List of black video game characters

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

This list of black video game characters exclude sports and music titles. A study was published in 2009 by the University of Southern California called: "The virtual census: representations of gender, race and age in video games" and it showed that black characters appear in video games in proportion to their numbers in the 2000 US census data, but mainly in sports games and in titles that reinforce stereotypes.[1]

## List of characters

[edit]

This list or list section may be better with years. Please help improve this list or discuss it on the talk page. (December 2023)

|

Name | Game title/ franchise | Role

|
|

50 Cent | 50 Cent: Bulletproof and 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand[2] | Playable
Afro Samurai | Afro Samurai | Playable
Augustus Cole | Gears of War[3] |
Black Lightning "Jefferson Pierce" | Black Lightning has appeared in numerous games | Playable and NPC
Black Manta "David Hyde" | Black Manta has appeared in numerous games | Playable and NPC
Black Panther | Black Panther has appeared in numerous games | Playable and NPC
Blade | Blade has appeared in numerous games | Playable and NPC
Colonel | Shaq Fu
Cyborg | Cyborg has appeared in numerous games | Playable and NPC
Dona | Way of the Samurai 3 | NPC
Don Donatelouse (aka Dona-dona) | Way of the Samurai | Playable and NPC
Firestorm | Firestorm has appeared in numerous games
Hauser | Suikoden | Playable
James Heller | Prototype[2]
John Stewart |  John Stewart has appeared in numerous games | Playable and NPC
Julius Erving "Dr. J" | One on One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird[4]
Laheesa | One on One | Playable
Lucius Fox |  Lucius Fox has appeared in numerous games | NPC
Luke Cage "Power Man" |  Luke Cage has appeared in numerous games | Playable and NPC
Mace Windu |  Mace Windu has appeared in numerous games[4] | Playable and NPC
Mark Kimberley | Shenmue[4]
Mash | One on One | Playable
Miles Morales | Miles Morales has appeared in numerous games | Playable and NPC
Mohammed Avdol | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Mister Terrific | Injustice: Gods Among Us | NPC
Nick Fury | Nick Fury has appeared in numerous games[4] (Not always black) | Playable and NPC
Sig | Jak and Daxter series
Storm | Storm has appeared in numerous games[3] | Playable and NPC
Tom Johnson | Shenmue[4]
Vixen "Mari Jiwe McCabe" |  Vixen has appeared in numerous games | Playable and NPC
Voodoo | Shaq Fu | Playable
War Machine | War Machine has appeared in numerous games | Playable and NPC

## Before 2000s

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Name  | Role  | Nationality  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

1984  | Punch-Out!! | Kid Quick  |  |  | Appeared in the Arcade version of Punch-Out!!
Mr. Sandman  |  |  |
1985  | G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero | Roadblock | Playable  | American  |
1986  | Quartet | Edgar  |  |  |
1987  | Punch-Out!! | Doc Louis  |  |  | First appeared in the NES version of Punch-Out!!!
Street Fighter | Birdie |  |  |
1989  | The Colonel's Bequest | Celie  |  |  |
Legend of the Ghost Lion | Moja  |  |  |
1990  | Beverly Hills Cop | Axel Foley |  |  |
1991  | Fatal Fury | Michael Max |  |  |
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior[3] | Balrog |  |  |
Streets of Rage | Adam Hunter | Playable  |  |
1992  | Streets of Rage 2[3] | Eddie "Skate" Hunter  | Playable  |  | Also known as Sammy Hunter
The Dagger of Amon Ra | Ernie Leach  |  |  |
Night Trap | SCAT member Collins  | NPC  |  |
King's Quest VI | Pawnshop Owner  | NPC  |  |
1993  | Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers | Watchman Toussaint Gervais  |  |  |
Mortal Kombat II[4] | Jax Briggs |  |  |
Police Quest: Open Season | Alvin Hooper "Yo Money"  |  |  |
Nicolette  |  |  |
Raymond Jones  |  |  |
Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers[3] | Dee Jay | Playable  | Jamaican  |
Virtua Fighter | Jeffry McWild | Playable  |  |
1994  | Bebe's Kids | Kahlil |  |  |
LaShawn |  |  |
Killer Instinct[3] | T.J. Combo |  |  |
Tough Guy | Sheana  | Playable  |  |
The King of Fighters '94[3] | Lucky Glauber  |  |  |
Heavy-D!  |  |  |
1995  | Mortal Kombat 3 | Cyrax | Playable  |  |
Fighting Vipers | Grace |  |  |
Tekken 2 | Bruce Irvin |  |  |
1996  | Dead or Alive[4] | Zack |  |  |
Killer Instinct | Maya |  |  |
Resident Evil | Kenneth J. Sullivan |  |  |
1997  | Final Fantasy VII | Barrett Wallace |  |  | Leader of AVALANCHE
Interstate '82 | Taurus |  |  |
Tekken 3[4] | Eddy Gordo | Playable  |  |
Tiger Jackson  | Playable  |  |
Mortal Kombat 4 | Kai | Playable  |  |
Rival Schools: United by Fate[3] | Boman Delgado |  |  |
Street Fighter III: New Generation[3][2] | Dudley | Playable  |  |
Elena |  |  |
Sean Matsuda | Playable  |  |
1998  | Half-Life[5] | Eli Vance |  |  | Eli is first named and plays a bigger role in Half Life 2, released 2004
Resident Evil 2 | Marvin Branagh |  |  |
Metal Gear Solid[4] | Donald Anderson (DARPA Chief)  |  |  |
1999  | Akuji the Heartless | Akuji  | Playable  |  |
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing | Afro Thunder  | Playable  |  |
The King of Fighters '99 Evolution | Seth  |  |  | First playable as The King of Fighters 2000
Shadow Man[6] | Michael LeRoi "Shadow Man"  | Playable  |  |
Urban Chaos[6] | D'arci Stern  |  |  |

## 2000s

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Name  | Role  | Nationality  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

2000  | Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn | Valygar Corthala  |  |  | Also appeared in Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition, in 2013
2001  | Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive | Samuel Williams  |  |  |
Halo: The Fall of Reach[6] | Sergeant Major Avery Junior Johnson |  |  |
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty[7] | Fortune | NPC  |  |
Virtua Fighter 4 | Vanessa Lewis |  |  |
2002  | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Lance Vance |  |  | Also appears in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Victor Vance |  |
Men in Black II: Alien Escape | Agent J | Playable  |  |
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell | Irving Lambert  |  |  |
2003  | Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball[8] | Lisa Hamilton |  |  |
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean | Ayme  |  |  |
Resident Evil Outbreak | Jim Chapman  |  |  |
Mark Wilkins  |  |  |
Unreal II: The Awakening | John Dalton |  |  |
2004  | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Carl "CJ" Johnson[2] | Playable  |  |
Kendl Johnson | Playable  |  |
Madd Dogg | NPC  |  |
OG Loc |  |  |
Sean Johnson | NPC  |  |
Big Smoke | NPC  |  |
Half-Life 2[9] | Alyx Vance |  |  | Alyx is playable in the VR game Half Life Alyx, released in 2020
Mortal Kombat: Deception  | Darrius | Playable  |  |
Rumble Roses | Aisha  | Playable  |  |
The Suffering | Torque  |  |  |
Tekken 5[6] | Raven | Playable  |  |
2005  | Fahrenheit[4] | Tyler Miles |  |  |
Killer7[6] | Garcian Smith |  |  |
2006  | Dead Rising[4] | Brad Garrison  | NPC  |  |
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey | Kian Alvane |  |  |
Final Fantasy XII[5] | Fran |  |  |
Wii Sports | Matt  | Playable  |  |
2007  | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Staff Sgt. Griggs  |  |  |
Crysis[6] | Laurence Barnes "Prophet"  |  |  |
No More Heroes[6] | Shinobu Jacobs |  |  |
Mass Effect[4] | David Anderson |  |  |
Team Fortress 2 | Demoman | Playable  | Scottish  |
2008  | Dead Space | Zach Hammond  | NPC  |  |
Fallout 3 | Three Dog  |  |  |
Left 4 Dead | Louis  | Playable  | American  | [10][4]
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots[3] | Crying Wolf | Playable  |  |
Drebin 893 | NPC  |  |
Grand Theft Auto IV | Dwayne  |  |  |
Punch-Out!! | Disco Kid  |  |  |
2009  | ARMA 2 | Master Sergeant Matthew "Coops" Cooper |  |  |
Borderlands[6] | Roland |  |  |
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | Sergeant Foley  |  |  |
Final Fantasy XIII[2] | Sazh Katzroy |  |  |
Halo 3: ODST | Romeo |  |  |
League of Legends | Ekko  | Playable  | Undefined  | [11]
Lucian[6] | [11]
Senna  | [11]
Pyke  | [12]
Rell  | [13]
K'Sante  | [14]
Batman: Arkham Asylum  | Aaron Cash  |  |  |
Bayonetta | Rodin  | NPC  | British  | [15]
Left 4 Dead 2 | Coach  | Playable  | American  | [4]
Rochelle  | [2]
The House of the Dead: Overkill | Isaac Washington |  |  |
MadWorld[4] | Black Baron  |  |  |
Resident Evil 5[4][2] | Josh Stone |  |  |
Sheva Alomar |  |  |
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey | Commander Gore  |  |  |

## 2010s

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Name  | Role  | Nationality  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

2010  | BioShock 2: Minerva's Den | Charles Milton Porter |  |  |
Heavy Rain[4] | Mad Jack | NPC  |  |
Pokémon Black and White[4] | Lenora  | NPC  | American*  | Archeologist and former Normal-type Gym Leader.[16]
Marshal  | Unova's Fighting-type Elite Four member.
Iris |  |  |
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle[4] | Nathan Copeland |  |  |
Mass Effect 2[6] | Jacob Taylor |  |  |
Metroid: Other M | Anthony Higgs |  |  |
2011  | Dead Island[9] | Sam B |  |  |
Deus Ex: Human Revolution | Yelena Fedorva  |  |  |
Infamous 2 | Nix  |  |  |
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Nazir

Nazeem

|  |  |
Anarchy Reigns | Blacker Baron |  |  |
2012  | Assassin's Creed III: Liberation[17] | Aveline de Grandpré | Playable  | French  | Aveline is born lives under French Louisiana era
Borderlands 2 | Sir Hammerlock  |  |  |
Diablo III | Tyrael  |  |  |
Fire Emblem Awakening | Basilio  |  |  |
The Walking Dead[4] | Clementine | Playable  |  |
Lee Everett |  |  |
Mass Effect | Steven Cortez | NPC  | Undefined  | [18]
Hitman Absolution | Raymond Valentine  |  |  |
Clash of Clans | Hog Rider  | Troop  | Undefined  | [19]
Starhawk[3] | Emmett Graves  |  |  |
Spec Ops: The Line | Lieutenant Alphanso Adams  |  |  |
2013  | Assassin's Creed | Adéwalé  | NPC  |  |
Batman: Arkham Origins | Warden Martin Joseph  | NPC  |  |
Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition | Hexxat  | Playable  |  |
BioShock Infinite | Daisy Fitzroy |  |  |
Grand Theft Auto V[4] | Franklin Clinton  | Playable  |  |
Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death | Marlow Briggs |  |  |
The Last of Us | Henry | NPC  |  | [4]
Marlene | NPC  |  |
Riley Abel | NPC  |  |
Sam | NPC  |  | [4]
Killer Is Dead[4] | Bryan Roses  |  |  |
Remember Me[17] | Nilin |  |  |
Pokémon X and Y | Grant  |  |  |
The Wonderful 101[4] | Wonder-Black |  |  |
2014  | Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel | Aurelia Hammerlock  |  |  |
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare | Sergeant Cormack  |  |  |
Knox  |  |  |
Dragon Age: Inquisition | Delrin Barris  |  |  |
Vivienne |  |  |
2015  | Fallout 4 | Preston Garvey |  |  |
Life Is Strange | Principal Ray Wells  |  |  | Also appears in Life Is Strange: Before the Storm
Pillars of Eternity and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire | Pallegina  |  |  |
Heroes of the Storm | Qhira  |  |  |
Mortal Kombat X  | Jacqui Briggs  |  |  |
Tekken 7 | Master Raven |  |  |
Leroy Smith |  |  | Released in 2019
Until Dawn | Matt  |  |  |
2016  | Dead by Daylight | Philip Ojomo  | Playable  | Nigerian  | A killer known as "The Wraith".[20]
Lisa Sherwood  | American  | A killer known as "The Hag".[21]
Herman Carter  | American  | A killer known as "The Doctor".[22]
Joey  | Canadian  | A killer who is a part of a band of other killers known as "The Legion".[23]
Claudette Morel  | Playable  | Canadian  | A survivor.[24]
Adam Francis  | Jamaican  | A survivor.[25]
Nuclear Throne | Rogue  |  |  |
Mafia III | Lincoln Clay  | Protagonist  | American  | [26]
Overwatch | Baptiste | Playable  |  |
Doomfist |  |
Lúcio |  |
Hitman | Olivia Hall  |  |  |
Kalvin Ritter  |  |  |
Pokémon Sun & Moon | Kiawe  | NPC  | Hawaiian*  | He is the Fire-type Trial Captain of Alola.[27]
Olivia  | She is both a Kahuna and a member of the Alolan Elite Four.
Stardew Valley | Demetrius  |  |  |
Maru  |  |  |
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End | Nadine Ross |  |  |
2017  | Watch Dogs 2 | Marcus Holloway |  |  |
Arms | Twintelle |  |  |
Call of Duty WW2 | Marcus Howard  |  |  |
Dream Daddy | Mat Sella  |  |  |
Horizon Zero Dawn | Sylens | NPC  |  | Horizon Forbidden West
Mass Effect: Andromeda | Liam Kosta  |  |  |
Prey | Dayo Igwe  |  |  |
Slime Rancher | Beatrix LeBeau  |  |  |
Splatoon 2 | Marina |  |  |
2018  | Donut County | Mira  | Playable  |  |
Dandara | Dandara  | Playable  |  |
Red Dead Redemption 2 | Lenny Summers |  |  |
Tilly Jackson |  |  |
Hitman 2 | Zoe Washington  | NPC  |  |
Sophia Washington  | NPC  |  |
Hitman: Sniper Assassin | Stone  | Playable  |  |
Return of the Obra Dinn | Winston Smith  | NPC  | American  |
Soulcalibur VI[2] | Zasalamel | Playable  |  |
2019  | The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan | Alex  |  |  |
Brad  |  |  |
Félicité "Fliss" DuBois  |  |  |
Devil May Cry 5 | J.D. Morrison |  |  |
Apex Legends | Bangalore  |  |  |
Lifeline  |  |  |
Pokémon Sword and Shield | Nessa  | NPC  | British  | She is the Water-type gym leader of Galar.
Leon  | He is the champion of the Galar region.
Hop  | He is the player's rival and Leon's little brother.

## 2020s

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Name  | Role  | Nationality  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

2020  | Streets of Rage 4 | Cherry Hunter  | Playable  |  |
2021  | Deathloop | Colt Vahn  | Protagonist  | Undefined  | [28]
Julianna Blake  | Playable  | [28]
Far Cry 6 | Antón Castillo  | NPC  |  |
2022  | Fear & Hunger 2: Termina | O'saa  | Playable  |  | A yellow mage from the faraway land of Abyssonia. He is inclined to participate in the namesake festival by the wizard Nas'hrah.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet | Ryme  | NPC  | Spanish*  | A Gym Leader of Paldea who favors Ghost-types, her rap is known to "bring the dead to their feet". Former Gym Leader Tyme is her older sister.[29]
Tyme
The King of Fighters XV | Dolores  | Playable  |  |
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | Taion  | Playable  |  |
2023  | Forspoken | Alfre Holland  | Protagonist  | American  | [30]
Season: A Letter to the Future | Estelle  | Protagonist  | Undefined  | [31]
Baldur's Gate 3 | Wyll Ravengard  | Playable  | Undefined  | Wyll is one of 10 companions the player can choose recruit. He is also playable as an Orgin character.[32]
Street Fighter 6 | Kimberly | Playable  |  |
2024  | Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League | Floyd Lawton "Deadshot" | Playable  | American  | Deadshot is one of four playable characters in this game.[33]
Amanda Waller | NPC  | American  | Director of the Suicide Squad and powerful figure in U.S. politics. She sends the Suicide Squad out to target a mind controlled Justice League.[33]
John Stewart | NPC  | American  | A Green Lantern and one of the heroes in the Justice League who is under Brainiac's mind control.[33]

## See also

[edit]

* List of black animated characters
* List of black superheroes
* Lists of black people
* Race and video games

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Video Game Minority Report: Lots Of Players, Few Characters". Science Daily. University of Southern California. 30 July 2009. Archived from the original on 31 July 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Hester, Larry (26 June 2012). "The 10 Best Black Characters In Video Games". Complex. Archived from the original on 12 October 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Narcisse, Evan (20 February 2013). "This Is How We Get More Black People In Video Games". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Holmes, Jonathan (15 October 2013). "Let's look at Tropes Vs. Black Guys in Videogames". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
5. ^ a b "Why are Black Game Characters Failing the Audience?". Edge. 8 February 2009. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Carr, Krystal (16 February 2014). "12 Black Video Game Characters That Kick Ass!". SheAttack. Archived from the original on 16 February 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
7. ^ Buckley, Michaela (12 April 2013). "The scarcity of black characters in video games". ScrewAttack. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
8. ^ Dead or Alive History -Team Ninja Freaks- p. 160.
9. ^ a b Narcisse, Evan (29 March 2012). "Come On, Video Games, Let's See Some Black People I'm Not Embarrassed By". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
10. ^ "Left 4 Dead". www.l4d.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
11. ^ a b c Rhodes, Brianna (2020-08-28). "Get to Know League of Legends' Black Champions: Ekko, Senna and Lucian". AfroTech. Archived from the original on 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
12. ^ "Champion reveal - Pyke, the Bloodharbor Ripper". Twitter. Archived from the original on 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
13. ^ "Champion Insights: Rell - League of Legends". www.leagueoflegends.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
14. ^ "Champion Insights: K'Sante - League of Legends". www.leagueoflegends.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
15. ^ Moy, Aaron (2021-10-13). "Things Even Bayonetta Fans Don't Know About Rodin". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
16. ^ Greenall, Jonathon (2021-12-12). "Pokémon Controversy: The Righteous Reason Lenora's Apron Was Cut". CBR. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
17. ^ a b Clauson, Jonathan R. (20 January 2014). "The State of Black Video Game Characters". Inquisitr. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
18. ^ Melzer, Jennifer (2021-07-06). "Mass Effect 3: How to Save Shepard's Shuttle Pilot, Steve Cortez". CBR. Archived from the original on 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
19. ^ Oddo, Marco Vito (2022-11-14). "'Clash of Clans' Invades Comic Books in 'The Books of Clash: Volume 1' Cover [Exclusive]". Collider. Archived from the original on 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
20. ^ "The Wraith | Philip Ojomo | Guide & Weapons | Dead by Daylight". deadbydaylight.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
21. ^ "The Hag | Lisa Sherwood | Backstory, Build & Perks | Dead by Daylight". deadbydaylight.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
22. ^ "The Doctor | Herman Carter | Backstory, Build & Perks | Dead by Daylight". deadbydaylight.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
23. ^ "The Legion | Frank, Julie, Susie, Joey | Backstory, Build & Perks | Dead by Daylight". deadbydaylight.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
24. ^ "Claudette Morel | Build, Perks & Cosmetics | Dead By Daylight". deadbydaylight.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
25. ^ "Adam Francis | Build, Perks, Outfits & Cosmetics | Dead By Daylight". deadbydaylight.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
26. ^ "How developers created the story behind Mafia III and its lead character Lincoln Clay". VentureBeat. 2016-09-18. Archived from the original on 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
27. ^ Blogger (2020-06-01). "The Pokémon Company shares GIF of Ash fist bumping Kiawe to support Black Lives Matter movement". Pokémon Blog. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
28. ^ a b Harmon, O'Dell (2021-12-15). "Deathloop Redefines Blackness In Video Games". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
29. ^ "Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Ryme, the Gym Leader who raps". PlayerNature. Archived from the original on 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
30. ^ Carvalho, Jared (2022-12-28). "Forspoken's Frey Holland Shakes Things Up For Representation in Gaming". Game Rant. Archived from the original on 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
31. ^ Marketing (2022-02-16). "February 2022 / The Protagonist". Play Season. Archived from the original on 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
32. ^ "Baldur's Gate 3". baldursgate3.game. Archived from the original on 2023-12-06. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
33. ^ a b c Fillery, Jake (2022-12-24). "Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League: All Characters Confirmed So Far". Game Rant. Archived from the original on 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-02-14.

## External links

[edit]

* The Power of Play: The Portrayal and Performance of Race in Video Games at Harvard University
* Games with black protagonists at MobyGames