Top 10 Biggest Acts of Betrayal in Video Games

Video games are an immersive medium that allows players to step into the shoes of their favorite characters and embark on epic adventures. They offer an escape from reality and a chance to experience things that would be impossible in real life. But with great power comes great responsibility, and video games often present players with tough choices that can have serious consequences. One of the most common tropes in gaming is the act of betrayal, where a character turns on their allies or friends for personal gain or other reasons.

Betrayal in video games can take many forms, from a surprise attack during a mission to a character switch that reveals a hidden agenda. It can be heartbreaking, infuriating, or even shocking, leaving players feeling a sense of disbelief or betrayal themselves.
The Top Ten
1 Atlas/Frank Fontane - Bioshock In Bioshock, Atlas, later revealed to be Frank Fontaine, betrays the player by manipulating them throughout the game. Posing as a friend and ally, Fontaine uses the protagonist to further his own goals and seize control of the underwater city of Rapture.
2 Kendra - Dead Space In Dead Space, Kendra Daniels, a seemingly helpful character, is revealed to be a traitor when she attempts to escape with the mysterious Marker. Her betrayal leads to her own demise, as she becomes a victim of the monstrous Hive Mind.
3 Albert Wesker - Resident Evil Albert Wesker, a recurring antagonist in the Resident Evil series, betrays his teammates in the Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) unit. As a double agent for the Umbrella Corporation, Wesker manipulates events to further the company's sinister goals, making him a central villain throughout the series.

During the game, we meet up with Bravo team leader Enrico who reveals that there is a traitor among the group. However, before he can reveal the name, he is killed. It's not until near the end that we learn Wesker set the whole thing up, using his own S.T.A.R.S. in order to collect combat data. He is eventually killed by the Tyrant, but he manages to escape thanks to the injection of the special T-Virus.

4 The Gods - God of War In God of War, the gods betray Kratos, the game's protagonist, by manipulating him into killing his own family. This act of deception sets off a chain of events that lead to Kratos' quest for vengeance against the gods, ultimately shaping the narrative of the series.

Kratos formerly served the Gods until they tricked him into killing his own family blinded by rage Kratos vows to take revenge against the Gods by killing them one by one.

5 General Shepherd - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 General Shepherd, a key character in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, betrays his own team, Task Force 141, in a shocking twist. After using them to eliminate his enemies and consolidate power, Shepherd kills his own soldiers to cover his tracks, making him a primary antagonist of the game.
6 Tanya - Mortal Kombat 4 Tanya, a character in Mortal Kombat 4, betrays her allies by siding with the villainous Quan Chi and Shinnok. Her deception results in the imprisonment of several heroes and the temporary fall of the Earthrealm, earning her a reputation as a cunning and untrustworthy adversary.
7 Pigma Dengar - Star Fox 64 In Star Fox 64, Pigma Dengar, once a member of the Star Fox team, betrays his comrades by joining forces with the evil Andross. His treachery leads to the death of Fox McCloud's father, James, and sets the stage for a series of intense confrontations throughout the game.

Never trust a pig something Fox's father learned the hard way, a former member of the original Star Fox team along with Peppy Hare & James McCloud they were sent to investigate the planet Venom not soon do they arrive Pigma betrays the team allowing Andross to capture them luckily Peppy escapes however James wasn't so lucky.

Yeah, Pigma was just awful. Poor James.

Thankfully it was good shooting Pigma down for good.

"Your daddy screamed real good before he died! "

8 Sonny Forelli - Grand Theft Auto Vice City Sonny Forelli, a character in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, betrays the game's protagonist, Tommy Vercetti, by setting him up in a drug deal gone wrong. This act of treachery ignites a violent feud between the two, culminating in a final showdown in the game's climactic conclusion.
9 Ada Wong - Resident Evil 2 Ada Wong, a character in Resident Evil 2, betrays both the protagonist, Leon S. Kennedy, and the Umbrella Corporation. As a double agent, Ada manipulates Leon throughout the game, ultimately seeking to obtain a sample of the G-Virus for her own mysterious employers.

Leon first meets Ada in raccoon city she claims that she is looking for her boyfriend, Leon being the good guy that he is believes her, He later meets up with Annette Birken who informs him that she is a spy Leon doesn't believe her until Ada tells him her true purpose was to get a sample of the G virus however she eventually dies or so Leon thinks.

10 Big Smoke - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Big Smoke, a character in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, betrays his childhood friend and protagonist, Carl "CJ" Johnson. Aligning himself with the game's antagonists, Big Smoke becomes a major enemy to CJ and the Grove Street Families, ultimately leading to his downfall.

Smoke was always helping you at first but later... he was seen by CJ that he is helping CRASH and ballas gang.

The Contenders
11 Wheatley - Portal 2 Wheatley, a seemingly friendly AI in Portal 2, betrays the protagonist, Chell, after gaining control of the Aperture Science facility. Driven mad by power, Wheatley becomes a primary antagonist, forcing Chell to confront and defeat him in order to escape.

Wheatley is the dumbest moron who ever lived but you know what, I like him that way.

12 Daina Le Guin - Dead Space 2 In Dead Space 2, Daina Le Guin betrays the protagonist, Isaac Clarke, by manipulating him into activating a Marker, a powerful and dangerous alien artifact. Her betrayal is revealed when it becomes apparent that she intends to use the Marker for her own nefarious purposes.

Daina is the woman that helps Isaac through the first third of the game. She tells Isaac she has a cure for his dementia and he travels to her at the top of the church. She acts mysterious but Isaac doesn't believe that he would get betrayed yet again. Well he does, Daina is a unitologist that wants to spread convergence everywhere, killing everyone, by making Isaac create more markers. There's no cure and she basically laughs at him. Luckily she is ripped apart by a gunship seconds later.

13 Magolor - Kirby's Return to Dreamland In Kirby's Return to Dreamland, Magolor, initially portrayed as a friendly character seeking help, betrays Kirby and friends after they aid him in restoring his ship. Magolor's true intentions are revealed when he uses the ship to seize control of the universe, forcing Kirby and his friends to stop him.

My favourite Kirby character. I want this guy for smash. Epic boss fight and not a sudden betrayal like Marx.

Would have never expected this much of a plot twist from a KIRBY GAME.

14 Ancano - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Ancano, a character in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, betrays the College of Winterhold by attempting to harness the power of the Eye of Magnus for himself. His actions put the college and its inhabitants in danger, forcing the player to intervene and stop his power-hungry plot.
15 Micah Bell - Red Dead Redemption 2 In Red Dead Redemption 2, Micah Bell betrays the Van der Linde gang, his own comrades, by working as an informant for the Pinkertons. His treachery leads to the gang's downfall, setting the stage for a series of confrontations and the tragic conclusion of the game.
16 N - Pokemon Black and White N, a character in Pokemon Black and White, betrays his own father, Ghetsis, and the Team Plasma organization. Initially believing in their cause, N has a change of heart after battling the player, ultimately deciding to stand against their plans for world domination.
17 Sans - Undertale Sans, a character in Undertale, betrays the player in the Genocide Route by becoming an unexpected final boss. As the player ruthlessly eliminates all inhabitants of the Underground, Sans steps in to protect the last remaining monsters, defying expectations and challenging the player's actions.

Technically, you are the villain of the story when you fight Sans, but when he "tricks" you into sparing him, then he kills you with an attack that you can't dodge.

18 Dimentio - Super Paper Mario Dimentio, a character in Super Paper Mario, betrays his fellow villains by manipulating events throughout the game. His ultimate goal is to seize control of the Chaos Heart, a powerful artifact, to reshape the universe in his own twisted image, forcing the heroes to stop him.

Super paper mario is known for being one of the darkest mario games ever (which is good by the way) and what was needed to make it perfect was a plot twist that NO ONE would have expected.

19 Pokey Minch - Earthbound/Mother 2 In Earthbound/Mother 2, Pokey Minch betrays his childhood friend, Ness, by siding with the game's primary antagonist, Giygas. Driven by greed and selfishness, Pokey's actions lead him down a dark path and ultimately result in a confrontation with Ness and his friends.
20 Dickson - Xenoblade Chronicles In Xenoblade Chronicles, Dickson betrays the protagonist, Shulk, and his friends by revealing himself as an agent of the game's primary antagonist, Zanza. Driven by a lust for power, Dickson's betrayal forces Shulk and his allies to confront him in a series of climactic battles.
21 Jack Krauser - Resident Evil 4 In Resident Evil 4, Jack Krauser betrays his former ally, Leon S. Kennedy, by working as an operative for the game's primary antagonist, Osmund Saddler. Driven by a desire for power, Krauser's actions lead to a series of confrontations with Leon throughout the game.
22 Vergil - DMC: Devil May Cry Vergil, a character in DMC: Devil May Cry, betrays his brother, Dante, and their alliance by revealing his true intentions of taking over the demonic world. His pursuit of power and control forces Dante to confront and battle him, culminating in a climactic showdown.
23 Lance Vance - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Lance Vance, a character in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, betrays the protagonist, Tommy Vercetti, by siding with the game's primary antagonist, Sonny Forelli. Driven by greed and a desire for power, Lance's actions lead to a climactic confrontation between him and Tommy.
24 Marx - Kirby Superstar In Kirby Superstar, Marx betrays Kirby and the people of Popstar by manipulating Kirby into summoning the powerful Galactic Nova. Marx seizes control of the wish-granting Nova, seeking to conquer the universe, which forces Kirby to battle him and restore peace.
25 Gary - Bully Gary, the primary antagonist in Bully, betrays his former friend, the game's protagonist Jimmy Hopkins, by spreading lies and turning the school's various cliques against him. This act of treachery sets the stage for Jimmy's efforts to regain control of the school and confront Gary.
8Load More
PSearch List