One of the advantages movies, TV, and music offer over video games is fan access. Whether it’s through a convention, concert, or chance, they can surprise their friends by saying they saw Metallica live, got George Clooney’s autograph, narrowly avoided getting a photo with James Corden, etc. But aside from meeting voice actors or people in costumes, the people behind even the most famous videogames feel niche by comparison.
Related:Famous Actors with Roles in Popular Video Games
Some may know Hideo Kojima and Shigeru Miyamoto as theMetal GearandMarioguys. But if someone said they met Mike Dailly and David Jones, they’d need more info to back them up at best to impress others (e.g. they created the originalGrand Theft Auto). But fans can save face by saying they became part of a game, and not just as a Patreon backer in the credits. These are some of the timesfans made it into video games.
10Metal Gear Solid 2
Metal Gear Solid 2gave Snake and Raiden the ability to hold the enemy guards up at gunpoint. If the player aimed at their head or other sensitive spots, the guards would give up ammo, rations, and their dog tags. Collecting enough of them would unlock special items like the infinite ammo bandana, stealth camo, etc. Each time the player picked them up, a name would pop up alongside a serial number.
Aside from trying to replicate actual dog tags, it was so players could keep track of who they already grabbed tags from via the Extras menu. Some of the tags' names are from the development staff, and others are of characters in the series. But many arefrom real fanswho got their names in the game by entering a contest held by Konami. TheSubstancere-release even provided a fresh set of names to switch between.
9Sonic Generations
Made to celebrate Sonic’s 20th anniversary,Sonic Generationswashed the taste of the notoriousSonic ’06out of fans’ mouths. It played much more smoothly than its boost-based brethrenSonic UnleashedandSonic Colorsand really felt like a celebration of all things related to the hedgehog. Its reuse of classic levels made sense at the time, though it arguably led to Sega baiting the series' nostalgia all the way up toSonic Frontiers.
But back in 2011, the callbacks felt fresher and raised fans' spirits and expectations. At that year’sSonic Boomanniversary show andSummer of Sonic 2011, the Sega staff got the crowd to wish Sonic a Happy Birthday. They recorded their cheers, combined them, and stuck them at the end ofGenerationscredits to capture those positive vibes for the game. If only things could’ve stayed that way.
8The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
TheZeldaseries used to be more quaint.A Link to the Pasthas its odd dark turns, though it might as well be a Disney Channel cartoon next toMajora’s Mask,Twilight Princess,andBreath of the Wild. But that can be appealing in itself, as it provides a less intimidating, purer fantasy adventure. No mind-bending cutscenes, or worrying about which timeline it belongs to (the one where Ganondorf woninOcarina of Time). Just fun, world-roaming gameplay.
Related:Gaming Easter Eggs That Took Years to Find
7Dragon Ball Xenoverse 1 & 2
TheXenoversegames let fans make their own character and learn moves from the rest of the anime’s cast, so they could save theDragon Balltimeline from the big, bad villain. As standard action RPGs, they were better than many games, though not as good as the best. But asDragon Ballgames, they were must-plays for the series' fans. Aside from getting to live vicariously in the series, the games really captured the anime’s high-impact action.
The customizable options were quite varied too, like its different vocal options, with one sounding particularly curious. The Male Custom Voice 8 was Curtis “Takahata101” Arnott doing his version of Nappa from theunofficial parody seriesDragon Ball Z Abridged.Sadly, the custom voices only offered grunts instead of full dialogue, but that was enough for fans to recreate Arnott’s wackier take on Vegeta’s former frenemy.
6Grand Theft Auto 5
Debuting inGTA: San Andreas, the Epsilon Program was a religious cult led by Cris Formage, an “alcoholic turned self-deifying cultist”. They played a much bigger part inGTA 5where Michael DeSanta could join the group and do missions for them. Trevor and Franklin are less interested and thus can’t get with the program, so to speak. However, the players could if they were lucky.
In April 2013, fans could appear in the game as cultists by filling in a form on the Epsilon website, sending in their photo, then agreeing to some terms and conditions. It wasn’t a contest, though only a few applicants from East Asia, Australasia, West Europe, and North America (bar Quebec) would make it intoGTA 5. Once May came, the “winners” Ammer, Haylee, Jesse, Joscha, and Tiana were announced as “missing persons” on the Cultstoppers website.
Visceral Games held the “Get Dismembered inDead Space 2” contest in 2010 for fans to make their own grisly, limb-ripping melee move for Isaac Clarke in the game’s sequel. They could submit their suggestions as art, text, or video, where Visceral would then pick the 10 best ones as finalists, then let the public decide who the winner would be. By April, they had their winner.
Related:Dead Space: Things We Want in a Dead Space 2 Remake
Dan Emmerson made a cartoon showing off the “Meat Cello”, where Clarke would simultaneously rip a Leaper’s tail off while squishing their head. But the name of the contest would also prove to be more literal. Visceral put Emmerson himself intoDead Space 2as the guy who tries to join Clarke in the elevator before getting skewered by a Necromorph and dragged away to a horrible fate.
4Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
Nikko was a small side character inStar Wars: KOTOR 2. He just played card games in the cantina in Iziz, where he helped Meetra Surik investigate a murder and exonerate Dr. Dhagon Ghent of the crime. In other words, he was the basic drinker & gambler with a heart of gold, and just right for some creative license.
During the game’s development, LucasArts held a contest where the winner could visit the studio, see everything in progress, and become a character in the game. Paul Keeler managed to get the win, and the studio used his likeness to make Nikko. Only his face though. Nikko’s voice ended up being provided by a pre-No More HeroesRobin Atkin Downes.
3Batman: Arkham Asylum
For a 14-year-old game,Batman:Arkham Asylumstill holds up today. While smaller and less refined than its sequels, the gameplay and level design blend together so well that it offers a unique experience overArkham City,Origins, andKnight. Like it’s a tense, oppressive atmosphere where threats are around every corner. Even as the Batman, players had to keep their wits about them. Particularly in the penitentiary, where the inmates could leap out from anywhere.
One of the more concerning foes luckily remained stuck in their cell, breathing heavily while staring at Batman with an oddly more realistic face than the cast. That’s because he’s based on Luke Oliver, the winner of a 2008 contest Rocksteady Studios held to put someone in the game. He didn’t get to escape, but he did get a personal invite to Joker’s “party” as his name appears on his guest list.
2Not A Hero
Bryan Henderson couldn’t believe his luck when he became one out of thousands to reveal the secret in 22cans’Curiosity: What’s Inside the Cube. It turned out to be an announcement that the company, founded by former Bullfrog and Lionhead head Peter Molyneux, was going to make aPopulous-style god game calledGodus. For his clicking, Henderson would have a “life-changing” experience where he’d become the “God of Gods”.
Related:22cans CEO Says Molyneux “F’d Up” With Godus Development
Instead,Godusended up being an unfinished disappointment, and all Henderson got out of it was an interview with Eurogamer and a ghosting from 22cans. Roll7 were moved by his fate and decided to do what Molyneux couldn’t: make Henderson a god in their gameNot A Hero. Players could pick him and blast through the game’s various levels with his divine powers. So, every cloud has a silver lining.
1Borderlands 2
Still, some happy endings can end up being more bittersweet. Michael Mamaril was a big fan ofBorderlands, playing it regularly until he passed from a terminal illness in 2011. His friends got in touch with Gearbox, hoping they could get a eulogy read by Claptrap, Mamaril’s favorite character.
The company agreed to do so, but then also went one further by making him a character inBorderlands 2. Players can find him hanging around Sanctuary, where talking to him gives them loot and a trophy/achievement called “Tribute to the Vault Hunter”. For all of Gearbox’s dizzying highsand darkest lows, this was a nice way to commemorate one of its fans.
