Video games invoke emotions within a player, either with a compelling story, riveting music, a cast of unforgettable characters, or sometimes, a villain that’s so evil and inhumane that the entire internet loves to hate on them.
We’re shedding light on some of the most hated video game characters of all time today. Will you be able to guess who they are?
Most Hated Video Game Characters, Ranked
Ranking the most disliked game characters wouldn’t be possible without a little bias. If you’d like to switch the rankings up or name a few bad guys you love to hate, be sure to leave a comment telling us who they are.
5. Anabella – Final fantasy 16
A recent addition to the list of most hated game characters is Anabella, the sadistic mother of Clive Rosfield, the protagonist of Final Fantasy 16. Anabella is wickedness incarnate, and that becomes apparent very early on in the game.
She belittles Clive throughout his life because she assumes he wasn’t born with the powers of an Eikon like his younger brother. Then, she abandons and leaves Clive to die after the fall of Sanbreque. As the story progresses, she becomes more evil, so much so that she’d prefer Clive being killed over sacrificing her position as the Queen of Valisthea. Underneath all that beauty, Anabella’s a monster, and if you play Final Fantasy 16, you’ll be surprised just how much.
Read More: Final Fantasy 16 DLC Announced
4. Deathshead – Wolfenstein: The New Order
Wilhelm Strasse, better known as Deathshead by Wolfenstein fans, is among the most detested villains in any game in history. He’s virtually how you’d imagine Hitler being reenacted in a video game.
From the prologue to the epilogue, every scene with Deathshead in it is barbaric. The prime example of it is how he skins his victims alive, takes their eyes out, and makes you fight their AI later on. Deathshead is a devil, and there isn’t anything you’ll look forward to more than putting a bullet in his head in Wolfenstein: The New Order.
3. General Shepherd – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
General Shepherd’s betrayal in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is an iconic moment in video game history. For series fans, Shepherd’s actions were an unforeseeable twist.
Who would’ve guessed Shepherd wanted to be a war hero so bad that he’d murder Ghost and Roach? It was a highlight of Modern Warfare 2 and it surely won Shepherd a spot as one of the most hated video game characters of all time.
Read More: 10 Worst Modern Warfare Series Killstreaks, Ranked
2. Micah Bell – Red Dead Redemption 2
Betrayal, having no principles, and a bad mouth are described as the worst qualities a human being could have, and Micah Bell checks all these boxes and tons more. He’s the primary antagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2 and one of the most hated video game characters ever.
Micah’s genuinely a terrible person and commits heinous crimes throughout the course of the game and he even turns Dutch and Arthur against each other. He’s ultimately why Arthur ends up dying later on.
Killing Micah is number 1 on every Rdr2 player’s bucket list, and his eventual death was the most satisfying moment in the game.
1. Abby – The Last of Us Part 2
This one shouldn’t come as a surprise, especially if you’ve been mingling in the single-player world since 2020. Fans who had been anxiously waiting to play as Joel in The Last of Us Part 2 since 2013 were devastated when Abby shockingly murdered the protagonist of Part 1 out of nowhere. Props to Naughty Dog for blindsiding the fans, but they might have just created history’s most hated video game character.
Abby being a villain isn’t what bothered players, but the fact that they had to play as her up until she brutally slaughters Joel and even after that point for about a dozen hours.
The hate towards Abby becomes one of the driving forces that compels players to keep pushing forward. Naughty Dog might have created the most hated video game character ever, but they sure knew what they were doing.
It’s worth highlighting that throughout The Last of Us Part II, Abby is masterfully ‘humanised’ by Naughty Dog. As the player spends hours with the character, they learn of her struggles and the arduous journey she took to get to where she is, and with enough time, the player inevitably starts rooting for Abby as a protector of her people and a fearsome warrior.
Noob list put some better names on this like
Raidou from Dead Or Alive
Mathias/Dracula from Castlevania
Lionel Starkweather and others from Manhunt
Kyohei Jingu from Ryu Ga Gotoku
Sylvia and Travis’s dad from No More Heroes
Heihachi Mishima from Tekken
Bowser from Mario
Big Smoke from GTA SA
Steve Haines and DevinWeston from GTA 5
Big Smile Lee and Pendrew from Sleeping Dogs
Terry Higgins from True Crime