10 Iconic Video Game Characters Created By Fans
1. Juju - Skullgirls
And finally, we have one of the most fascinating examples of a fan-created character being added into a game...and then removed. Strap in, because this is quite the story.
For 2D fighting game Skullgirls, sniper character Juju was created by Cecee McNeil, a fan who simply posted the idea for her on the game's official Facebook page pre-release.
The post quickly gained traction, with concept designs being sketched by other fans and developers Reverge Labs (aka Lab Zero Games) ultimately deciding to include Juju in the game, first by way of several references which confirmed her to be canon.
Juju was then listed as a potential DLC character to be voted into the game, at which point McNeil requested financial compensation for first creating the character.
Though the developers initially tried to work with McNeil to figure something out, those plans were ultimately pulled when McNeil broke a non-disclosure agreement and posted about the meetings she'd had with the team.
The decision was then made to scrap Juju's inclusion in the game, with all existing references to the character also being removed.
Despite this, Juju still endures as an icon of Skullgirls, no matter that she never actually got to appear as a legit character. Even a cursory Twitter search today, almost eight years after the deal apart, shows fans regularly lamenting her cancellation.