Trailers are there to build hype around a video game or movie. They want to entice people into buying the game by any means necessary. Sometimes that's through gameplay or tidbits of the story or even intrigue about the setting. Other times, there's a character used as the driving force behind the hype.

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In the case of Resident Evil 8, everything about the rest of the game was overshadowed by Lady Dimitrescu. Her popularity grew exponentially thanks to social media, and she's far from the only character who's gone through this. Many have gotten similar treatment in the past, earning their own fandom before their game is even released.

10 The Trailer For Far Cry 3 Made Vaas Seem Like A Frightening Final Villain

Vaas Far Cry 3

For many people, Vaas is the best villain in the Far Cry series. He's a maniac, but one that had a way with words. Michael Mando brought the character to life in a way that few voice actors can, spring boarding his career.

His speech about the definition of insanity was incredible, painting him as the frightening villain that would be difficult to take down. As with Lady Dimitrescu, he ended up being an underling rather than the main bad guy, but he had already done his job in selling the game to many.

9 Tracer Is The Mascot For Overwatch

Lena 'Tracer' Oxton in a promotional image for Overwatch

She's on the cover of the game for a reason, and her spunky personality in the introductory trailer of Overwatch was hard to ignore, as were her unique abilities. More than anyone else, Tracer didn't feel like your typical shooting game character at that time.

The way she'd zip all over the place was more than a little intriguing. Add in her personality and the way she looked, and you had a character people latched onto before they even fully knew just what type of game Overwatch was going to be.

8 Lara Croft Was One Of The First Video Game Characters With Mainstream Sex Appeal

Lara-Croft-20-Years

No character caught the eye of people quite like Lara Croft did when she burst onto the scene in 1996. She was one of the first video game characters with genuine sex appeal, despite how blocky her textures were.

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None of that matters because of how the character carried herself in both the trailer and game. Since then, she's become one of the more iconic video game characters, spawning movies and a few critically acclaimed games. While Tomb Raider proved a genuinely great game on its own, there's little denying that the way Lara herself was marketed leading up to the game's release helped to sell more than a few copies of the game on that basis alone.

7 GLaDOS Was Integral To Portal's Success As A Franchise

glados portal

Amazingly, GLaDOS was originally only meant to be an AI guide during the tutorial phase of the game. She proved so popular with the development team that her role expanded on as the primary villain, a decision that was sound since she was equally as beloved by players.

She was the perfect villain for the franchise and one that the trailers smartly portrayed as the guide she was meant to be, hiding her villainous side.

6 The Animatronics In Five Nights At Freddy's Were An Instant Hit, Leading To Plenty Of Sequels

Five Nights at Freddy's Featured

While not necessarily one character, it's hard to separate the animatronics from one another in terms of popularity, and there's doubting how popular they were. When Five Night's at Freddy's first came out, it was a craze that swept over everyone, gamers and non-gamers alike.

It's still surprising considering how simple the gameplay was, but that was the power of the creepy animatronics. They were a Chuck E. Cheese band from hell, and it was hard to deny the appeal that had.

5 Handsome Jack's Charisma Was Evident Right Away In Borderlands 2

Handsome Jack Looking Menacing In Borderlands 2

Most fans of the Borderlands series would agree that Handsome Jack is the series best villain, and it's not really that close. He had the charisma and zaniness that fit in perfectly with the rest of the series.

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He was so bombastic and over the top that he felt like a cartoon villain, but that's why he worked. Gearbox was smart to have him narrate the trailer to Borderlands 2, showing that there were more than bandits to deal with now.

4 It Was Impossible To Not Love Ellie In Trailers For The Last Of Us

Ellie and Joel from The Last of Us video game

From the very first trailer, it was hard not to like Ellie. It was clear that she and Joel were going to have a father-daughter-type relationship, and the game exceeds expectations on that front.

A big reason why is because Ellie is so likable and self-sufficient. She's not a damsel in distress, able to take care of herself. The trailer even showed that when she stabbed one of the infected in the back of the head. She's also got a smart mouth that you can't help but love.

3 Clementine Was Adorable From The Very First Moment She Popped Into The Walking Dead Trailer

Clementine from Telltale The Walking Dead video game.

Clementine was practically the mascot for the Telltale Walking Dead series that was the company's pinnacle franchise. It helped capture the world of The Walking Dead amazingly well, even more so than the show at times. And Clementine was a big reason why.

She was the heart and soul of the series, something that the trailer made obvious. From the first moment she peeks her head out from her treehouse, the player knows she's someone they have to protect at all costs.

2 Elizabeth Was Only In The Bioshock Infinite Premiere Trailer For A Few Seconds, But Was Instantly A Star

Video Games elizabeth bioshock infinite

She became a greater part of subsequent trailers, but Elizabeth's appearance in the premiere of Bioshock Infinite was short and brief. As Booker's plummeting to his death, Elizabeth suddenly saves him by surrounding him with roses and pulling him towards her.

Just as they are about to touch hands, she gets snatched up, causing Booker to keep falling. It's a small spot, but she was instantly the most interesting part of the trailer, even more so than the floating city.

1 Lady Dimitrescu Instantly Became A Pop Culture Icon From The First Resident Evil 8 Trailer

Resident Evil Village Lady Dimitrescu And Her Daughters

From the very moment she flashed on the screen, Lady Dimitrescu was an instant hit. She almost immediately became a meme, with fan art and cosplay of her flooding social media long before anyone had even touched the game.

It's not hard to see why either. She was played up as the big bad of the game, and she was also physically attractive, the latter of which is from the norm in a series like Resident Evil— certainly not in regard to the non-human/non-living characters. More than just that, she had such a unique look, a giant among even her daughters. It's a shame she was such a minor character in the end, but it's done little to diminish the public's love for her.

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