Summary
- Video games pay heartwarming tributes to other games and beloved figures, showing mutual respect.
- From Metal Gear Solid acknowledging Grand Theft Auto to World of Warcraft honoring Robin Williams.
- Tributes in games range from in-game references to charitable initiatives, demonstrating care and thoughtfulness.
Over the past two decades, video games have risen from a niche hobby to one of the most important cultural phenomena in the world. People from all walks of life — many of whom don't even play — know about Fortnite trends, even if they don't understand them. People have really begun to care about games, so it's nice when games show that they care back.
Video game tributes can come in the form of a reference to a beloved player, or even a tribute to another game, possibly even one that the game paying the tribute is competing against. Either way, these things are always heartwarming to witness, so here's a look at some of the best in-game tributes ever made.
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MGS 3: Snake Eater Acknowledges Grand Theft Auto
A Passing Of The Torch?
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)
- Released
- November 17, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
For a moment in time, the Metal Gear Solid series was the biggest event in gaming. Then, just as Metal Gear Solid both used and caused the explosive success of the original PlayStation 1, so did Grand Theft Auto. Once an average gaming series, GTA used the even bigger PS2 to become the biggest series on the planet. Hideo Kojima could have felt threatened by that, but instead he decided to take it in stride.
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In one of the trailers for Metal Gear Solid 3, fans could see Snake trying to hijack a guard's vehicle, with him replying "What is this? Another Grand Theft Auto?" And "This is no Vice City." In case the reference wasn't obvious enough. Snake goes on to just let the guard go, which could be taken to symbolize that there was no stopping GTA at that point.
Morrowind Pays Tribute To Fallen Adventurers In Game
Too Late To Play The Game, Not Too Late To Be Remembered
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- Released
- May 1, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind had an infamously long development period. The good news is that the game turned out fantastic. The bad news, however, is that a few hardcore fans ended up passing away before ever getting the chance to experience it.
As a way of paying tribute, and possibly of apologizing, the developers at Bethesda saw it fit to create shrines dedicated to two different longtime members of the Bethesda forums who passed away before the game's launch, complete with urns possessing their ashes. These shrines can be visited by anyone who has the game, for all eternity.
The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings Pays Tribute To Assassin's Creed
Assassin Recognizes Assassin
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Enhanced Edition)
- Released
- April 17, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Ever since the first game in the series, the Assassin's Creed series has been known for a very particular move: a dive from an incredibly tall tower that would always have the assassin hero landing on a stack of hay — and surviving without a problem. Though The Witcher 3 outdoes the previous two games in the series in all other departments, The Witcher 2 beats it here, by featuring a reference to the Assassin's Creed series.
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In one humorous moment, Geralt will come across a hay cart with the dead body of someone dressed up just like an assassin from the other series. The Witcher series is also a fantasy series, but not to the point of ignoring physics to such a ridiculous degree, it seems.
Star Trek Online Has a Leonard Nimoy Statue
Prosper Forever
Star Trek Online
- Released
- February 2, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Cryptic Studios
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
Though he was never the main character in the series, Spock remains the most iconic character in the history of Star Trek. That's because of how much fans of the show enjoyed the character, but also the person behind it. Leonard Nimoy was a beloved member of the Star Trek community and showbiz in general, so, upon his death in 2015, Star Trek Online quickly scrambled to create an in-game statue of Spock that all players could visit.
Needless to say, underneath the statue, players could read Spock's catchphrase, "Live Long And Prosper." Considering the context of the show, this kind of tribute feels even more apt than an actual real-life statue would.
Mechwarrior Online Does A Powerful Tribute To A Deceased Fan
Helping Fight A More Important Battle
MechWarrior Online
- Released
- October 29, 2012
- Platform(s)
- PC
Microtransactions are the bane of online and even single-player games nowadays, but things can be done in a better way, one that actually benefits everyone. When Sarah Jenner, a Mechwarrior Online player, died of cancer back in 2013, the developers at Piranha Games decided to pay tribute to her in a beautiful and helpful way.
They created a new Mech personalized after Sarah, which players could then purchase for $10. Those proceeds went directly to the Canadian Cancer Society, which ended up receiving over $100,000 thanks to this effort.
World Of Warcraft's Robin Williams' Island
Out Of This World (Of Warcraft)
World of Warcraft
- Released
- November 23, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence (online interactions not rated)
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
World of Warcraft is no stranger to fan tributes, but it's hard to beat the one that the people at Blizzard did for the late Robin Williams. Williams, both a star and a fan, was naturally beloved by pretty much everyone who'd ever engaged with his work. WoW players petitioned Blizzard to immortalize Williams in their game, and the company replied in the most amazing of ways.
In the Warlords of Draenor expansion, the devs added not one, but several references to the work of Robin Williams, from some of his most popular characters to some of his older and more obscure ones — if that's something that can be said about any of his work.
Elden Ring Is A Tribute To Berserk Creator Kentaro Miura
Neverending Eclipse
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
For the longest time, fans of the Berserk manga and Dark Souls felt like Hidetaka Miyazaki's game series was as close to a spiritual successor to the aforementioned manga as it could be. Everything was incredibly similar, both visually and thematically, but there was no proof of direct connection.
It was only when FromSoft released Elden Ring in 2022 — a game that had been in development since before the death of Berserk creator Kentaro Miura — that fans had the confirmation. The game is filled with Easter eggs that beautifully point to Miura's work, with a graveyard of swords that seemingly represents the fallen members of Berserk's original band of the hawk being the most heartwarming one.
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