Videogames have a unique way of making us grow attached to their characters, which is why betrayal stings particularly hard.
Beloved characters turning bad is not uncommon in the media, but when said characters are particularly well-written, the betrayal remains branded in the collective memory of the fanbase.
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In this list, we’ll look at 10 particularly impactful videogame betrayals that we can’t get over even years later.
|It goes without saying, but here’s yourSPOILER WARNINGfor every game on the list.
10Loyalists - Dishonored
Not So Loyal After All
Dishonored
You would think that a group of conspirators would hesitate before trying to poison the master assassin with supernatural powers, whom they sent around the city to assassinate their adversaries on a path of vengeance.
Apparently, Admiral Havelock and the other loyalists didn’t get the memo.
After Corvo is framed for the murder of the empress at the start ofDishonored, he spares no effort to save Emily with the help of an underground group aiming to restore her to her rightful place.
Once the revolutionaries succeed, Corvo becomes an impediment to Havelock, who plans to manipulate the heir to the throne and govern from the shadows, and he needs to be disposed of.
Unfortunately for them, Corvo has thick skin—and his superpowers help, too—and he survives the poisoning to exact more vengeance.
9Leo and Vincent - A Way Out
From PvE to PvP
A great deal of the appeal ofA Way Outlies in front of the screen. This exclusively co-op game only advances its story when players collaborate toward their common goal of escaping prison, fostering a sense of brotherhood that is mirrored by the on-screen characters.
And thenthe final twist happens.
Without spoiling the reason, circumstances force Vincent and Leo to turn against each other in a climactic shootout. The betrayal felt by the characters is matched by the dread of players who spent hours working shoulder to shoulder.
The game offers two endings—one for each character who might survive the final encounter—but whoever emerges victorious will be forever changed by the experience. And I’m not just talking about Vincent and Leo.
8Atlas - Bioshock
I Kindly Would Not
When you first arrive in Rapture, the claustrophobic atmosphere is almost unbearable. Strange, mutated people andgiants with drills for handsroam the city, and there is no obvious escape.
Amidst all the chaos, your only connection is a familiar voice guiding you through the ordeal.
InBioshock, Atlas represents hope when all seems lost—a friendly, guardian angel-like figure. It makes the revelation all the more gut-wrenching when you finally learn the truth: that you’ve been used all along.
The unexpected betrayal burns so intensely that it fuels your resolve for vengeance and closure throughout the game’s final act. Truly a masterpiece in writing.
7Master Miller - Metal Gear Solid
Enemy On The Inside
Metal Gear Solid
This one might be just me, but when I first witnessed it as a kid, the plot twist was so overwhelming that I had to include it in this list.
During the events ofMetal Gear Solid, Solid Snake can count on the remote support of some extremely skilled individuals to boost his chances of success on his mission at Shadow Moses Isle.
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One such person is Kazuhira Miller, who provides Snake with vital information on navigating the hostile Alaskan environment. However, the “Master Miller” who speaks to Snake via codec turns out to be an impostor.
The real Miller is found dead in his apartment, killed by an assassin, and the man on the other side of the codec is none other than Liquid Snake himself, impersonating Miller to manipulate and sabotage the mission.
6Wheatley - Portal 2
Sarcastic Slow Clap Activated
Portal 2begins with the grim realization that Chell never left the Aperture Science laboratories after defeating GLaDOS in the first game.
Once she regains her bearings and understands what’s happening, she receives assistance on her journey to freedom from Wheatley, a whimsical—if naive—artificial intelligence module.
Their journey leads them to confront the facility’s AI overlord once more, ultimately defeating her by placing Wheatley in her stead.
All is well, or so it seems, until a minuscule delirium of omnipotence overtakes Wheatley, forcing him to try and dispose of Chell and GLaDOS, compelling the two into an unlikely alliance.
If you’re one of the few souls who never appreciated the amazing writing ofPortal 2, trust me when I say this description doesn’t do it justice.Go ahead and play the game—after reading the rest of the list, of course.
5Patches - Souls Franchise
Not You Again!
Elden Ring
To be fair, this one is only shocking the first time, but I’d argue it still counts.
Patches is a recurring character in most of From Software’s catalog, fromDemon’s Soulsall the way toElden Ring.
Every single time, the bald double-crosser feigns alliance only to play dirty tricks at the player’s expense, eventually groveling at their feet and asking for mercy.He follows this pattern without failin every single game.
He’s an absolute rat, but after all this time, we’ve grown fond of the guy. More or less.
4Albert Wesker - Resident Evil
Resident Evil
When the S.T.A.R.S. team finds itself trapped in the originalResident Evilmansion, they can only rely on each other to survive.
That hope is soon smothered by the discovery that their own leader is in the pay of the Umbrella Corporation, and he personally led them to their fate.
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While Wesker’s double-cross may be more obvious than others on this list, it remains one of the most impactful betrayals in gaming history.
From that moment forward, the shadow of Albert Wesker looms over all subsequent titles—even those in which he doesn’t appear—marking the origin of one of the most iconic villains in the industry.
3Big Smoke - GTA: San Andreas
All Smoke, No Fire
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
When CJ, the protagonist ofGTA: San Andreas, returns to Los Santos after the death of his mother, the last thing he would have imagined is that one of his closest friends was complicit in the murder.
Big Smoke presents himself as a good friend to CJ. He acts as a mentor when CJ returns to town and helps him reintegrate into the Grove Street Families.
Behind closed doors, Big Smoke was making deals with the Ballas and even the Russian Mafia, which eventually led to his betrayal of Grove Street—plunging the city into chaos and elevating him to a powerful drug baron.
I’ll go out on a limb and say that none of us saw it coming. He eventually gets what he deserves, but his betrayal stings the most because he really felt like family.
2Shepherd - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
One Less Loose End
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
TheCall of Dutyseries carries the stereotype of being a “dudebros” kind of game, but it’s undeniable thatthe campaigns of the older titles are still held dearby a majority of players.
Modern Warfare 2was especially riveting in its writing, action, and how it spawned feelings of camaraderie in the players. This made it even more shocking when Lieutenant General Shepherd suddenly betrayed everyone by killing Roach and Ghost in cold blood.
There’s a compelling story of loss and the consequences that war has on the veterans behind it, but at the end of the day, we all cheered when Price and Soap managed to avenge their fallen brothers in arms.
Yes, Even Worse Than Micah
Red Dead Redemption 2
Look, we all hate Micah. He’s a rat who sold the gang to the Pinkertons, and that’s on top of him being a generally unpleasant person. But his betrayal pales in comparison to that of the gang’s leader, Dutch Van Der Linde.
Dutch presents himself as a father figure and guiding light for the gang during the first half ofRed Dead Redemption 2, but beneath the façade lie delusions of grandeur like nothing we’ve ever seen.
As the story unfolds, Dutch becomes paranoid, revealing that he never valued his gang members as people—only as assets to further his own purposes. The moment their loyalty wavers, he doesn’t hesitate to abandon them, leading to the eventual disbandment of the gang.
Ultimately, Dutch chooses to heed Micah’s silver tongue, which fuels his delusions, instead of listening to those who truly care about him—a decision that ultimatelyleads to his downfalland the death of the very people who tried to help him.
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