10 Video Game Villains Who Won By Losing

Being a video game villain is hard and thankless work. Not only is your conflict with the protagonists a constant uphill battle, but you're also guaranteed to lose in the end regardless.

Which is why some antagonists learned to make lemons into evil lemonade.

Yes, despite the fact that the forces of good are usually destined to defeat them, some villains get what they want by losing! The hero may foil their plan and save the day, but somehow their success manages to set forth something the villain wanted to get from the start.

The evil may be vanquished, the bad guy may be killed or put behind bars, but their loss comes with a huge chain reaction that makes them end up on the winning side of things anyway.

Whether it's destroying the world with the hero's own hands, forcing their arch nemesis to break their code, or causing other types of mayhem for the thrill of it, the following villains are intelligent and cunning enough to achieve their nefarious goals even when their main plan fails.

You might be mad that they outsmarted you, but at the same time, you have to give them credit for playing their losing hand so masterfully.

The Dark Urge origin from Baldur's Gate 3 allows you to play as the dreaded spawn of Bhaal, Fearûn's god of murder. Throughout the story you have to make decisions regarding your evil heritage as the call of your screwed-up father constantly beckons you to commit atrocities in his name.

Your choices are to either reject your urge to kill or embrace it. However, even when you defy Bhaal's will, the dark god still has a chance to have his way and win anyway.

Yes, although there is a way to completely overcome your dark urges, if you decide to choose the path of righteousness too late, your act of resistance will only lead to a worse outcome.

If you spent the whole game following Bhaal's will, but right at the finale you have a change of heart and stop his army of cultists from taking over the world, the decision will lead to a special secret ending in which shortly after saving the day your character's mind becomes overwhelmed with Bhaal's influence and the god turns you into a brainwashed murder puppet.

Well, if you wanted to be a good guy, you should've committed to it from the start!