A casino review website has figured out which characters are the richest in video gaming, with heroes and villains from the likes of GTA 5, Tomb Raider, and Red Dead Redemption 2 making the list. Players who've ever wondered just how much Tomb Raider's Lara Croft or GTA's Franklin and Trevor have tucked away might be surprised at some of the findings.
While lots of games task players with hunting down in-game money to purchase upgrades and items, not too often are players asked to consider the real-world wealth of the characters they're playing as. Unless it's outright stated, it's something fans will never learn, though rough estimates can be garnered from their homes, locations of their properties, weapons, clothing, vehicles, and more. While the richest characters report doesn't take into account any finances from the production of video games or their sales, it does look at characters' stories and homes to estimate just how much their adventures may have earned them.
Casino review site Casino.co.uk's report estimates who the richest characters in gaming are based on their "income, household, weapons, and transport." Topping the list is Lara Croft, who is estimated to be worth an eye-watering £706 million (over $982 million in USD), not only because of her lucrative treasure hunts but also because of her wealthy family. Next on the list is Michael De Santa from GTA 5, who's estimated to be worth £43.5m/$60.5m, with the majority of his money coming from heists. In third place is GTA 5's Franklin Clifton with a cool £35.8m/$49.8m in the bank, again with most of his money expected to be from heists. Coming in at last place is Red Dead Redemption 2's Arthur Morgan, with the majority of his money coming from bounties. The full list of eight characters is as follows:
"Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) - £706,179,856
Michael De Santa (Grand Theft Auto V) - £43,579,862
Franklin Clifton (Grand Theft Auto V) - £35,875,993
Trevor Phillips (Grand Theft Auto V) - £30,794,648
Bella Goth (The Sims) - £497,064
Nathan Drake (Uncharted) - £261,966
Solid Snake (Metal Gear Solid) - £220,094
Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption) - £216,592"
How much money any of these characters really have stashed away is unknown unless confirmed in their stories, though it's worth noting that not all of these characters earned their money in the games they starred in - some started off their games already rich. Lara Croft was born into the wealthy Croft Estate, and is heir to a huge fortune. GTA 5's Michael is also shown living in the lap of luxury in the large De Santa Residence mansion at the beginning of the game, earned through his illegal activities. Not everyone on the list was born into money though, with Nathan Drake growing up in the Saint Francis Boys' Home orphanage.
Casino's findings may not be confirmed by the game developers, but it's hard to dispute that characters like Michael, Franklin, and Bella haven't been reaping the spoils of their adventures at some point in their lives, no matter how their stories end. While the GTA characters on the list would be quick to sell any items of value, Nathan Drake has been seen keeping his treasures for sentimental reasons, as shown in Drake's house in Uncharted 4. The list seems to show that whether they've been born into riches or earned them themselves, there's not too much of a pattern to video games' richest characters. Fans of these games might never learn just how much their characters might have in the bank, but it's fun to speculate on the backstories rarely explored in such specific detail.
Source: Casino