Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Saros review
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • Delta Force giveaway
Don't miss these
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin's Creed Best Assassin's Creed games, ranked from worst to best
Ghost of Yotei gameplay showing Atsu sitting on her horse between bright pink cherry blossoms, looking at a distant fortification built against a mountain
Open World Games Best open world games to play in 2026 and completely forget real life exists
Best Ps5 games
Games Best PS5 games: The 25 greatest PlayStation 5 games in 2026, ranked
Best PSP games: A screenshot of someone playing GTA on a PSP.
Games The 25 best PSP games of all time
Best PC games: Screenshots of Baldur's Gate 3, Helldivers 2, Split Fiction and the Resident Evil 4 Remake
PC Gaming The 25 best PC games to play in 2026
Best FPS games: A screenshot of the Doom Slayer shooting a Cyberdemon in the game Doom Eternal.
FPS Games The 25 best FPS games to play in 2026
A picture of a Nintendo 3DS console next to several of the best 3DS games and Nintendo cards.
Games The 25 best Nintendo 3DS games of all time
Astarian looking pensive with his hand resting on his chin in Baldur's Gate 3
Games The 25 best Steam games to play in 2026
A PS2 games console standing next to some of the best PS2 games and a black controller.
Games The 25 best PS2 games of all time
A header image for the Best Games 2026 list with a GamesRadar+ logo, showing Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata, Marathon, and Monster Hunter Stories 3
Games The best games to play in 2026, so far
Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2
Adventure Games 25 best adventure games in 2026 to get swept up in
Lilith in Diablo 4
RPGs The best Diablo games of all time, ranked
best Tomb Raider games
Tomb Raider The 10 best Tomb Raider games of all time
Shadow (Keanu Reeves) in Sonic 3
Movies Every upcoming video game movie you need to know about in 2026 and beyond
Leon exits his Porsche into streets at night in Resident Evil Requiem
Horror Games The 10 best Resident Evil games of all time
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Action

The Top 7 Worst videogame presidents

Features
By Mikel Reparaz published 20 February 2012

A loving tribute to the fictitious leaders that drove America straight into the ground

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

5. President Benford

From: Resident Evil 6

The Resident Evil series kind of has horrible luck when it comes to presidents. First, it saw the administration of President Graham. Graham fathered one of the most irritating female characters in videogame history, Ashley Graham, whose annoyingly chirpy voice was rivaled only by her near-total lack of a self-preservation instinct. That, and the fact that he sent a valuable government superagent to probably get decapitated like a billion times in an attempt to rescue her, should really have been enough to land him on this list.

But no – his successor, Adam Benford, is even worse. Why? Because Benford is a zombie. And zombies make terrible presidents.

Article continues below
You may like
  • The best NES games: a screenshot of collection of NES games and a Nintendo console. The 10 best NES games of all time
  • Mass Effect "F***ing Colonel Shepard dies in Mass Effect 3, and that makes us the Worst Company in America," former EA exec laments
  • The best Borderlands games, ranked

Look at him. Look at that stupid zombie face. Is that a face that can put the economy back on track? Bring peace to the Middle East? Do something to stem the massive global tide of job losses in the wake of the Umbrella Corporation’s collapse? No! That is a face that slashes vital social programs, vetoes defense spending bills and writes legislation mandating that all hospitals build “presidential brain libraries,” describing them only as “tasty” (and also “itchy,” for some reason).

Never mind whatever his record was prior to zombification – we’re highly doubtful that a terrifying walking corpse can convince the nation that it’s in good hands during State of the Union addresses. Honestly, we’d be surprised if he even gets a second term.

4. President Johnson

From: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Yeah, yeah, we know – whenever anyone thinks “Metal Gear” and “president,” they think of George “Solidus Snake” Sears, who’s showed up on so many of these videogame-president lists that he’s become a huge cliché. Despite being the villain of MGS2, however, Sears’ goals of destroying America’s shadow government – the Patriots – and restoring democracy made him something of an awesome president. Besides, he shared MGS2 with a president who was such an unremarkable shitbird that most gamers barely remember he existed.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

President James Johnson, Solidus’ successor, was a cynical ladder-climber who not only knew that he was nothing but the Patriots’ pawn – he openly embraced it, freely admitting that “his” policies came from them, and that elections were nothing more than elaborate performances staged for the public’s benefit. However, none of that stopped him from rebelling against them with Solidus’ terrorist group – although while Solidus was working for higher ideals, Johnson played along in the hopes that he could blackmail the Patriots into granting him more personal power.

Sure, he eventually has a change of heart and willingly sacrifices himself to avert a nuclear holocaust, but one good deed doesn’t erase a lifetime of knowingly knuckling under to a shadow government because you think being leader of the free world is a sham. Especially not when you do it after inexplicably cupping Raiden’s balls.

Above: As you do

You may like
  • The best NES games: a screenshot of collection of NES games and a Nintendo console. The 10 best NES games of all time
  • Mass Effect "F***ing Colonel Shepard dies in Mass Effect 3, and that makes us the Worst Company in America," former EA exec laments
  • The best Borderlands games, ranked

3. Presidente Reyes

From: Red Dead Redemption

Who says the U.S. gets to have a monopoly on shitty videogame presidents? Mexico – or at least the version of Mexico we visited in Red Dead Redemption – boasts one of the all-time shittiest, and the best part is that we helped put him in power.

At first the larger-than-life leader of RDR’s Mexican revolution, Reyes quickly reveals himself to be little more than an adventuresome fraud, using social reform as a pretext for his own self-aggrandizement. His main ambitions include personal glory and banging as many peasant women as possible. Oh, and, uh, bringing democracy to Mexico, sure.

Above: Democracy!

True, the military dictatorship Reyes fought against was legitimately brutal and despotic, and Reyes’ intentions seem good enough at first – it’s just that he tends to forget what they are. He never intentionally sets out to harm the people who follow him like a messiah, but it also never occurs to him that they might be anything other than a stepping stone on his way to the presidency. Whatever his intentions, though, the end of RDR reveals that his administration is just as despotic and out-of-touch as the one he replaces – and that’s not even the worst of it.

As revealed in (the possibly non-canon) Undead Nightmare, Reyes’ vanity leads him to unearth an ancient Aztec mask and put it on. This action not only unleashes a plague of zombies throughout the neighboring territories, but turns Reyes into one as well. And as we all know from President Graham’s entry above, zombies make terrible presidents. We can only imagine how horrifying they’d be with dictatorial powers.

Above: Would you buy a used car from this man?

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

Current page: Page 2

Prev Page Page 1 Next Page Page 3
CATEGORIES
Android iPad iPhone PC Gaming Wii-u Nintendo PlayStation Xbox Platforms Mobile Gaming
PRODUCTS
Destroy All Humans Sam & Max Season One Red Dead Redemption Vanquish Resident Evil 6 Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Metal Gear Solid: Substance Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
Mikel Reparaz
Mikel Reparaz
After graduating from college in 2000 with a BA in journalism, I worked for five years as a copy editor, page designer and videogame-review columnist at a couple of mid-sized newspapers you've never heard of. My column eventually got me a freelancing gig with GMR magazine, which folded a few months later. I was hired on full-time by GamesRadar in late 2005, and have since been paid actual money to write silly articles about lovable blobs.
Read more
The best NES games: a screenshot of collection of NES games and a Nintendo console.
Games The 10 best NES games of all time
 
 
Mass Effect
Mass Effect "F***ing Colonel Shepard dies in Mass Effect 3, and that makes us the Worst Company in America," former EA exec laments
 
 
Borderlands The best Borderlands games, ranked
 
 
Spider-Man 2 PC
Action Games The 10 best superhero games that you should play today
 
 
Best Warhammer games: A marine in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
Games The 10 best Warhammer games of all time, ranked
 
 
Donald Duck: Goin' Quackers / Quack Attack promotional screenshots
Platforming Games Disney's forgotten Donald Duck PS2 game is harder than any FromSoftware title I've ever played
 
 
Latest in Action
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 devs aim for "perfection," and Take-Two tries to give "unlimited" resources to do so, CEO says
 
 
Hollow Knight: Silksong screenshot of white rose warrior Lace
Action Games Silksong fans believe Sea of Sorrow DLC is coming soon due to a single emoji from the marketing lead
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 skipping PC at launch not due to PlayStation deal, but to focus on "the core consumer"
 
 
Pragmata co-star Diana
Action Games The full story of the Pragmata fan grieving his late daughter, so viral he even reached Capcom
 
 
Best NES games: Link holding a sword in the game The Legend of Zelda.
Super Mario Zelda was Nintendo's answer to "traditional RPGs," Shigeru Miyamoto says
 
 
Mario Bros 2 key art showing mario throwing a vegtable at enemies
Super Mario Nintendo was a madhouse thanks to the simultaneous development of Mario and Zelda, Miyamoto says
 
 
Latest in Features
A screenshot of new Arc Raiders map Riven Tides, set along the coast
Third Person Shooters I’ve been burned by the new Arc Raiders map, but that’s what happens on a beach holiday
 
 
Gideon Adlon's Devon Izara and Sam Witwer's Maul clashing lightsaber blades in Maul – Shadow Lord
Star Wars TV Shows After 27 years, Maul – Shadow Lord finally gives us one of the most anticipated Star Wars showdowns, but with a twist
 
 
Sam Witwer as Maul in Maul – Shadow Lord
Star Wars TV Shows Maul – Shadow Lord ending explained: who dies, that major cameo, what happens to Devon, and more
 
 
A fully-built Lego UCS Millennium Falcon, sat on a table and bathed in purple light
Toys & Collectibles I've been reviewing Lego Star Wars for years, and these sets need to be in every collection
 
 
Saros gameplay showing a flying beast hover over multiple statues of hands
Third Person Shooters I asked Saros devs about their hand obsession and got a fascinating insight into game development
 
 
Star Wars Legion, Star Wars Villainous, and Star Wars Unlimited: Intro Battle Hoth laid out on a wooden surface
Tabletop Gaming Settle in with the best Star Wars board games this May 4
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. A Pitch Black booster pack and Elite Trainer box beside one another on a colorful purple and green background
    1
    Where to buy Pokemon TCG Pitch Black
  2. 2
    Diablo 4's secret cow level finally uncovered, but fans say it's "boring" compared to Diablo 2 and 3's
  3. 3
    There are major discounts on Splatoon Raiders and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, and the Switch 2 games aren't even out yet
  4. 4
    007 First Light's Bond is more "relatable" than Agent 47, says developer, "rather than an object of absurd fascination"
  5. 5
    I’ve been burned by the new Arc Raiders map, but that’s what happens on a beach holiday

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...