Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) – $1.3 billion
The Tomb Raider franchise’s iconic archaeologist has it all – brains, beauty and a hefty sum of riches. Daughter of a lord, privately educated and in possession of several priceless artifacts from around the world, it’s no wonder that Lara ranks as one of the top earning video game characters of all time. She even has her own butler.
Tom Nook (Animal Crossing) – $645 billion
As gaming’s cutest landlord, Animal Crossing’s Tom Nook will take literally any opportunity he can to seize a few bells from his tenants’ pockets. Along with owning numerous properties, Nook’s other business ventures include owning a shop, an airport, an app and the lucrative conglomerate Nook Inc. No wonder Mr Nook is richer than Jeff Bezos.
Princess Peach (Super Mario) – $1.3 billion
There’s no shortage of princesses in the gaming world, but the most iconic of all has to be Princess Peach, the adorable royal of the Super Mario franchise. Peach might look sweet but don’t underestimate her – not only is she a tough cookie, she’s also a savvy businesswoman, and through investment, inheritance, capital and a multi-media empire has built herself a huge fortune.
Giovanni (Pokémon) – $6.5 billion
Perhaps the most famous antagonist in the Pokémon franchise, Team Rocket leader Giovanni is incredibly wealthy, although none of his riches are gained through the most moral of means. Based on Japanese gangsters known as yakuza, Giovanni earns his billions through his role as head of a criminal organization – dodgy deals, illegal casinos and black market Pikachu theft.
Lady Dimitrescu (Resident Evil: Village) – unknown millions
The exact net worth of Resident Evil: Village’s towering antagonist might be unknown, but one thing’s for sure – as an aristocrat who has her own castle and owns a huge portion of the titular village, Lady D is raking in the dough in vast amounts. In addition, she owns her own vineyard, which supplies luxury wine to nobles across the land. Even her crystallized skeleton is worth a pretty penny if you can get your hands on it.
Michael De Santa (Grand Theft Auto V) – $60 million
As a character in the Grand Theft Auto universe, you can be sure that once-retired bank robber Michael De Santa hasn’t always earned his cash in the best way. The materialistic De Santa craves a life of fast cars, fancy mansions and beautiful women, turning to a life of crime in order to fund such pursuits. Even with his millions, true happiness evades this complicated character.
Rufus Shinra (Final Fantasy VII) – $500 billion
Final Fantasy VII’s Rufus is ruthless, manipulative and greedy – arguably all essential qualities one must have in order to become a billionaire. As Vice President of the Shinra Electric Power Company, Rufus maintains a tyrannical rule over the evil conglomerate, and ultimately desires to drain the planet of all life in order to further his own profits. Amazon, eat your heart out.
El Presidente (Tropico) – $1 billion
El Presidente, the autocratic ruler across the Tropico series, is understandably flush with cash. As the dictator of an entire island nation, El Presidente gets a cut of all the country’s state-run industries, from agriculture to tourism to some, shall we say, less morally sound sources of income. El Presidente also has himself a handy Swiss bank account, which speaks for itself.
Ted Faro (Horizon Zero Dawn) – $1 trillion
Horizon Zero Dawn’s antagonist Ted Faro is one of the richest characters in gaming history, but his staggering wealth came at a price – the extermination of all life on Earth. Faro’s technological corporation FAS originally started with admirable aims, introducing green robots in an effort to combat the climate crisis of the near future. Before destroying the world, FAS was worth over $23 trillion, making Faro one loaded mad man.
Emilie De Rochefort (Tekken) – $1 billion
If you couldn’t tell by her bougie name, Tekken’s Emilie ‘Lili’ De Rochefort is a certified rich girl. As the only daughter of a wealthy oil magnate and enterprise owner, Lili has no shortage of disposable income, which she uses to treat herself to flashy limousines, thoroughbred Siamese cats and life in a luxurious mansion. Like all good spoiled socialites, Lili also has her very own clothing range, perfume and personal butler.
