes guest appearances in the ''Anime/QueensBlade'' franchise and ''VideoGame/DigimonWorldReDigitize''.

* [[{{VideoGame/Yakuza}} Goro Majima]] was introduced as a borderline AxCrazy [[TheRival rival]] to leading man Kazuma Kiryu. As the series progressed, his popularity grew as his character developed into one of the most complex and likeable members of the Tojo Clan, eventually granting him a starring role alongside Kiryu as [[PromotedToPlayable a playable character]] in ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', along with a side-story campaign of his own in ''[[VideoGame/Yakuza2 Yakuza Kiwami 2]]''.

%%Needs more context about popularity.* ''VideoGame/YouHaveToBurnTheRope'': The Grinning Colossus also appears as a boss in other web games; ''Death vs Monsters 2'', ''Anti-Idle: The Game'', and ''{{VideoGame/Pickory}}''.

* Naoto Shirogane from ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' also proved popular enough to get [[LightNovel/PersonaXDetectiveNaoto a spin-off novel, which was later adapted into a manga]].

* In the original ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'', UsefulNotes/MahatmaGandhi was simply one of many leaders of the many societies that appeared in that game. In a later instalment he was given a strong affinity for nuke weaponry as a joke, in contrast to the pacifism of the real-life Gandhi, and that joke quickly became the most iconic and [[MemeticMutation memetic]] thing in the franchise. As a result the nuke-loving Gandhi is now used heavily in Civilization's promotional material.

* In the original ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'', UsefulNotes/MahatmaGandhi was simply one of many leaders of the many societies that appeared in that game. In a later instalment he was given a strong affinity for nuke weaponry as a joke, in contrast to the pacifism of the real-life Gandhi, and that joke quickly became the most iconic thing in the franchise. As a result the nuke-loving Gandhi is now used heavily in Civilization's promotional material.

* In the original ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'', UsefulNotes/MahatmaGandhi was simply one of many leaders of the many societies that appeared in that game. In a later instalment he was given a strong affinity for nuclear weaponry as a joke, in contrast to the pacifism of the real-life Gandhi, and that joke quickly became the most iconic thing in the franchise. As a result Gandhi is now used heavily in Civilization's promotional material.

* In the original ''Franchise/{{Civilization}}'', UsefulNotes/MahatmaGandhi was simply one of many leaders of the many societies that appeared in that game. In a later instalment he was given a strong affinity for nuclear weaponry as a joke, in contrast to the pacifism of the real-life Gandhi, and that joke quickly became the most iconic thing in the franchise. As a result Gandhi is now used heavily in Civilization's promotional material.

* In the original ''Franchise/{{Civilisation}}'', UsefulNotes/MahatmaGandhi was simply one of many leaders of the many societies that appeared in that game. In a later instalment he was given a strong affinity for nuclear weaponry as a joke, in contrast to the pacifism of the real-life Gandhi, and that joke quickly became the most iconic thing in the franchise. As a result Gandhi is now used heavily in Civilisation's promotional material.

** From ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'', we have Bass.EXE. Bass is a moderately popular character in the classic series, and a simple BonusBoss in the first Battle Network game. He would gain plot relevance in ''2'' and ''3'' due to positive reception from fans and even the game's staff. Oh yeah, and in each of the six games, he's always the strongest encounter.

*** Generation I: Charizard,[[note]]Charizard was the fan favorite starter, and thanks to popularity poll results and merchandise sales, can be argued to be the most popular Pokémon [[AmericanKirbyIsHardcore in the]] [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff United States]]. It was one of two Pokémon to get two Mega Evolutions in ''X'' and ''Y'', and was also depicted as the main Pokémon in ''Anime/PokemonOrigins'', the first animated Pokémon feature directly aimed at the PeripheryDemographic. Charizard's popularity also led to the one used by the main character of the anime to consistently be depicted as a total badass, and aside from the ever-present Pikachu he's the most common of Ash's season one team to make return appearances.[[/note]] Pikachu,[[note]] As noted above, thanks to the initial popularity of the anime, Pikachu was made into the official mascot of the franchise. Pikachu's popularity even warranted a RecursiveAdaptation, ''[[UpdatedRerelease Pokémon Yellow]]''.[[/note]] Jigglypuff,[[note]]During the early days of the franchise, Jigglypuff was the second most popular Pokémon in Japan -- again, due to the anime -- and was one of the most prominent recurring characters in the anime, although its popularity has waned since then. After 14 years though it was brought back for the ''Sun and Moon'' anime.[[/note]] Meowth,[[note]]Meowth is by and large a regular Pokémon in the games, but the anime is where its true popularity lies: most prominently is Team Rocket's Meowth, it is unique in that it is one of the very few Pokémon in the whole franchise to talk the human language, thus he acts more human-like than all other Pokémon and sets himself up as "Pikachu's main rival", much like ''Tom and Jerry''.[[/note]] Eevee,[[note]]Eevee and its evolutions quickly became fan favorites for their adorable designs, and being the original Pokémon to have a branched evolution. Its popularity was so overwhelming that Eeveelution merchandise are frequently top sellers, and later generations would introduce more evolutions, with Sylveon in particular being used heavily in promos for ''Pokémon X & Y'' to show off the new Fairy type.[[/note]] Mewtwo[[note]]Like Charizard, Mewtwo got two Mega Evolutions and ranks very high in popularity polls. Starting off as a BonusBoss in the original game and being the star of ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie'' led to Mewtwo also becoming one of the most popular Pokémon in the franchise.[[/note]], Gengar[[note]]Its evolutionary line made an impression on players as the only Ghost type Pokémon in Gen 1. Coupled with a design that many considered to be terrifying. Even with the introduction of other Ghost types, Gengar is still competitively viable and is always put on the team of a Ghost type gym or Elite Four members. It placed 10th in the 2020 popularity vote and is the most requested fighter when asked for ''VideoGame/PokkenTournament''. Its popularity is, no doubt, why it was featured on Ash's team in ''Anime/PokemonJourneysTheSeries''.[[/note]], Magikarp/Gyarados[[note]]Magikarp became the franchise's poster child for the MagikarpPower trope (of which it is the TropeNamer), and captivated many fans due to its being an extremely weak and dopey fish that evolves into the gigantic badass sea dragon Gyarados. Both of them have received a lot of merchandise, especially with Magikarp in Japan where it regularly gets Pokémon Center promotions and special videos. Gyarados' Shiny form is also one of the most well-known in the series, being a mandatory encounter in ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' and garnering a lot of attention for its [[RedIsViolent deep red coloration]].[[/note]]

** ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny'':
*** Leon Magnus was originally just a {{Jerkass}} who ends up betraying the party and dying. He had a sympathetic backstory, however, and his popularity was powerful enough to [[spoiler:get him resurrected and redeemed in the sequel]], get a bonus boss battle in the UpdatedRerelease of the sequel for the PSP, and have his personality overhauled significantly to make him a [[DefrostingIceQueen Defrosting Ice King]] who goes through a long TraumaCongaLine in the UpdatedRerelease of the first game. It's also an unspoken guarantee that he'll be a playable character in spin-off games, he'll have the most merchandise related to him made, and that either his or [[spoiler:Judas's]] outfit will be DLC for any game after ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia''.
*** To a lesser extent is Celsius, the [[AnIcePerson Summon Spirit of Ice.]] She's notably popular compared to her fellow Summon Spirits that she appeared as a playable character in Radiant Mythology 2 and 3 based on her [[VideoGame/TalesOfEternia Eternia]] design.

** [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Knuckles the Echidna]]. He initially showed up as an antagonist tricked by Eggman to oppose Sonic, but he proved popular enough that he [[VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix headlined his own game]] the following year, and a few years later, he became part of the "Big Three" along with Sonic and Tails. This even extended to [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics the Archie comics]] where Knuckles had his own spin-off book that at one point almost surpassed Sonic's in popularity. By the noughties, he appeared in just about ''every'' game in a major role up until the 2010's when he began to fall OutOfFocus. His popularity seems to have revived in lieu his debut in the ''Film/{{Sonic the Hedgehog 2|2022}}'' film, where not only is a significant part of the marketing surrounding the film was his initial rivalry with Sonic. To the point where even before the film came out, a spin off series about him was already announced. The Japanese title for the film is even called ''Sonic vs. Knuckles'', giving him equal billing as the main character themself.

** [[GasMaskMooks HUNK]] was just a masked goon from Umbrella in ''[=RE2=]'' who was killed by the mutated William Birmingham, however thanks staring in a MiniGame where he survives and fights his way to freedom, HUNK gained immense popularity. HUNK much like Wesker found his way in subsequent titles despite having little to do with the main story.