Getting Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk 2077 may seem like a huge deal, and it is to some extent. However, celebrities have been tied to games for decades now. Whether they are lending their voice talents to characters, appearing in them with their faces and everything, or just showing up in ads to hock products, they are here to stay.
The following are small, unknown cameos from the past few decades of gaming. Titles like 50 Cent: Blood in the Sand starring the titular rapper would be a good example of a celebrity in a game to talk about, but that’s not a cameo. Even Keanu is more of a main character so let’s dive deep into the matrix that is video game history for some truly weird appearances.
10 Forest Whitaker (Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order)
It’s almost assumed that any Star Wars game is bound to have a cameo or two. Star Wars Jedi did indeed with Forest Whitaker briefly reprising his role as Saw Gerrera. The game takes place before Rogue One which is seemingly where he dies so he is in full spirits here. Even though his time is short it is a cool guest appearance with some meaningful moments.
9 Jeffrey Wright (The Last Of Us Part II)
This one is a bit trickier to spot unless one knows the voice of Jeffrey Wright. Right now he is probably most famous for his role in HBO’s Westworld. In The Last of Us Part II he plays Isaac Dixon. While it was cool that Naughty Dog got such high caliber talent for their game, it’s almost wasted as Isaac is only in a couple of scenes.
8 Chloë Grace Moretz (Dishonored)
Chloë Grace Moretz voiced Emily Kaldwin in the first Dishonored game. She had a smaller role as she was practically there to get kidnapped as a motive for Corvo to seek revenge. Similar to Jeffrey Wright’s role, her talents were wasted, but she was still good all the same. Unfortunately she did not come back to voice Emily again in the sequel, replaced instead by Erica Luttrell, when she actually became playable. It does make thematic sense since she did go from a child to an adult but it’s still a shame.
7 Ariana Grande (Final Fantasy Brave Exvius)
Another limited time event had Ariana Grande join Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. Players could get her to join the party as Dangerous Ariana in 2017 although she had alternate outfits too. What’s more Katy Perry joined the game in 2018. She even released a music video to celebrate the crossover. Apparently pop stars love Final Fantasy or at least their record companies do.
6 Aerosmith (Revolution X)
This game is actually centered on the band Aerosmith, but they only make brief cameos. The main one being Steven Tyler thanking players after select missions.
This on-rails shooter has players trying to stop terrorists from ruining their concert. Why are they doing this? No idea. It’s the 90s and games didn’t have to make sense.
5 Phil Collins (Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories)
Grand Theft Auto is no stranger to hosting many celebrities over the years from its main cast to its side characters. One of the strangest was for the PSP spinoff, Vice City Stories. In it players can meet Phil Collins, playing himself, and is hired by his manager to protect him due to some concert shenanigans. Shenanigans complete, the story bit involving him ends with Collins performing “In the Air Tonight.” What makes it weird is the fact that it wasn’t in the original Vice City since he is a big get.
4 Ozzy Osbourne (Brutal Legend)
Another musical celebrity cameo can be found in Brutal Legend. That game was all about incorporating legends of metal and rock and roll into the action brawler mayhem.
One of the biggest was Ozzy Osbourne who essentially played the god of metal. At the time it seemed fitting and is still a great performance a decade later along with Jack Black and everyone else involved.
3 Conan O'Brien (Death Stranding)
Speaking of Conan, he made a cameo himself in a recent game. Players could find his hologram in a bunker of Death Stranding. Completing his quest would get players a weird otter hat that made it easier to swim. Apparently his wife or girlfriend in the game was a cosplay costume designer. It is one of the more memorable optional quests.
2 Ric Flair (Command And Conquer: Red Alert 3)
Command And Conquer: Red Alert 3, like its predecessors, is filled with celebrities. Unlike the other games on this list, Red Alert 3 uses FMVs for its cutscenes. Of all the guests in the game one of the strangest was Ric Flair who plays Douglass Hill. For those unaware, Ric Flair was a wrestler famous for his infectious “woos” he would scream both in the ring and around town. He’s a bit more subdued in Red Alert 3.
1 Buzz Aldrin (Mass Effect 3)
The ending to Mass Effect 3 is still controversial almost a decade later. Most of it is because fans had a problem with choices seemingly not mattering in the end. This prompted EA and BioWare to change the ending somewhat. It will be interesting to see if the upcoming remaster does anything more. No matter what choice one makes the final depiction in the game shows an old man with a young boy as he tells the story of “The Shepard.” The old man is voiced by Buzz Aldrin, one of the first U.S. astronauts in space so it’s a fitting cameo for this RPG all about space.