What is Videogame?

TLDR

A video game character is one whose primary medium of diffusion is gaming

 ✅Characters from videogames that are not inspired on other media.

 ✅Characters from videogames that are inspired on other media but have a unique design, different from their source material.

❌Characters from videogames that are inspired on other media but are identical to their source material.

❌Characters from linear Virtual Novels (no interactivity).

Explanation

The scope of video games has been poorly defined, leading to confusion and redundancies in the past so we need to be specific.

We use style to define the nature of a character (Western/Eastern) in a spectrum:

All possible character live in this space. But due to the popularity of furries, we've separated/discriminated those character that have this property regardless of their style.

Now we're asked to speparate/discriminate videogame characters.

This could become chaotic because almost every franchise has some connection to gaming. So if our definition is weak, we could end up with redundancy by inclusion or scarcity of Cartoons/Anime by exclusion:

This is BAD. To address this, I’m refining the criteria to make it clear that a video game character is one whose primary medium of diffusion is gaming. From it's conception to it's design and purpose.

Criteria

1. The character must be CREATED for a video game

The character originates or is a unique version designed and implemented with the intent of being part of a game’s mechanics or world.

✅ Valid Entries:

Mario Series, Overwatch, Fortnite, DMC, Valorant

Shantae, Skullgirls, Guilty Gear, KOF

Fortnite, Marvel Rivals (Unique designs, different from their primary source counterparts)

❌ Does NOT count: 

Naruto (Storm Trilogy), Avatar (Quest for Balance) (Identical to their primary source counterparts)

2. The character must be PLAYABLE or INTERACTIVE

Entries must involve meaningful interaction beyond just being a static image. Otherwise, they belong in the Cartoons/Anime category.

✅ Valid Entries:

NPCs that interact with the player/environment

Bosses, foes, allies, or playable characters

❌ Does NOT count:

Characters that only appear in non-interactive static images (e.g., characters from Visual Novel in which you're just reading stuff and not interacting)

Notes:

VGs Exclusion Principle: Videogames cannot share identical characters with other categories

NSH Exclusion Principle: Same principle applies with NSH (as always)

From now on and as long as this category is alive, the VGs exclusion principle will be applied.

There are very few exceptions to the VGs exclusion principle. Pokémon - for instance - exists in an inextricable relation between Anime/Manga and Videogames. Their counterparts are identical. But the franchise's primary means of diffussion is indistinguishable, being both; games and series, most iconic. Pokémon may live in Anime and Videogames.