A recent study has revealed which popular video game characters would earn the most if they held real-world jobs, with Handsome Jack from Borderlands leading the way with an impressive annual salary. Meanwhile, Super Mario—despite his iconic status—lands much lower on the earnings list, with a more modest income.
The analysis, conducted by esports magazine Esportnow, looked at more than 60 video game characters and estimated their real-world salaries based on their in-game professions. Using publicly available salary data, the study explored how much each character would earn if their digital skills were transferred to the real-world job market.
According to the findings, Borderlands’ corporate villain, Handsome Jack, would be the wealthiest video game character. As the CEO of a major company, his estimated annual earnings would total £356,479, a figure reflective of the high salaries often associated with corporate executives in the real world.
In second place is Max Payne, the hard-boiled detective from the Max Payne series. His salary, estimated at £109,408, reflects the earnings of a seasoned police detective in New York City.
Commander Shepard from Mass Effect secures third place. As a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy, Shepard would take home £95,032 a year, based on pay scales for senior military personnel.
One of the more surprising entries on the list is Homer Simpson, the bumbling protagonist from The Simpsons: Hit & Run. In the real world, Homer’s job as a nuclear technician would earn him an annual salary of £93,926, securing him fourth place among the top earners.
Rounding out the top five is Sam Fisher, the stealth operative from Splinter Cell. His experience as a Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander would bring him an estimated salary of £88,755.
In contrast, some beloved video game characters earn far less. Super Mario, for instance, would make just £35,142 as a plumber in Italy, placing him 49th on the list. Other low earners include Ryu from Street Fighter, who would make £19,696 as a martial arts instructor in Japan, the lowest salary in the study. Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy fares only slightly better, earning £21,522 as a bar owner in Japan.
Esportnow’s study highlights the wide range of professions that inspired these iconic characters, from high-flying corporate roles to more ordinary jobs. A spokesperson for the magazine said, “It’s fascinating to see how these characters’ real-world equivalents would fare financially. Handsome Jack dominates the list, but it’s surprising to see how modest the earnings are for heroes like Mario.”
Other notable entries in the study include Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, who would earn £44,932 as a British archaeologist, and Steve from Minecraft, who would make £59,062 as a builder.
Whether a hero or villain, the study sheds light on the wide disparity in earnings if these characters were to leave the digital world for the real one.
