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* In ''VideoGame/AceCombat7SkiesUnknown'', when Erusea deployed their drone army against Osea, the drones caused zero civilian casualties. When Osea launched a counterattack, their reckless assault got a number of civilians killed, which caused many nations to support Erusea over Osea. [[spoiler:However, this gets {{deconstructed}}, as the Erusean Radicals, who pushed for the advancement of the drone army, did not cause civilian casualties out of moral obligation, as their goal was to restore Erusea to its former glory with their drone army.]]
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* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'''s Dr. Eggman has willingly worked with Sonic and friends multiple times to prevent the world from being outright destroyed, including stopping his own grandfather's work in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2''. Eggman's goal is opening his own theme park, not world destruction. These traits are best exemplified in ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'', where Eggman is a possible "Hero" and "Dark" assistant, the only character in the game to be on both sides. Also, during an early cutscene, as Eggman watches a city being destroyed by the Black Arms, he gets increasingly more frustrated with their mindless destruction.
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* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'''s Dr. Eggman has willingly worked with Sonic and friends multiple times to prevent the world from being outright destroyed, including stopping his own grandfather's work in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2''. Eggman's goal is opening his own theme park, world conquest, not world destruction. These traits are best exemplified in ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'', where Eggman is a possible "Hero" and "Dark" assistant, the only character in the game to be on both sides. Also, during an early cutscene, as Eggman watches a city being destroyed by the Black Arms, he gets increasingly more frustrated with their mindless destruction.
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Moving to Pragmatic Hero; Soren is a heroic(ish) character who suggests doing something morally dubious, which is the reverse of this trope.
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* Soren in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius'' can skirt this at times, such as suggesting that Ike turn over Princess Elincia to [[TheEmpire the invading Daein soldiers]] to earn favor with the [[IFightForTheStrongestSide currently superior occupying force.]] He drops it as soon as Ike decides to protect her, though, and it's clear that despite his more questionable suggestions he's ultimately loyal to Ike and the Greil Mercenaries.
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** Similarly, in the sequel ''[[VideoGame/StarCraftIIHeartOfTheSwarm Heart of the Swarm]]'', she stops [[TheDragon Zagara]] from killing Protoss prisoner Lessara in one dialogue, explaining that "cruelty is a tool; you should only use it when it's actually needed". [[spoiler:She does end up killing Lessara, but [[ShootTheDog only as a last resort]].]]
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** Similarly, in the sequel ''[[VideoGame/StarCraftIIHeartOfTheSwarm Heart of the Swarm]]'', she stops [[TheDragon Zagara]] from killing Protoss prisoner Lessara in one dialogue, explaining that "cruelty is a tool; you should only use it when it's actually needed". [[spoiler:She [[spoiler:Unfortunately, she really does end up killing Lessara, but need it to take down the final Protoss ship, [[ShootTheDog only as by turning Lessara into a]] TrojanHorse with a last resort]].zerg parasite stuffed in her stomach.]]
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* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'': Many of the Corpus hate Nef Anyo with a passion. Not because of his horrifyingly exploitative worker policies, violence against civilians and Tenno, or his blatantly rigged gladiator games, but simply because he has a tendency to spend a lot of money chasing sunk costs. [[OnlyInItForTheMoney The Corpus only care about money]]. The same can be said for Alad V, whose actions have attracted the wrath of Tenno more than usual.
** Alad V deserves another mention due to the fact that, despise being stripped from his rank in the Corpus, [[ZombieInfectee getting contaminated with the Infestation]] on purpose in order to control them, ''getting actually cured from that'', and finally now being on the run from Sentients for conspiring against them, he's still the same old ruthless negotiator he've always been. In fact, according to himself, he couldn't feel any more richer or safer than he was before, despise being in a much humbler standing now. Why? Because [[MissionControl The Lotus]] ''owes him a favor'', which is something that neither his old position as Director or its paycheck, let alone his stint as an mouthpiece for the Infestation, could even come close to let him afford. "A rare commodity" indeed. It saves his life when the Shadow Stalker and his Acolytes come after him, forcing the Tenno to save his ass [[UngratefulBastard all while he continues to belittle them]].
** Alad V deserves another mention due to the fact that, despise being stripped from his rank in the Corpus, [[ZombieInfectee getting contaminated with the Infestation]] on purpose in order to control them, ''getting actually cured from that'', and finally now being on the run from Sentients for conspiring against them, he's still the same old ruthless negotiator he've always been. In fact, according to himself, he couldn't feel any more richer or safer than he was before, despise being in a much humbler standing now. Why? Because [[MissionControl The Lotus]] ''owes him a favor'', which is something that neither his old position as Director or its paycheck, let alone his stint as an mouthpiece for the Infestation, could even come close to let him afford. "A rare commodity" indeed. It saves his life when the Shadow Stalker and his Acolytes come after him, forcing the Tenno to save his ass [[UngratefulBastard all while he continues to belittle them]].
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* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'': ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'':
** Many of the Corpus hate Nef Anyo with a passion. Not because of his horrifyingly exploitative worker policies, violence against civilians and Tenno, or his blatantly rigged gladiator games, but simply because he has a tendency to spend a lot of money chasing sunk costs. [[OnlyInItForTheMoney The Corpus only care aboutmoney]]. money]].
** The same can be said for Alad V, whose actions have attracted the wrath of Tenno more thanusual.
** Alad V deserves another mention due to the fact that, despiseusual. In fact, despite being stripped from of his rank in the Corpus, [[ZombieInfectee getting contaminated with the Infestation]] on purpose in order to control them, ''getting actually ''actually getting cured from of that'', and finally now being on the run from Sentients for conspiring against them, he's still the same old ruthless negotiator he've he's always been. In fact, according to himself, He claims he couldn't feel any more richer or safer than he was before, despise despite being in a much humbler standing now. Why? Because [[MissionControl The Lotus]] ''owes him a favor'', which is something that neither his old position as Director or its paycheck, let alone his stint as an mouthpiece for the Infestation, could even come close to let him afford. "A rare commodity" indeed. It saves his life when the Shadow Stalker and his Acolytes come after him, forcing the Tenno to save his ass [[UngratefulBastard all while he continues to belittle them]].
** Many of the Corpus hate Nef Anyo with a passion. Not because of his horrifyingly exploitative worker policies, violence against civilians and Tenno, or his blatantly rigged gladiator games, but simply because he has a tendency to spend a lot of money chasing sunk costs. [[OnlyInItForTheMoney The Corpus only care about
** The same can be said for Alad V, whose actions have attracted the wrath of Tenno more than
** Alad V deserves another mention due to the fact that, despise
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* In ''VisualNovel/{{Danganronpa}}'', [[spoiler:[[AxeCrazy Genocide Jack]], the [[SerialKiller Ultimate Murderous Fiend]],]] decides that if the point of the murder game is to not get caught to escape, and [[spoiler:Jack can't stand ''not'' using her signature modus operandi (and thus leaving obvious evidence at the crime scene)]], then it would be easiest to just not kill anybody. Plus, [[spoiler:unlike the rest of the [[TrumanShowPlot contestants]], she knows that [[CrapsackWorld the outside world]] [[{{Dystopia}} is reduced to ruins]], so she has no interest in leaving]].
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan to kill all adults. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, [[TokenGoodTeammate Nagisa]] decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town]]. Sadly, [[spoiler:Nagito and Monaca stop and [[BreakTheCutie mentally break]] him before he can get her out safely, since Nagisa's actions undermine Monaca's ''real'' plan- to make Komaru into Junko Enoshima's successor]].
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan to kill all adults. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, [[TokenGoodTeammate Nagisa]] decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town]]. Sadly, [[spoiler:Nagito and Monaca stop and [[BreakTheCutie mentally break]] him before he can get her out safely, since Nagisa's actions undermine Monaca's ''real'' plan- to make Komaru into Junko Enoshima's successor]].
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* In ''VisualNovel/{{Danganronpa}}'', [[spoiler:[[AxeCrazy Genocide Jack]], the [[SerialKiller Ultimate Murderous Fiend]],]] decides that if the point of the murder game is to not get caught to escape, and [[spoiler:Jack can't stand ''not'' using her signature modus operandi (and thus leaving obvious evidence at the crime scene)]], then it would be easiest to just not kill anybody. Plus, [[spoiler:unlike the rest of the [[TrumanShowPlot contestants]], she knows that [[CrapsackWorld the outside world]] [[{{Dystopia}} is reduced to ruins]], so she has no interest in leaving]].
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan to kill all adults. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, [[TokenGoodTeammate Nagisa]] decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town]]. Sadly, [[spoiler:Nagito and Monaca stop and [[BreakTheCutie mentally break]] him before he can get her out safely, since Nagisa's actions undermine Monaca's ''real'' plan- to make Komaru into Junko Enoshima's successor]].''{{Franchise/Danganronpa}}'':
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan to kill all adults. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, [[TokenGoodTeammate Nagisa]] decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town]]. Sadly, [[spoiler:Nagito and Monaca stop and [[BreakTheCutie mentally break]] him before he can get her out safely, since Nagisa's actions undermine Monaca's ''real'' plan- to make Komaru into Junko Enoshima's successor]].
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** In ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'', [[spoiler:[[AxeCrazy Genocide Jack]], the [[SerialKiller Ultimate Murderous Fiend]],]] decides that if the point of the murder game is to not get caught to escape, and [[spoiler:Jack can't stand ''not'' using her signature modus operandi (and thus leaving obvious evidence at the crime scene)]], then it would be easiest to just not kill anybody. Plus, [[spoiler:unlike the rest of the [[TrumanShowPlot contestants]], she knows that [[CrapsackWorld the outside world]] [[{{Dystopia}} is reduced to ruins]], so she has no interest in leaving]].
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan to kill all adults. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, [[TokenGoodTeammate Nagisa]] decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town]]. Sadly, [[spoiler:Nagito and Monaca stop and [[BreakTheCutie mentally break]] him before he can get her out safely, since Nagisa's actions undermine Monaca's ''real'' plan- to make Komaru into Junko Enoshima's successor]].
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan to kill all adults. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, [[TokenGoodTeammate Nagisa]] decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town]]. Sadly, [[spoiler:Nagito and Monaca stop and [[BreakTheCutie mentally break]] him before he can get her out safely, since Nagisa's actions undermine Monaca's ''real'' plan- to make Komaru into Junko Enoshima's successor]].
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* ''VideoGame/BioShock1'': Frank Fontaine opened up soup kitchens within Rapture, not out of love, but to turn the city's lower class into an army.
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* ''VideoGame/BioShock1'': Frank Fontaine opened up soup kitchens within Rapture, not out of love, but to turn build a base of loyal supporters among the city's lower class into an army.class.
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** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan to kill all adults. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, [[TokenGoodTeammate Nagisa]] decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town]]. Sadly, [[spoiler:Nagito and Monaca stop and [[BreakTheCutie mentally break]] him before he can get her out safely]].
to:
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan to kill all adults. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, [[TokenGoodTeammate Nagisa]] decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town]]. Sadly, [[spoiler:Nagito and Monaca stop and [[BreakTheCutie mentally break]] him before he can get her out safely]].safely, since Nagisa's actions undermine Monaca's ''real'' plan- to make Komaru into Junko Enoshima's successor]].
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* A quest in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has one Dreadlord criticizing another for using blood ink in love letters to a [[HornyDevils Succubus]] simply because Night Elf virgins aren't easy to come by and he's wasting a valuable resource.
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* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'':
** A ''Cataclysm'' questin ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has one Dreadlord criticizing another for using blood ink in love letters to a [[HornyDevils Succubus]] simply because Night Elf virgins aren't easy to come by and he's wasting a valuable resource.
** A ''Cataclysm'' quest
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** The Twilight Prophet ([[spoiler:Archbishop Benedictus]]) didn't wield Xal'atath despite it's immense power because he knew it'd consume him should he fail or simply abandon him when he needed it most.
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** Alad V deserves another mention due to the fact that, despise being stripped from his rank in the Corpus, [[ZombieInfectee getting contaminated with the Infestation]] on purpose in order to control them, ''getting actually cured from that'', and finally now being on the run from Sentients for conspiring against them, he's still the same old ruthless negotiator he've always been. In fact, according to himself, he couldn't feel any more richer or safer than he was before, despise being in a much humbler standing now. Why? Because [[MissionControl the Lotus]] ''owes him a favor'', which is something that neither his old position as Director or its paycheck, let alone his stint as an mouthpiece for the Infestation, could even come close to let him afford. "A rare commodity" indeed.
to:
** Alad V deserves another mention due to the fact that, despise being stripped from his rank in the Corpus, [[ZombieInfectee getting contaminated with the Infestation]] on purpose in order to control them, ''getting actually cured from that'', and finally now being on the run from Sentients for conspiring against them, he's still the same old ruthless negotiator he've always been. In fact, according to himself, he couldn't feel any more richer or safer than he was before, despise being in a much humbler standing now. Why? Because [[MissionControl the The Lotus]] ''owes him a favor'', which is something that neither his old position as Director or its paycheck, let alone his stint as an mouthpiece for the Infestation, could even come close to let him afford. "A rare commodity" indeed. It saves his life when the Shadow Stalker and his Acolytes come after him, forcing the Tenno to save his ass [[UngratefulBastard all while he continues to belittle them]].
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** Alad V deserves another mention due to the fact that, despise being stripped from his rank in the Corpus, [[ZombieInfestee getting contaminated with the Infestation]] on purpose in order to control them, ''getting actually cured from that'', and finally now being on the run from Sentients for conspiring against them, he's still the same old ruthless negotiator he've always been. In fact, according to himself, he couldn't feel any more richer or safer than he was before, despise being in a much humbler standing now. Why? Because [[MissionControl the Lotus]] ''owes him a favor'', which is something that neither his old position as Director or its paycheck, let alone his stint as an mouthpiece for the Infestation, could even come close to let him afford. "A rare commodity" indeed.
to:
** Alad V deserves another mention due to the fact that, despise being stripped from his rank in the Corpus, [[ZombieInfestee [[ZombieInfectee getting contaminated with the Infestation]] on purpose in order to control them, ''getting actually cured from that'', and finally now being on the run from Sentients for conspiring against them, he's still the same old ruthless negotiator he've always been. In fact, according to himself, he couldn't feel any more richer or safer than he was before, despise being in a much humbler standing now. Why? Because [[MissionControl the Lotus]] ''owes him a favor'', which is something that neither his old position as Director or its paycheck, let alone his stint as an mouthpiece for the Infestation, could even come close to let him afford. "A rare commodity" indeed.
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** Alad V deserves another mention due to the fact that, despise being stripped from his rank in the Corpus, [[ZombieInfestee getting contaminated with the Infestation]] on purpose in order to control them, ''getting actually cured from that'', and finally now being on the run from Sentients for conspiring against them, he's still the same old ruthless negotiator he've always been. In fact, according to himself, he couldn't feel any more richer or safer than he was before, despise being in a much humbler standing now. Why? Because [[MissionControl the Lotus]] ''owes him a favor'', which is something that neither his old position as Director or its paycheck, let alone his stint as an mouthpiece for the Infestation, could even come close to let him afford. "A rare commodity" indeed.
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* In ''[[WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird Tweety]] and the Magic Gems'' for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance, Sylvester is one of the six playable characters who participates in the quest to find the five Magic Gems that reverse the curse that [[TakenForGranite turns Tweety to stone]]. If Sylvester achieves a goal at the end of the game, he explains his reason for participating in the quest; he can't eat Tweety if he turns into a rock.
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* In ''[[WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird Tweety]] and the Magic Gems'' ''VideoGame/TweetyAndTheMagicGems'' for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance, Sylvester [[WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird Sylvester]] is one of the six playable characters who participates in the quest to find the five Magic Gems that reverse the curse that [[TakenForGranite turns Tweety to stone]]. If Sylvester achieves a goal at the end of the game, he explains his reason for participating in the quest; he can't eat Tweety if he turns into a rock.
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* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'', Maleficent, of [[CardCarryingVillain of all people]], frequently demonstrates more common sense and practicality than any of the other villains. She may be using dark evil magic like the Heartless, but she's the one ''repeatedly'' reminding the other Disney villains that the Heartless [[EvilIsNotAToy are not a toy]] and relying on them too frequently tends to lead to going OneWingedAngel in a crazed fury.
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* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'', ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'', Maleficent, of [[CardCarryingVillain of all people]], frequently demonstrates more common sense and practicality than any of the other villains. She may be using dark evil magic like the Heartless, but she's the one ''repeatedly'' reminding the other Disney villains that the Heartless [[EvilIsNotAToy are not a toy]] and relying on them too frequently tends to lead to going OneWingedAngel in a crazed fury.
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* In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'', after Ann discovers that the famous artist [[ArcVillain Madarame]] is selling counterfeit copies of his MagnumOpus "Sayuri", among other crimes, he plans on reporting the Phantom Thieves to the police, but decides to wait until after the exhibit is over to avoid the bad publicity. Unusually, this ends up working against Madarame in that it gives the Phantom Thieves enough time to [[HeelFaceBrainwashing change his heart]], causing him to confess all his crimes on live TV. As a result, Madarame's reputation is completely ruined and he's sent to prison.
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* In ''VisualNovel/{{Danganronpa}}'', [[spoiler: [[AxeCrazy Genocide Jack]], the [[SerialKiller Ultimate Murderous Fiend]],]] decides that if the point of the murder game is to not get caught to escape, and [[spoiler:Jack can't stand ''not'' using her signature modus operandi (and thus leaving obvious evidence at the crime scene)]], then it would be easiest to just not kill anybody. Plus, [[spoiler:unlike the rest of the [[TrumanShowPlot contestants]], she knows that [[CrapsackWorld the outside world]] [[{{Dystopia}} is reduced to ruins]], so she has no interest in leaving]].
to:
* In ''VisualNovel/{{Danganronpa}}'', [[spoiler: [[AxeCrazy [[spoiler:[[AxeCrazy Genocide Jack]], the [[SerialKiller Ultimate Murderous Fiend]],]] decides that if the point of the murder game is to not get caught to escape, and [[spoiler:Jack can't stand ''not'' using her signature modus operandi (and thus leaving obvious evidence at the crime scene)]], then it would be easiest to just not kill anybody. Plus, [[spoiler:unlike the rest of the [[TrumanShowPlot contestants]], she knows that [[CrapsackWorld the outside world]] [[{{Dystopia}} is reduced to ruins]], so she has no interest in leaving]].
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** [[BigBad Monokuma]], sadistic mastermind of the DeadlyGame, [[FairPlayVillain still makes absolute sure to follow its rules just like everyone else]], because he wants the students to kill ''each other'' and [[HopeCrusher give in to despair]] [[spoiler:in order to satisfy/prove a point to [[ImmoralRealityShow the audience]] about the uselessness of hope]]. In fact, when Monokuma [[spoiler:''does'' break the rules by framing Makoto, and ''again'' with Kaede]], the heroes force him to [[spoiler:hold a retrial]] by explaining how not doing so will go against the point of the game. Monokuma acquiesces.
to:
** [[BigBad Monokuma]], sadistic mastermind of the DeadlyGame, [[FairPlayVillain still makes absolute sure to follow its rules just like everyone else]], because he wants the students to kill ''each other'' and [[HopeCrusher give in to despair]] [[spoiler:in in order to satisfy/prove prove a point to them [[spoiler:and [[ImmoralRealityShow the audience]] audience]]]] about [[StrawNihilist the uselessness of hope]]. The [[VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair second game]] also has [[spoiler:the rules of the [[LotusEaterMachine Neo World Program]]]] restricting Monokuma [[spoiler:due to being an AI]]. In fact, when Monokuma [[spoiler:''does'' break the rules by framing Makoto, [[VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc Makoto]], and ''again'' with Kaede]], [[VisualNovel/NewDanganRonpaV3 Kaede]]]], the heroes force him to [[spoiler:hold a retrial]] by explaining how not doing so will go against the point of the game.game [[spoiler:and leave the audience unsatisfied]]. Monokuma acquiesces.
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* In ''VisualNovel/{{Danganronpa}}'', [[spoiler: [[AxeCrazy Genocide Jack]], the [[SerialKiller Ultimate Murderous Fiend]]]] decides that if the point of the murder game is to not get caught to escape, [[spoiler:and Jack can't stand ''not'' using her signature modus operandi (and thus leaving obvious evidence at the crime scene),]] then it would be easiest to just not kill anybody. Plus, [[spoiler:she knows that the outside world is reduced to ruins, so she has no interest in leaving.]]
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, Nagisa decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town.]]
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, Nagisa decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town.]]
to:
* In ''VisualNovel/{{Danganronpa}}'', [[spoiler: [[AxeCrazy Genocide Jack]], the [[SerialKiller Ultimate Murderous Fiend]]]] Fiend]],]] decides that if the point of the murder game is to not get caught to escape, [[spoiler:and Jack and [[spoiler:Jack can't stand ''not'' using her signature modus operandi (and thus leaving obvious evidence at the crime scene),]] scene)]], then it would be easiest to just not kill anybody. Plus, [[spoiler:she [[spoiler:unlike the rest of the [[TrumanShowPlot contestants]], she knows that [[CrapsackWorld the outside world world]] [[{{Dystopia}} is reduced to ruins, ruins]], so she has no interest in leaving.]]
leaving]].
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact theirEvilPlan. EvilPlan to kill all adults. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, Nagisa [[TokenGoodTeammate Nagisa]] decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town.]]town]]. Sadly, [[spoiler:Nagito and Monaca stop and [[BreakTheCutie mentally break]] him before he can get her out safely]].
** [[BigBad Monokuma]], sadistic mastermind of the DeadlyGame, [[FairPlayVillain still makes absolute sure to follow its rules just like everyone else]], because he wants the students to kill ''each other'' and [[HopeCrusher give in to despair]] [[spoiler:in order to satisfy/prove a point to [[ImmoralRealityShow the audience]] about the uselessness of hope]]. In fact, when Monokuma [[spoiler:''does'' break the rules by framing Makoto, and ''again'' with Kaede]], the heroes force him to [[spoiler:hold a retrial]] by explaining how not doing so will go against the point of the game. Monokuma acquiesces.
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their
** [[BigBad Monokuma]], sadistic mastermind of the DeadlyGame, [[FairPlayVillain still makes absolute sure to follow its rules just like everyone else]], because he wants the students to kill ''each other'' and [[HopeCrusher give in to despair]] [[spoiler:in order to satisfy/prove a point to [[ImmoralRealityShow the audience]] about the uselessness of hope]]. In fact, when Monokuma [[spoiler:''does'' break the rules by framing Makoto, and ''again'' with Kaede]], the heroes force him to [[spoiler:hold a retrial]] by explaining how not doing so will go against the point of the game. Monokuma acquiesces.
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* In VideoGame/TheCouncilOfHanwell, the Council only uses condemned prisoners for experiments, refusing to use people who haven't yet had a trial. The Doctor gets impatient waiting for the justice system.
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** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'', Maleficent, of [[CardCarryingVillain of all people]], frequently demonstrates more common sense and practicality than of the other villains. She may be using dark evil magic like the Heartless, but she's the one ''repeatedly'' reminding the other Disney villains that the Heartless [[EvilIsNotAToy are not a toy]] and relying on them too frequently tends to lead to going OneWingedAngel in a crazed fury.
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** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'', Maleficent, of [[CardCarryingVillain of all people]], frequently demonstrates more common sense and practicality than of the other villains. She may be using dark evil magic like the Heartless, but she's the one ''repeatedly'' reminding the other Disney villains that the Heartless [[EvilIsNotAToy are not a toy]] and relying on them too frequently tends to lead to going OneWingedAngel in a crazed fury.
** In games taking place after KHII, when every other major villain is focusing on Kingdom Hearts, she gives up quickly because the clash between the heroes and Xehanort is the perfect distraction while she looks for the equally powerful [[RewritingReality Book Of Prophecies.]]
** In games taking place after KHII, when every other major villain is focusing on Kingdom Hearts, she gives up quickly because the clash between the heroes and Xehanort is the perfect distraction while she looks for the equally powerful [[RewritingReality Book Of Prophecies.]]
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* Giliath Osborne from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'' is one of the most reasonable villains of the series who ends up using everything ''including getting himself killed by assassination'' to get the things that he wants in the long run (of course, DeathIsCheap for him so he comes back right away in the sequel and declaring that he wins the CivilWar). [[spoiler:Which ends up helping out the protagonists in the long run by killing the curse of Erebonia for good.]]
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* In the ''Storms of Zehir'' expansion of VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2, the player encounters the yuan-ti up to their usual tricks of infiltrating human society and conquering it from within. At the end of the campaign, however, when you are finally given a chance to confront one of their key leaders, she explains that her intentions are strictly non-aggressive. The yuan-ti have seen time and again what happens when they try to conquer human society by force, and have decided this time that it would be far preferable to ''strengthen'' humanity and [[BenevolentConspiracy rule over a prosperous puppet state from the shadows, instead.]] Much of the plot simply involves them setting up a thriving merchant empire which is mutually beneficial to the humans and the yuan-ti ownership alike.
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** In Northrend, players are sent to infiltrate a group of pirates to take out their captain. When the first mate figures out what the player is up to, she pays them to do it herself as her captain attacking both the Alliance and Horde will only see them all dead.
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* ''VideoGame/YandereSimulator'' has plenty of VideoGameCaringPotential for VillainProtagonist Ayano to engage in her quest for Senpai's heart; rather than, say, MurderTheHypotenuse, she can [[MatchmakerQuest pair her rivals off with other love interests]] or befriend them and convince them to stop pursuing Senpai. Taking this route doesn't make Ayano any less of a sociopathic {{Yandere}}; it's simply less messy and risky than murder.
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* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'': Many of the Corpus hate Nef Anyo with a passion. Not because of his horrifyingly exploitative worker policies, violence against civilians and Tenno, or his blatantly rigged gladiator games, but simply because he has a tendency to spend a lot of money chasing sunk costs. [[OnlyInItForTheMoney The Corpus only care about money]].
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* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'': Many of the Corpus hate Nef Anyo with a passion. Not because of his horrifyingly exploitative worker policies, violence against civilians and Tenno, or his blatantly rigged gladiator games, but simply because he has a tendency to spend a lot of money chasing sunk costs. [[OnlyInItForTheMoney The Corpus only care about money]]. The same can be said for Alad V, whose actions have attracted the wrath of Tenno more than usual.
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* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'': Many of the Corpus hate Nef Anyo with a passion. Not because of his horrifyingly exploitative worker policies, violence against civilians and Tenno, or his blatantly rigged gladiator games, but simply because he has a tendency to spend a lot of money chasing sunk costs. [[OnlyInItForTheMoney The Corpus only care about money]].
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* [[Anime/GundamSeedDestiny Lord Djibril]] in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsV'' berates [[Anime/CrossAnge Emperor Julio]] after his attempted public execution of Ange ends in a colossal failure, implying that he never approved. Since the existence of Dragons is exposed publicly and various organizations and nations (particularly ZAFT, the Orb Union, the Celestial Being and even the Earth Federation) take military action against the Founding Nations afterward, he was more than correct.
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* [[Anime/GundamSeedDestiny [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny Lord Djibril]] in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsV'' berates [[Anime/CrossAnge Emperor Julio]] after his attempted public execution of Ange ends in a colossal failure, implying that he never approved. Since the existence of Dragons is exposed publicly and various organizations and nations (particularly ZAFT, the Orb Union, the Celestial Being and even the Earth Federation) take military action against the Founding Nations afterward, he was more than correct.
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** In ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'', the ICA is hired to destroy a bioweapon that can kill target specific people via DNA, allowing anyone with the weapon and a sample of the target to kill them from halfway across the world. Despite such a weapon having potentially catastrophic implications in both a moral, economic and geopolitical sense, Diana (and presumably the rest of the ICA) is more concerned that it would put them out of business.
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** In ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'', the ICA is hired to destroy a bioweapon that can kill target specific people via DNA, allowing anyone with the weapon and a sample of the target to kill them from halfway across the world. Despite such a weapon having potentially catastrophic implications in both a moral, economic and geopolitical sense, Diana (and presumably the rest of the ICA) is more concerned that it would put them out of business.
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* ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'': Despite being a very dangerous and wicked spellcaster, Baba Yaga is a very passive force of evil in the world, and generally keeps to herself until she's provoked. Even then, she usually satisfies herself with curses and hexes rather than destroying her enemies outright. And while she very well ''can'' devour the Hero if she desires, she ultimately leaves him off the menu; In ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryI'' she lets him live when he proves useful by running an errand for her (which comes back to bite her when you return and turn the tables on her with the magic mirror). By the time of ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryIV'' she's decided eating the Hero is altogether ''far'' more trouble than it's worth, and finds the various snacks the Hero brings her in exchange for her help and advice much more appealing, anyway.
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* ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'': Despite being a very dangerous and wicked spellcaster, Baba Yaga is a very passive force of evil in the world, and generally keeps to herself until she's provoked. Even then, she usually satisfies herself with curses and hexes rather than destroying her enemies outright.outright: she only curses the Baron of Spielburg when he tries to run her out of the valley, and given the power she shows in the game, there's no doubt that she could have done ''much worse''. And while she very well ''can'' devour the Hero if she desires, she ultimately leaves him off the menu; In ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryI'' she lets him live when he proves useful by running an errand for her (which comes back to bite her when you return and turn the tables on her with the magic mirror). By the time of ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryIV'' she's decided eating the Hero is altogether ''far'' more trouble than it's worth, and finds the various snacks the Hero brings her in exchange for her help and advice much more appealing, anyway. [[spoiler: She even counsels you against getting involved with the Dark One when you ask her for one of the rituals, if you're a wizard.]]
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PragmaticVillainy in video games.
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* [[CorruptPolitician Governor]] [[BigBad Laureano de Torres]] [[BlueBlood y Ayala]] in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag'' is shown to be against slavery, only because it will fuel resentment and rebellion in the long run, rather than seeing it as immoral.
* In a ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' prequel comic, the Arkham Knight impersonates Batman and murders criminals, trying to frame Batman for it and make it look like Batman has snapped. He avoids killing innocents, both because he wants witnesses to spread the word and because he knows if he killed them, it would be obvious he was an impostor. In the game proper, he argues to Scarecrow to just let him kill Batman instead of using mind games and death traps. Getting rid of the biggest threat now is worth more than making him suffer and giving him chances to survive.
** Scarecrow also counts here, since making Batman suffer ''is'' his main goal. He couldn't care less about taking over the city, that's just the bait to lure out Batman. He wants to be the HopeCrusher that destroys Batman as a symbol of hope for the people of Gotham. [[DontCreateAMartyr Just killing him outright would make him into a martyr]], and thus solidify him as a symbol of hope forever.
** This game also shows why, in the comic books, The Joker is often not invited to play with the other villains. Without his involvement, all the other villains are able to effectively join forces and present a far greater threat to Batman than they ever could have individually.
* ''VideoGame/BioShock1'': Frank Fontaine opened up soup kitchens within Rapture, not out of love, but to turn the city's lower class into an army.
* The first couple of times you run into [[BigBadWannabe Graham Jones]] in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow'' he is very friendly toward you and even helps you out. At that point in the game he thinks you're no threat to his plans and sees no reason whatsoever to behave otherwise. He also completely disregards the amnesiac bumbling around the castle. However, [[HotWitch Yoko]], an agent for the Church and a powerful witch, is dangerous enough for him to hunt down, and once he learns about Soma's strange powers, [[LetsGetDangerous he changes his mind]]...
** Similarly, [[TheDragon Death]] tends to be this in any of the games he appears in where the castle is being ruled by someone other than Dracula. Especially in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin'': he has no interest in fighting Jonathan or Charlotte because they are facing Brauner rather than his master, points this out when they challenge him, and decides to [[VillainExitStageLeft simply leave]] when they pose a threat to him. Pride be damned when he doesn't have a valid reason to put himself at risk against an opponent.
* ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings'' game mechanics encourage this on the part of the PlayerCharacter. Randomly revoking vassals' titles or imprisoning or beheading people without a clear reason increases the chance of a revolt against your rule, but a king who is "good" [[DeliberateValuesDissonance by modern definitions]] doesn't tend to last long. Doing things like [[PretextForWar faking claims on foreign lands so you can conquer them]] and assassinating heirs ([[WouldHurtAChild prepubescent children included]]) so that particular people will inherit are key components of gameplay.
* In ''VisualNovel/{{Danganronpa}}'', [[spoiler: [[AxeCrazy Genocide Jack]], the [[SerialKiller Ultimate Murderous Fiend]]]] decides that if the point of the murder game is to not get caught to escape, [[spoiler:and Jack can't stand ''not'' using her signature modus operandi (and thus leaving obvious evidence at the crime scene),]] then it would be easiest to just not kill anybody. Plus, [[spoiler:she knows that the outside world is reduced to ruins, so she has no interest in leaving.]]
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, Nagisa decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town.]]
* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' features a number of examples.
** In the first game's ExpansionPack ''Winter Assault'', during the Disorder campaign, the forces of Chaos are in conflict with the Orks of Lorn V; when they discover the Imperial Guard and Craftworld Eldar are also on the planet and both searching for an ancient [[HumongousMecha Emperor Titan]], the leaders of both factions temporarily team up to [[EnemyMine deal with their mutual enemies]], but this doesn't mean they've decided to stop fighting one another for good. Also takes place in the Order campaign, where the Guard and the Eldar team up to stop the Chaos Marines and the Orks, despite both sides knowing that their ultimate motives are mutually-exclusive and they will eventually have to turn against each other.
** The page quote is from ''Chaos Rising'', the first expansion to ''Dawn of War II''. During an early skirmish with the player's forces, BigBad Araghast the Pillager allows them to leave the battlefield with their lives. When his [[TheDragon Dragon]] Eliphas raises an eyebrow at this, Araghast counters that it suits his purposes to do so -- there's a traitor amongst the player's loyal comrades [[TheMole who has provided him with useful information]], and he let them leave to continue making use of the traitor without blowing his cover. Eliphas has a nasty grudge against the player's forces, some of whom defeated him in battle during the Kronus campaign in ''Dark Crusade'', but Araghast has no interest in indulging his enforcer's vendetta.
** In ''Retribution'', the Imperial Guard campaign features a sterling example when [[SergeantRock Sergeant Merrick]] yells at [[FourStarBadass Lord General Castor]] for leaving a large number of Guardsmen to die during a disasterous battle on Typhon Prime while he and the good sergeant escaped along with [[ThePoliticalOfficer Commissar-Lord Bernn]] and [[InternalAffairs Inquisitor Adrastia]]; the good general replies as follows:
--->'''Lord General Castor:''' Merrick, A guardsman's '''life''' is to die. My job has always been to send them to places where they ''can'' die. I am not afraid to spend them, but I never waste men. Because of their sacrifice, the Inquisitor now has the proof she needs. [...] Now, Sergeant Major, you may proceed with your attempt to kill me, but as I mentioned, I do not waste men if I can avoid it, and killing you for insubordination would be very... wasteful.
** How Inquisitor Adrastia first warms Kaptin Bluddflagg to the idea of killing [[spoiler:Kyras]], who has no intention of endangering himself and his krew challenging a nearly PhysicalGod. If he obliterates the sector, what's left for the orks to fight and plunder? However, she also fails the trope by screwing up the negotiations when, having promised him a fight against three Imperial regiments at a time and place of his choosing, she refuses to add her NiceHat to the deal.
* In the ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'' "The Missing Link" DLC, [[spoiler:you can find an email from the evil base commander where he claims he was informed that his subordinates are raping their female prisoners and demands that they stop or face harsh punishment...because this decreases the chance that they survive the [[BodyHorror horrific surgical procedure]] that turns them into [[AndIMustScream Hyron Drones]].]]
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'': Flemeth is a mysterious shapeshifting "witch of the wilds" and an EvilMatriarch besides, but she scoffs at the stories of her kidnapping and eating children. "Pah! As if I had nothing ''better'' to do!"
* ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper'': The Keeper might be a VillainProtagonist malevolent spirit out to drown the world in darkness, but it behooves it to be at least somewhat considerate of its evil minions: providing amenities and entertainment, keeping them away from creatures that press their BerserkButton, keeping the TrainingFromHell moderate, and never saying WeHaveReserves. Creatures will [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere leave]] or [[TheDogBitesBack rebel]] if abused too much, and high-level minions are worth accommodating a bit.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'', Master Aryon ''seems'' to be the ReasonableAuthorityFigure of [[MightMakesRight House]] [[EvilSorcerer Telvanni]]. However, he's actually being 'flexible' because the stubbornness of the other Telvanni councilors leaves the House at a disadvantage to its numerous powerful enemies; his motives are entirely self-interested.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'':
*** The ThievesGuild has a "no killing" rule, because leaving behind dead bodies draws attention and makes people more hostile (and getting rid of the bodies takes work and money), and they'd much rather be seen as a nuisance than a serious threat. Additionally, as they say, "a half-dead man can still make his payment, while a dead man pays no gold".
*** Similarly, if you side with the Volkihar vampires, many of their side quests have you put down various non-affiliated groups of vampires, because the more advanced vampires in the castle don't appreciate their unsubtle methods and doesn't want the cattle (i.e. mortals) to get unduly spooked and possibly hostile. That, and they don't want to ''share''.
*** Whether you side with the Volkihar vampires or not, you'll meet [[spoiler:Valerica, Serana's mother,]] hiding in the Soul Cairn. She reveals the actions that she had taken to help prevent [[VampireMonarch Harkon]] from fulfilling the [[TheNightThatNeverEnds 'Tyranny of the Sun' prophecy]], which you'd initially think that she'd have been all for as a Vampire Lord herself. Her reasoning is that an event of that scale would drive all of the mortal races to fight back against them, and not stop until every vampire was snuffed out and the sun returned.
* This is the reason why "professional" pirates in ''VideoGame/EveOnline'' hate the more {{Griefer}}-like rat bastard ones. A professional pirate will trap your ship and make you a simple offer - pay them or your ship and capsule will be destroyed. If you pay up, they'll let you go, otherwise they blow you up and loot your wreck. The rat bastards will do the same thing, except if you pay up they destroy you and loot your wreck anyway. The professionals hate the bastards because they make people far less likely to pay up, which is far more reliable profit than looting wrecks (as what survives a wreck is random). Quite a lot of people in ''Eve'' refuse to ''ever'' pay ransoms for their ships simply because they don't believe in "honest" pirates any more.
* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'':
** Mr. House is not a nice man and freely says that he desires to become the region's dictator (he prefers "autocrat"), but he has no interest in power without a purpose and his plans for the Mojave would certainly benefit mankind as a whole. Likewise, he's merciless in dealing with people who have earned his ire or even have a ''chance'' of standing in his way, but in personal interactions he's usually just [[InsufferableGenius sort of condescending]], not showing any overt malice.
** Father Elijah, a fanatic, actually had some pretty sensible policies during his time as the leader of the Brotherhood of Steel, including obtaining beneficial technology such as farming equipment and trading such technology with wastelanders in order to gain their support. Elijah doesn't care about wastelanders and is happy to sacrifice them if needed, but was smart enough to recognize that the Brotherhood was too small and insular to survive without support from their wastelander neighbors (a fact which even his much more moral successor completely missed). [[spoiler: Or not. His successor can be made to admit that the Brotherhood is doomed, but he's [[PrinciplesZealot not willing to break the Codex like Elijah was]].]] Elijah breaks the rules for what he sees as the greater purpose of his organisation... both the ones that keep the Brotherhood from being outright evil, ''and'' the ones that have long lost their purpose in the modern wasteland.
** The Khans are a group of raiders that act like "professional" pirates. They're mainly hostile to the NCR, but tend to ignore locals of the Mojave, and are willing to trade, though the only thing they have to trade is drugs (though they will sell weapons to the Courier if he manages to get on their good side) and by the time of the game mostly keep to themselves at Red Rock Canyon.
*** You can also use this trope as an argument to convince the Khan's drug cooks to make medicines in addition to their regular drugs; a more diverse product line, plus customers who are less likely to die allowing for more repeat business, will give them more profits.
** The Fiends have at least learned to stay out of Westside after their leader Motor-Runner decided that the local Supermutant who protects the community is more trouble than it's worth to kill.
** In the final battle, Legate Lanius will only consider retreat if he's properly convinced/bluffed that he will face inevitable defeat, either through attrition, through an inability to support his army or even by convincing him that the NCR is setting a trap for him.
** Colonel Moore is this. She is willing to put up with anything the Courier does because it will lead to winning the war, but she makes sure to slander the Courier and gets Ambassador Crocker fired for doing things their way instead of hers.
** Gloria Van Graff is a completely ruthless bitch of a businesswoman who will do what is necessary to monopolize the weapons trade in the Mojave. She is also willing to work with the [=NCR=] to take down Caesar's Legion, because the [=NCR=] has a larger economy, and because she (unlike several other Mojave faction leaders) isn't delusional enough to think she will be the exception to Caesar's rule of killing those who [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlive their usefulness.]]
** The Garrets are willing to aid the Followers in fighting addiction in their customers, because addicts cause more trouble than they're worth and scare off the more profitable tourist clientele. (May touch on EvenEvilHasStandards since - bad reputation aside - they never do anything really bad in-game, and value a good reputation.)
* Caster in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' refrains from actually outright killing the victims she drains because that would draw even more attention, too much to cover up with a story about gas leaks.
* Soren in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius'' can skirt this at times, such as suggesting that Ike turn over Princess Elincia to [[TheEmpire the invading Daein soldiers]] to earn favor with the [[IFightForTheStrongestSide currently superior occupying force.]] He drops it as soon as Ike decides to protect her, though, and it's clear that despite his more questionable suggestions he's ultimately loyal to Ike and the Greil Mercenaries.
* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'':
** Not so much a matter of avoiding morally reprehensible actions, but Agatio parts with his dignity in ''Golden Sun: The Lost Age'' and consciously plays the part of a [[DumbMuscle dumb]] [[TheBrute brute]] [[UnwittingPawn being manipulated]] by Alex because he knows that will ''get the job done'', though he makes it clear that he's actually a GeniusBruiser and [[TeethClenchedTeamwork not fond]] of Alex's [[SmugSnake attitude]].
** Considering the events near the end of the previous game, Agatio also seems to be much more tolerant of Felix not directly following their plans than his predecessors were. Though he's pretty rough about reminding Felix what's at stake, he doesn't turn on Felix until Felix acts against ''him'' on behalf of Isaac, and even then he bides his time until Felix has finished his part and [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness is no longer needed for the plan to succeed]].
* In ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic IV'', after founding his own kingdom, the necromancer Gauldoth the Half-Dead gains a once-in-a-lifetime chance to invade his neighbouring nation while their armies are elsewhere and become the most powerful ruler in the world. Instead of doing this, he sends the invasion plans to the queen of said nation, telling his NumberTwo that whenever a necromancer gets too greedy, every living thing in the world allies against them. Instead, he's content on ruling his own little nation for all eternity, overlooked by everyone else.
* The Agency of ''VideoGame/{{Hitman}}'' normally go after criminals and the like due to the fact that people pay more for world stability. Also, Agent 47 prefers not to kill anyone who isn't his target, since collateral damage isn't professional and it creates the risk of more witnesses (though he will kill witnesses if he has to).
** In ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'', the ICA is hired to destroy a bioweapon that can kill target specific people via DNA, allowing anyone with the weapon and a sample of the target to kill them from halfway across the world. Despite such a weapon having potentially catastrophic implications in both a moral, economic and geopolitical sense, Diana (and presumably the rest of the ICA) is more concerned that it would put them out of business.
* Ares in ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'' helps the heroes stop [[spoiler:Superman's]] Government since the lack of conflict has left the God of War [[GodsNeedPrayerBadly with little power]].
* In ''VisualNovel/{{Kuroinu}}'', a pimp stops one of his SexSlave[=s=] from anxiously biting her lip- because he wants to get the highest price possible when selling her, and that particular sort of injury makes her less attractive/valuable.
* Count Arganan of ''VideoGame/TheLastStory'' is very reasonable with the protagonist, Zael. When Zael is framed for kidnapping his niece, all it takes is an explanation from Zael's friend to get him out of jail, and later on, Arganan offers Zael knighthood and the hand of said niece in marriage, two things Zael has been hoping for. He does all this because he learns that Zael is TheChosenOne and reasons that if he wants to use Zael's power to further his ambitions, it's better to just get on his good side than to try and threaten or force him into it.
* Despite all the genuinely psychotic stuff going on in the titular setting of ''VideoGame/ManiacMansion'', including bloody chain saws in the kitchen, mad experiments, the kidnapped DamselInDistress, and so forth, if you run into Edna she merely captures you and either calls the police or ''your mother''. After all, there's no way anyone would believe the teenager's reasoning for sneaking in, and technically speaking he ''is'' trespassing.
* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', Aria T'loak is a ruthless crime boss who ruled [[WretchedHive Omega]] until Cerberus threw her out. After you help her secure her position again, she turns around and throws every bit of support she can to you, because in her words "if the [[AbusivePrecursors Reapers]] win, [[EvilVersusOblivion it won't matter where I'm sitting]]." Most of humanity's allies are far more conservative with their support- only the Krogan leader Urdnot Wrex and the Geth can potentially provide more support to the war than she can.
* In ''VideoGame/NightInTheWoods'', the BigBad does some truly terrible things, but they do follow a very strict set of codes about what they allow themselves to do. [[spoiler:The Cult of the Black Goat commits acts of HumanSacrifice to an EldritchAbomination for the sake of saving their DyingTown, but they only sacrifice people who "won't be missed." To that end, the cult lets Mae and her group go because they have loved ones who would notice if they went missing, and because they hadn't done anything to personally wrong any members of the cult with the exception of Eide. Though, the cult even lets that go because Eide was trying to kill them, so it's an eye for an eye. Of course, who "won't be missed" is entirely up to them. Both Gregg and Bea call them out on this, especially once it's revealed that their friend Casey was one of the cult's victims.]]
* "Good" choices in ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}'' are often framed as this. For instance, after retrieving a village's stolen food supply, you're given the option to take it to feed your horde--but giving it back to the villagers instead increases their productivity (represented in-game by a higher respawn rate for the sheep you kill to feed your basic troops.)
* ''VideoGame/PAYDAYTheHeist'' has this for the heist crew. They don't want to kill civilians because it will make the cops more aggressive against them and having no hostages gives cops less incentive to hesitate in attacking. In a gameplay perspective, you don't want to kill civilians because doing so delays your release from police custody, gives the team less hostages to barter your release with, and you incur a monetary penalty at the end of the level.
** ''VideoGame/{{PAYDAY 2}}'' gives you two more good reasons: untied civilians will now help up players with the "StockholmSyndrome" skill (even giving them some ammo if the skill is aced), and police hostages can now be [[EnemyMine converted to your side]] - the ones with orange bulletproof armor in particular are really good meatshields because regular bullets cannot cut through their armor at all.
* "The Practical Incarnation" is the name for the most evil of your previous selves you encounter in ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment''. Everything he did had a practical use, even if it ultimately resulted in horrible things like convincing a woman he loved her so her very soul would stick around and act as an oracle for him. He even leaves you with some very good, easy-to-follow instructions, so much the better to make sure you can carry on his work even after his death. May be regarded as a kind of inversion -- rather than evil goals tempered in means by pragmatism, the Practical Incarnation has a neutral-to-okay goal made horrible by the pure practical pragmatism in the means.
* In ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonRescueTeam'', Team Meanies participates in Pokémon rescues because it earns them money and influence, which they would need if they want to take over the world.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'', [=GLaDOS=] ends up thinking like this at the end of the single-player campaign. After all of the trouble she's gone through in two games, the evil AI finally decides to [[spoiler:just let Chell go like she wanted. [=GLaDOS=] knows that if she keeps Chell around any longer, things are probably just going to keep getting worse. Though the return of the ''[[NotQuiteDead original]]'' CompanionCube and 'Want You Gone' present [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation another possibility]]: [=GLaDOS=] lied about deleting Caroline, and [[InvokedTrope invokes]] this trope to [[{{Tsundere}} hide her true affection for Chell]].]]
-->The best solution to a problem is usually the easiest one. And I'll be honest. [[spoiler:Killing you? Is hard. So you know what? You dangerous mute lunatic? You win. ''Just go.'']]
* ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'': Despite being a very dangerous and wicked spellcaster, Baba Yaga is a very passive force of evil in the world, and generally keeps to herself until she's provoked. Even then, she usually satisfies herself with curses and hexes rather than destroying her enemies outright. And while she very well ''can'' devour the Hero if she desires, she ultimately leaves him off the menu; In ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryI'' she lets him live when he proves useful by running an errand for her (which comes back to bite her when you return and turn the tables on her with the magic mirror). By the time of ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryIV'' she's decided eating the Hero is altogether ''far'' more trouble than it's worth, and finds the various snacks the Hero brings her in exchange for her help and advice much more appealing, anyway.
* ''VideoGame/SleepingDogs'', Broken-Nose Jiang despises Big Smile Lee's prostitution and women-selling operations because she believes they are archaic and don't provide as much profit as white-collar crimes.
* Constable Neyla of ''VideoGame/Sly2BandOfThieves'', though only a "villain" in the sense that she works for Interpol and the protagonists are criminals, is aware that Sly's gang has a tendancy to bring down much more serious criminals and openly admits she's willing to slip him clues and even directly work with him for the greater good. [[spoiler:Of course, this changes once it's revealed she actually ''is'' the game's BigBad and was merely using you to get access to Clockwerk's body.]]
* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'''s Dr. Eggman has willingly worked with Sonic and friends multiple times to prevent the world from being outright destroyed, including stopping his own grandfather's work in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2''. Eggman's goal is opening his own theme park, not world destruction. These traits are best exemplified in ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'', where Eggman is a possible "Hero" and "Dark" assistant, the only character in the game to be on both sides. Also, during an early cutscene, as Eggman watches a city being destroyed by the Black Arms, he gets increasingly more frustrated with their mindless destruction.
-->'''Eggman:''' How can I take over the city and build the Eggman Empire if there ''is'' no city!?
* In ''VideoGame/StarCraft'''s expansion ''Brood War'', when [[FallenHero Kerrigan]] is facing the [[TheWarOfEarthlyAggression UED]], she gets in an EnemyMine situation with [[TheEmperor Arcturus Mengsk]], the guy who [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness once betrayed her]], and promises she will help him take his planet back from the UED in exchange for his help. Much to everyone's surprise , she ''does'' keep her word... because by doing so, she considerably weakens the UED's grasp in the sector. Once it's done, she promptly betrays him.
** Similarly, in the sequel ''[[VideoGame/StarCraftIIHeartOfTheSwarm Heart of the Swarm]]'', she stops [[TheDragon Zagara]] from killing Protoss prisoner Lessara in one dialogue, explaining that "cruelty is a tool; you should only use it when it's actually needed". [[spoiler:She does end up killing Lessara, but [[ShootTheDog only as a last resort]].]]
*** Later in the game, as Kerrigan [[TheAtoner actually is starting]] [[TookALevelInKindness to become a better person]], she orders [[MadScientist Abathur]] to stop experimenting on human subjects. Surprisingly enough, Abathur gladly obliges... because he thinks [[HumansAreFlawed Humans are so uninteresting that they can't bring anything useful to the Swarm.]]
* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'':
** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': Darth Revan was not a very nice person, but kept his atrocities to a minimum because OrbitalBombardment is bad for infrastructure and profit. When his former apprentice, [[BigBad Darth Malak]], betrays him, all that goes out the window because Malak is an incompetent GeneralRipper; one of his first actions that the player sees is him ordering the total destruction of the completely-Sith-occupied Taris just to kill the player. Some Dark Side acts that the player can do are pragmatic, but most tend towards StupidEvil.
** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' separates Dark Side acts into either psychotic StupidEvil actions or cunning manipulation. Kreia will essentially call [[PlayerCharacter The Exile]] a moron if they trend towards Stupid Evil, but will praise them for manipulation. The game also goes into further detail for Revan's motivations prior to the first game, describing him as a WellIntentionedExtremist AntiVillain.
** In ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', the various Imperial characters, particularly Sith often tend to justify Light Side decisions this way. By the ''Rise of the Hutt Cartel'' expansion, Darth Marr and a Light Side Sith Inquisitor can both champion that the Empire should adopt VillainWithGoodPublicity as their public image, seeing it as the only way to help stabilise the Empire and repair the damage from the ongoing war with the Republic and infighting between Sith.
*** After the Imperial Agent meets up with [[TheSpymaster Keeper]] in the prologue, he evaluates your actions on Hutta: he'll chastise a particularly Light-sided Agent on [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids being too soft]] while also doing the same for a Dark-sided Agent for relying too much on violence.
*** Darth Marr in general tends to operate on this, which makes him a ReasonableAuthorityFigure as far as Sith goes. He sees the anti-alien bigotry of the Empire as wasteful since it means ignoring potentially useful allies and largely tolerates the Imperial Agent and Bounty Hunter as long as they're useful [[spoiler:though if the former used the Black Codex to to go rogue from the Empire, he'll tell them that [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou were they not useful he'd have them executed]].]] He's also aware that the Sith Emperor is an OmnicidalManiac, meaning that he'll do anything to stop him, even [[EnemyMine temporarily allying with the Jedi and the Republic]].
*** The Imperial Invasion on Belsavis runs on this. Just about everything the Republic did on Belsavis was something that the Empire considered and rejected on practical grounds. The Domination Experiments that the Republic was running were proposed by Imperial scientists and rejected outright for being pointless and not worth the loss of potential laborers. [[DoWrongRight In addition the experiment was worthless because it was scientifically invalid because there was no control group among other issues with the study.]]
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** Bowser. At times he helps the Mario Brothers and other people, only because he wants to be the only one to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. Also, since his goal is [[EvilVersusOblivion conquest and not destruction]], he'll assist the Mario Brothers so that others can't destroy what he wants to conquer.
** ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'''s Dimentio is perhaps one of the darkest-ever takes on this trope. He repeatedly helps the heroes from behind the scenes... but is actually '''''far''''' worse than the [[AntiVillain main villain]], only doing this to be able to [[spoiler:weaken said villain enough so that his ArtifactOfDoom can ultimately be stolen for Dimentio's own ends. In the end, he even decides to subvert this trope altogether by using the last of his power to attempt a multiversal TakingYouWithMe out of sheer spite.]]
* [[Anime/GundamSeedDestiny Lord Djibril]] in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsV'' berates [[Anime/CrossAnge Emperor Julio]] after his attempted public execution of Ange ends in a colossal failure, implying that he never approved. Since the existence of Dragons is exposed publicly and various organizations and nations (particularly ZAFT, the Orb Union, the Celestial Being and even the Earth Federation) take military action against the Founding Nations afterward, he was more than correct.
* In ''[[WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird Tweety]] and the Magic Gems'' for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance, Sylvester is one of the six playable characters who participates in the quest to find the five Magic Gems that reverse the curse that [[TakenForGranite turns Tweety to stone]]. If Sylvester achieves a goal at the end of the game, he explains his reason for participating in the quest; he can't eat Tweety if he turns into a rock.
* In ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'', Gaunter O'Dimm will gladly help Geralt several times, even warning him to [[GoMadFromTheRevelation not try to discover what O'Dimm really is, for his own sanity.]] This isn't because he's a nice guy, since he's the Witcher equivalent of the Devil himself; rather, it's because he needs Geralt sane and effective so he can help O'Dimm collect on his contract with Olgierd. At the end, if Geralt sides with O'Dimm and lets him win, he'll tell Geralt information to help him save Ciri in the main game's ending... but that is so that Ciri will survive to defeat the White Frost, which threatens to destroy O'Dimm's favorite playground.
* A quest in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has one Dreadlord criticizing another for using blood ink in love letters to a [[HornyDevils Succubus]] simply because Night Elf virgins aren't easy to come by and he's wasting a valuable resource.
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PragmaticVillainy in video games.
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* [[CorruptPolitician Governor]] [[BigBad Laureano de Torres]] [[BlueBlood y Ayala]] in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag'' is shown to be against slavery, only because it will fuel resentment and rebellion in the long run, rather than seeing it as immoral.
* In a ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' prequel comic, the Arkham Knight impersonates Batman and murders criminals, trying to frame Batman for it and make it look like Batman has snapped. He avoids killing innocents, both because he wants witnesses to spread the word and because he knows if he killed them, it would be obvious he was an impostor. In the game proper, he argues to Scarecrow to just let him kill Batman instead of using mind games and death traps. Getting rid of the biggest threat now is worth more than making him suffer and giving him chances to survive.
** Scarecrow also counts here, since making Batman suffer ''is'' his main goal. He couldn't care less about taking over the city, that's just the bait to lure out Batman. He wants to be the HopeCrusher that destroys Batman as a symbol of hope for the people of Gotham. [[DontCreateAMartyr Just killing him outright would make him into a martyr]], and thus solidify him as a symbol of hope forever.
** This game also shows why, in the comic books, The Joker is often not invited to play with the other villains. Without his involvement, all the other villains are able to effectively join forces and present a far greater threat to Batman than they ever could have individually.
* ''VideoGame/BioShock1'': Frank Fontaine opened up soup kitchens within Rapture, not out of love, but to turn the city's lower class into an army.
* The first couple of times you run into [[BigBadWannabe Graham Jones]] in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow'' he is very friendly toward you and even helps you out. At that point in the game he thinks you're no threat to his plans and sees no reason whatsoever to behave otherwise. He also completely disregards the amnesiac bumbling around the castle. However, [[HotWitch Yoko]], an agent for the Church and a powerful witch, is dangerous enough for him to hunt down, and once he learns about Soma's strange powers, [[LetsGetDangerous he changes his mind]]...
** Similarly, [[TheDragon Death]] tends to be this in any of the games he appears in where the castle is being ruled by someone other than Dracula. Especially in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin'': he has no interest in fighting Jonathan or Charlotte because they are facing Brauner rather than his master, points this out when they challenge him, and decides to [[VillainExitStageLeft simply leave]] when they pose a threat to him. Pride be damned when he doesn't have a valid reason to put himself at risk against an opponent.
* ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings'' game mechanics encourage this on the part of the PlayerCharacter. Randomly revoking vassals' titles or imprisoning or beheading people without a clear reason increases the chance of a revolt against your rule, but a king who is "good" [[DeliberateValuesDissonance by modern definitions]] doesn't tend to last long. Doing things like [[PretextForWar faking claims on foreign lands so you can conquer them]] and assassinating heirs ([[WouldHurtAChild prepubescent children included]]) so that particular people will inherit are key components of gameplay.
* In ''VisualNovel/{{Danganronpa}}'', [[spoiler: [[AxeCrazy Genocide Jack]], the [[SerialKiller Ultimate Murderous Fiend]]]] decides that if the point of the murder game is to not get caught to escape, [[spoiler:and Jack can't stand ''not'' using her signature modus operandi (and thus leaving obvious evidence at the crime scene),]] then it would be easiest to just not kill anybody. Plus, [[spoiler:she knows that the outside world is reduced to ruins, so she has no interest in leaving.]]
** The spinoff ''VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls'' has protagonist Komaru Naegi being hunted for the amusement of the [[NonIndicativeName Warriors]] [[KidsAreCruel of Hope]], while they simultaneously enact their EvilPlan. One of them decides to do something very constructive: [[spoiler:Since Komaru is smashing all their robots, Nagisa decides to give her exactly what she wants and escorts her out of the town.]]
* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' features a number of examples.
** In the first game's ExpansionPack ''Winter Assault'', during the Disorder campaign, the forces of Chaos are in conflict with the Orks of Lorn V; when they discover the Imperial Guard and Craftworld Eldar are also on the planet and both searching for an ancient [[HumongousMecha Emperor Titan]], the leaders of both factions temporarily team up to [[EnemyMine deal with their mutual enemies]], but this doesn't mean they've decided to stop fighting one another for good. Also takes place in the Order campaign, where the Guard and the Eldar team up to stop the Chaos Marines and the Orks, despite both sides knowing that their ultimate motives are mutually-exclusive and they will eventually have to turn against each other.
** The page quote is from ''Chaos Rising'', the first expansion to ''Dawn of War II''. During an early skirmish with the player's forces, BigBad Araghast the Pillager allows them to leave the battlefield with their lives. When his [[TheDragon Dragon]] Eliphas raises an eyebrow at this, Araghast counters that it suits his purposes to do so -- there's a traitor amongst the player's loyal comrades [[TheMole who has provided him with useful information]], and he let them leave to continue making use of the traitor without blowing his cover. Eliphas has a nasty grudge against the player's forces, some of whom defeated him in battle during the Kronus campaign in ''Dark Crusade'', but Araghast has no interest in indulging his enforcer's vendetta.
** In ''Retribution'', the Imperial Guard campaign features a sterling example when [[SergeantRock Sergeant Merrick]] yells at [[FourStarBadass Lord General Castor]] for leaving a large number of Guardsmen to die during a disasterous battle on Typhon Prime while he and the good sergeant escaped along with [[ThePoliticalOfficer Commissar-Lord Bernn]] and [[InternalAffairs Inquisitor Adrastia]]; the good general replies as follows:
--->'''Lord General Castor:''' Merrick, A guardsman's '''life''' is to die. My job has always been to send them to places where they ''can'' die. I am not afraid to spend them, but I never waste men. Because of their sacrifice, the Inquisitor now has the proof she needs. [...] Now, Sergeant Major, you may proceed with your attempt to kill me, but as I mentioned, I do not waste men if I can avoid it, and killing you for insubordination would be very... wasteful.
** How Inquisitor Adrastia first warms Kaptin Bluddflagg to the idea of killing [[spoiler:Kyras]], who has no intention of endangering himself and his krew challenging a nearly PhysicalGod. If he obliterates the sector, what's left for the orks to fight and plunder? However, she also fails the trope by screwing up the negotiations when, having promised him a fight against three Imperial regiments at a time and place of his choosing, she refuses to add her NiceHat to the deal.
* In the ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'' "The Missing Link" DLC, [[spoiler:you can find an email from the evil base commander where he claims he was informed that his subordinates are raping their female prisoners and demands that they stop or face harsh punishment...because this decreases the chance that they survive the [[BodyHorror horrific surgical procedure]] that turns them into [[AndIMustScream Hyron Drones]].]]
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'': Flemeth is a mysterious shapeshifting "witch of the wilds" and an EvilMatriarch besides, but she scoffs at the stories of her kidnapping and eating children. "Pah! As if I had nothing ''better'' to do!"
* ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper'': The Keeper might be a VillainProtagonist malevolent spirit out to drown the world in darkness, but it behooves it to be at least somewhat considerate of its evil minions: providing amenities and entertainment, keeping them away from creatures that press their BerserkButton, keeping the TrainingFromHell moderate, and never saying WeHaveReserves. Creatures will [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere leave]] or [[TheDogBitesBack rebel]] if abused too much, and high-level minions are worth accommodating a bit.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'', Master Aryon ''seems'' to be the ReasonableAuthorityFigure of [[MightMakesRight House]] [[EvilSorcerer Telvanni]]. However, he's actually being 'flexible' because the stubbornness of the other Telvanni councilors leaves the House at a disadvantage to its numerous powerful enemies; his motives are entirely self-interested.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'':
*** The ThievesGuild has a "no killing" rule, because leaving behind dead bodies draws attention and makes people more hostile (and getting rid of the bodies takes work and money), and they'd much rather be seen as a nuisance than a serious threat. Additionally, as they say, "a half-dead man can still make his payment, while a dead man pays no gold".
*** Similarly, if you side with the Volkihar vampires, many of their side quests have you put down various non-affiliated groups of vampires, because the more advanced vampires in the castle don't appreciate their unsubtle methods and doesn't want the cattle (i.e. mortals) to get unduly spooked and possibly hostile. That, and they don't want to ''share''.
*** Whether you side with the Volkihar vampires or not, you'll meet [[spoiler:Valerica, Serana's mother,]] hiding in the Soul Cairn. She reveals the actions that she had taken to help prevent [[VampireMonarch Harkon]] from fulfilling the [[TheNightThatNeverEnds 'Tyranny of the Sun' prophecy]], which you'd initially think that she'd have been all for as a Vampire Lord herself. Her reasoning is that an event of that scale would drive all of the mortal races to fight back against them, and not stop until every vampire was snuffed out and the sun returned.
* This is the reason why "professional" pirates in ''VideoGame/EveOnline'' hate the more {{Griefer}}-like rat bastard ones. A professional pirate will trap your ship and make you a simple offer - pay them or your ship and capsule will be destroyed. If you pay up, they'll let you go, otherwise they blow you up and loot your wreck. The rat bastards will do the same thing, except if you pay up they destroy you and loot your wreck anyway. The professionals hate the bastards because they make people far less likely to pay up, which is far more reliable profit than looting wrecks (as what survives a wreck is random). Quite a lot of people in ''Eve'' refuse to ''ever'' pay ransoms for their ships simply because they don't believe in "honest" pirates any more.
* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'':
** Mr. House is not a nice man and freely says that he desires to become the region's dictator (he prefers "autocrat"), but he has no interest in power without a purpose and his plans for the Mojave would certainly benefit mankind as a whole. Likewise, he's merciless in dealing with people who have earned his ire or even have a ''chance'' of standing in his way, but in personal interactions he's usually just [[InsufferableGenius sort of condescending]], not showing any overt malice.
** Father Elijah, a fanatic, actually had some pretty sensible policies during his time as the leader of the Brotherhood of Steel, including obtaining beneficial technology such as farming equipment and trading such technology with wastelanders in order to gain their support. Elijah doesn't care about wastelanders and is happy to sacrifice them if needed, but was smart enough to recognize that the Brotherhood was too small and insular to survive without support from their wastelander neighbors (a fact which even his much more moral successor completely missed). [[spoiler: Or not. His successor can be made to admit that the Brotherhood is doomed, but he's [[PrinciplesZealot not willing to break the Codex like Elijah was]].]] Elijah breaks the rules for what he sees as the greater purpose of his organisation... both the ones that keep the Brotherhood from being outright evil, ''and'' the ones that have long lost their purpose in the modern wasteland.
** The Khans are a group of raiders that act like "professional" pirates. They're mainly hostile to the NCR, but tend to ignore locals of the Mojave, and are willing to trade, though the only thing they have to trade is drugs (though they will sell weapons to the Courier if he manages to get on their good side) and by the time of the game mostly keep to themselves at Red Rock Canyon.
*** You can also use this trope as an argument to convince the Khan's drug cooks to make medicines in addition to their regular drugs; a more diverse product line, plus customers who are less likely to die allowing for more repeat business, will give them more profits.
** The Fiends have at least learned to stay out of Westside after their leader Motor-Runner decided that the local Supermutant who protects the community is more trouble than it's worth to kill.
** In the final battle, Legate Lanius will only consider retreat if he's properly convinced/bluffed that he will face inevitable defeat, either through attrition, through an inability to support his army or even by convincing him that the NCR is setting a trap for him.
** Colonel Moore is this. She is willing to put up with anything the Courier does because it will lead to winning the war, but she makes sure to slander the Courier and gets Ambassador Crocker fired for doing things their way instead of hers.
** Gloria Van Graff is a completely ruthless bitch of a businesswoman who will do what is necessary to monopolize the weapons trade in the Mojave. She is also willing to work with the [=NCR=] to take down Caesar's Legion, because the [=NCR=] has a larger economy, and because she (unlike several other Mojave faction leaders) isn't delusional enough to think she will be the exception to Caesar's rule of killing those who [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlive their usefulness.]]
** The Garrets are willing to aid the Followers in fighting addiction in their customers, because addicts cause more trouble than they're worth and scare off the more profitable tourist clientele. (May touch on EvenEvilHasStandards since - bad reputation aside - they never do anything really bad in-game, and value a good reputation.)
* Caster in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' refrains from actually outright killing the victims she drains because that would draw even more attention, too much to cover up with a story about gas leaks.
* Soren in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius'' can skirt this at times, such as suggesting that Ike turn over Princess Elincia to [[TheEmpire the invading Daein soldiers]] to earn favor with the [[IFightForTheStrongestSide currently superior occupying force.]] He drops it as soon as Ike decides to protect her, though, and it's clear that despite his more questionable suggestions he's ultimately loyal to Ike and the Greil Mercenaries.
* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'':
** Not so much a matter of avoiding morally reprehensible actions, but Agatio parts with his dignity in ''Golden Sun: The Lost Age'' and consciously plays the part of a [[DumbMuscle dumb]] [[TheBrute brute]] [[UnwittingPawn being manipulated]] by Alex because he knows that will ''get the job done'', though he makes it clear that he's actually a GeniusBruiser and [[TeethClenchedTeamwork not fond]] of Alex's [[SmugSnake attitude]].
** Considering the events near the end of the previous game, Agatio also seems to be much more tolerant of Felix not directly following their plans than his predecessors were. Though he's pretty rough about reminding Felix what's at stake, he doesn't turn on Felix until Felix acts against ''him'' on behalf of Isaac, and even then he bides his time until Felix has finished his part and [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness is no longer needed for the plan to succeed]].
* In ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic IV'', after founding his own kingdom, the necromancer Gauldoth the Half-Dead gains a once-in-a-lifetime chance to invade his neighbouring nation while their armies are elsewhere and become the most powerful ruler in the world. Instead of doing this, he sends the invasion plans to the queen of said nation, telling his NumberTwo that whenever a necromancer gets too greedy, every living thing in the world allies against them. Instead, he's content on ruling his own little nation for all eternity, overlooked by everyone else.
* The Agency of ''VideoGame/{{Hitman}}'' normally go after criminals and the like due to the fact that people pay more for world stability. Also, Agent 47 prefers not to kill anyone who isn't his target, since collateral damage isn't professional and it creates the risk of more witnesses (though he will kill witnesses if he has to).
** In ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'', the ICA is hired to destroy a bioweapon that can kill target specific people via DNA, allowing anyone with the weapon and a sample of the target to kill them from halfway across the world. Despite such a weapon having potentially catastrophic implications in both a moral, economic and geopolitical sense, Diana (and presumably the rest of the ICA) is more concerned that it would put them out of business.
* Ares in ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'' helps the heroes stop [[spoiler:Superman's]] Government since the lack of conflict has left the God of War [[GodsNeedPrayerBadly with little power]].
* In ''VisualNovel/{{Kuroinu}}'', a pimp stops one of his SexSlave[=s=] from anxiously biting her lip- because he wants to get the highest price possible when selling her, and that particular sort of injury makes her less attractive/valuable.
* Count Arganan of ''VideoGame/TheLastStory'' is very reasonable with the protagonist, Zael. When Zael is framed for kidnapping his niece, all it takes is an explanation from Zael's friend to get him out of jail, and later on, Arganan offers Zael knighthood and the hand of said niece in marriage, two things Zael has been hoping for. He does all this because he learns that Zael is TheChosenOne and reasons that if he wants to use Zael's power to further his ambitions, it's better to just get on his good side than to try and threaten or force him into it.
* Despite all the genuinely psychotic stuff going on in the titular setting of ''VideoGame/ManiacMansion'', including bloody chain saws in the kitchen, mad experiments, the kidnapped DamselInDistress, and so forth, if you run into Edna she merely captures you and either calls the police or ''your mother''. After all, there's no way anyone would believe the teenager's reasoning for sneaking in, and technically speaking he ''is'' trespassing.
* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', Aria T'loak is a ruthless crime boss who ruled [[WretchedHive Omega]] until Cerberus threw her out. After you help her secure her position again, she turns around and throws every bit of support she can to you, because in her words "if the [[AbusivePrecursors Reapers]] win, [[EvilVersusOblivion it won't matter where I'm sitting]]." Most of humanity's allies are far more conservative with their support- only the Krogan leader Urdnot Wrex and the Geth can potentially provide more support to the war than she can.
* In ''VideoGame/NightInTheWoods'', the BigBad does some truly terrible things, but they do follow a very strict set of codes about what they allow themselves to do. [[spoiler:The Cult of the Black Goat commits acts of HumanSacrifice to an EldritchAbomination for the sake of saving their DyingTown, but they only sacrifice people who "won't be missed." To that end, the cult lets Mae and her group go because they have loved ones who would notice if they went missing, and because they hadn't done anything to personally wrong any members of the cult with the exception of Eide. Though, the cult even lets that go because Eide was trying to kill them, so it's an eye for an eye. Of course, who "won't be missed" is entirely up to them. Both Gregg and Bea call them out on this, especially once it's revealed that their friend Casey was one of the cult's victims.]]
* "Good" choices in ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}'' are often framed as this. For instance, after retrieving a village's stolen food supply, you're given the option to take it to feed your horde--but giving it back to the villagers instead increases their productivity (represented in-game by a higher respawn rate for the sheep you kill to feed your basic troops.)
* ''VideoGame/PAYDAYTheHeist'' has this for the heist crew. They don't want to kill civilians because it will make the cops more aggressive against them and having no hostages gives cops less incentive to hesitate in attacking. In a gameplay perspective, you don't want to kill civilians because doing so delays your release from police custody, gives the team less hostages to barter your release with, and you incur a monetary penalty at the end of the level.
** ''VideoGame/{{PAYDAY 2}}'' gives you two more good reasons: untied civilians will now help up players with the "StockholmSyndrome" skill (even giving them some ammo if the skill is aced), and police hostages can now be [[EnemyMine converted to your side]] - the ones with orange bulletproof armor in particular are really good meatshields because regular bullets cannot cut through their armor at all.
* "The Practical Incarnation" is the name for the most evil of your previous selves you encounter in ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment''. Everything he did had a practical use, even if it ultimately resulted in horrible things like convincing a woman he loved her so her very soul would stick around and act as an oracle for him. He even leaves you with some very good, easy-to-follow instructions, so much the better to make sure you can carry on his work even after his death. May be regarded as a kind of inversion -- rather than evil goals tempered in means by pragmatism, the Practical Incarnation has a neutral-to-okay goal made horrible by the pure practical pragmatism in the means.
* In ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonRescueTeam'', Team Meanies participates in Pokémon rescues because it earns them money and influence, which they would need if they want to take over the world.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'', [=GLaDOS=] ends up thinking like this at the end of the single-player campaign. After all of the trouble she's gone through in two games, the evil AI finally decides to [[spoiler:just let Chell go like she wanted. [=GLaDOS=] knows that if she keeps Chell around any longer, things are probably just going to keep getting worse. Though the return of the ''[[NotQuiteDead original]]'' CompanionCube and 'Want You Gone' present [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation another possibility]]: [=GLaDOS=] lied about deleting Caroline, and [[InvokedTrope invokes]] this trope to [[{{Tsundere}} hide her true affection for Chell]].]]
-->The best solution to a problem is usually the easiest one. And I'll be honest. [[spoiler:Killing you? Is hard. So you know what? You dangerous mute lunatic? You win. ''Just go.'']]
* ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'': Despite being a very dangerous and wicked spellcaster, Baba Yaga is a very passive force of evil in the world, and generally keeps to herself until she's provoked. Even then, she usually satisfies herself with curses and hexes rather than destroying her enemies outright. And while she very well ''can'' devour the Hero if she desires, she ultimately leaves him off the menu; In ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryI'' she lets him live when he proves useful by running an errand for her (which comes back to bite her when you return and turn the tables on her with the magic mirror). By the time of ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryIV'' she's decided eating the Hero is altogether ''far'' more trouble than it's worth, and finds the various snacks the Hero brings her in exchange for her help and advice much more appealing, anyway.
* ''VideoGame/SleepingDogs'', Broken-Nose Jiang despises Big Smile Lee's prostitution and women-selling operations because she believes they are archaic and don't provide as much profit as white-collar crimes.
* Constable Neyla of ''VideoGame/Sly2BandOfThieves'', though only a "villain" in the sense that she works for Interpol and the protagonists are criminals, is aware that Sly's gang has a tendancy to bring down much more serious criminals and openly admits she's willing to slip him clues and even directly work with him for the greater good. [[spoiler:Of course, this changes once it's revealed she actually ''is'' the game's BigBad and was merely using you to get access to Clockwerk's body.]]
* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'''s Dr. Eggman has willingly worked with Sonic and friends multiple times to prevent the world from being outright destroyed, including stopping his own grandfather's work in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2''. Eggman's goal is opening his own theme park, not world destruction. These traits are best exemplified in ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'', where Eggman is a possible "Hero" and "Dark" assistant, the only character in the game to be on both sides. Also, during an early cutscene, as Eggman watches a city being destroyed by the Black Arms, he gets increasingly more frustrated with their mindless destruction.
-->'''Eggman:''' How can I take over the city and build the Eggman Empire if there ''is'' no city!?
* In ''VideoGame/StarCraft'''s expansion ''Brood War'', when [[FallenHero Kerrigan]] is facing the [[TheWarOfEarthlyAggression UED]], she gets in an EnemyMine situation with [[TheEmperor Arcturus Mengsk]], the guy who [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness once betrayed her]], and promises she will help him take his planet back from the UED in exchange for his help. Much to everyone's surprise , she ''does'' keep her word... because by doing so, she considerably weakens the UED's grasp in the sector. Once it's done, she promptly betrays him.
** Similarly, in the sequel ''[[VideoGame/StarCraftIIHeartOfTheSwarm Heart of the Swarm]]'', she stops [[TheDragon Zagara]] from killing Protoss prisoner Lessara in one dialogue, explaining that "cruelty is a tool; you should only use it when it's actually needed". [[spoiler:She does end up killing Lessara, but [[ShootTheDog only as a last resort]].]]
*** Later in the game, as Kerrigan [[TheAtoner actually is starting]] [[TookALevelInKindness to become a better person]], she orders [[MadScientist Abathur]] to stop experimenting on human subjects. Surprisingly enough, Abathur gladly obliges... because he thinks [[HumansAreFlawed Humans are so uninteresting that they can't bring anything useful to the Swarm.]]
* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'':
** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': Darth Revan was not a very nice person, but kept his atrocities to a minimum because OrbitalBombardment is bad for infrastructure and profit. When his former apprentice, [[BigBad Darth Malak]], betrays him, all that goes out the window because Malak is an incompetent GeneralRipper; one of his first actions that the player sees is him ordering the total destruction of the completely-Sith-occupied Taris just to kill the player. Some Dark Side acts that the player can do are pragmatic, but most tend towards StupidEvil.
** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' separates Dark Side acts into either psychotic StupidEvil actions or cunning manipulation. Kreia will essentially call [[PlayerCharacter The Exile]] a moron if they trend towards Stupid Evil, but will praise them for manipulation. The game also goes into further detail for Revan's motivations prior to the first game, describing him as a WellIntentionedExtremist AntiVillain.
** In ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', the various Imperial characters, particularly Sith often tend to justify Light Side decisions this way. By the ''Rise of the Hutt Cartel'' expansion, Darth Marr and a Light Side Sith Inquisitor can both champion that the Empire should adopt VillainWithGoodPublicity as their public image, seeing it as the only way to help stabilise the Empire and repair the damage from the ongoing war with the Republic and infighting between Sith.
*** After the Imperial Agent meets up with [[TheSpymaster Keeper]] in the prologue, he evaluates your actions on Hutta: he'll chastise a particularly Light-sided Agent on [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids being too soft]] while also doing the same for a Dark-sided Agent for relying too much on violence.
*** Darth Marr in general tends to operate on this, which makes him a ReasonableAuthorityFigure as far as Sith goes. He sees the anti-alien bigotry of the Empire as wasteful since it means ignoring potentially useful allies and largely tolerates the Imperial Agent and Bounty Hunter as long as they're useful [[spoiler:though if the former used the Black Codex to to go rogue from the Empire, he'll tell them that [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou were they not useful he'd have them executed]].]] He's also aware that the Sith Emperor is an OmnicidalManiac, meaning that he'll do anything to stop him, even [[EnemyMine temporarily allying with the Jedi and the Republic]].
*** The Imperial Invasion on Belsavis runs on this. Just about everything the Republic did on Belsavis was something that the Empire considered and rejected on practical grounds. The Domination Experiments that the Republic was running were proposed by Imperial scientists and rejected outright for being pointless and not worth the loss of potential laborers. [[DoWrongRight In addition the experiment was worthless because it was scientifically invalid because there was no control group among other issues with the study.]]
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** Bowser. At times he helps the Mario Brothers and other people, only because he wants to be the only one to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. Also, since his goal is [[EvilVersusOblivion conquest and not destruction]], he'll assist the Mario Brothers so that others can't destroy what he wants to conquer.
** ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'''s Dimentio is perhaps one of the darkest-ever takes on this trope. He repeatedly helps the heroes from behind the scenes... but is actually '''''far''''' worse than the [[AntiVillain main villain]], only doing this to be able to [[spoiler:weaken said villain enough so that his ArtifactOfDoom can ultimately be stolen for Dimentio's own ends. In the end, he even decides to subvert this trope altogether by using the last of his power to attempt a multiversal TakingYouWithMe out of sheer spite.]]
* [[Anime/GundamSeedDestiny Lord Djibril]] in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsV'' berates [[Anime/CrossAnge Emperor Julio]] after his attempted public execution of Ange ends in a colossal failure, implying that he never approved. Since the existence of Dragons is exposed publicly and various organizations and nations (particularly ZAFT, the Orb Union, the Celestial Being and even the Earth Federation) take military action against the Founding Nations afterward, he was more than correct.
* In ''[[WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird Tweety]] and the Magic Gems'' for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance, Sylvester is one of the six playable characters who participates in the quest to find the five Magic Gems that reverse the curse that [[TakenForGranite turns Tweety to stone]]. If Sylvester achieves a goal at the end of the game, he explains his reason for participating in the quest; he can't eat Tweety if he turns into a rock.
* In ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'', Gaunter O'Dimm will gladly help Geralt several times, even warning him to [[GoMadFromTheRevelation not try to discover what O'Dimm really is, for his own sanity.]] This isn't because he's a nice guy, since he's the Witcher equivalent of the Devil himself; rather, it's because he needs Geralt sane and effective so he can help O'Dimm collect on his contract with Olgierd. At the end, if Geralt sides with O'Dimm and lets him win, he'll tell Geralt information to help him save Ciri in the main game's ending... but that is so that Ciri will survive to defeat the White Frost, which threatens to destroy O'Dimm's favorite playground.
* A quest in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has one Dreadlord criticizing another for using blood ink in love letters to a [[HornyDevils Succubus]] simply because Night Elf virgins aren't easy to come by and he's wasting a valuable resource.
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