Ronnie Radke could be a video game villain
A modern musician's anti-hero origin story.
When you see music videos filled with intense supernatural performances and the lead singer playing an anti-hero, it’s surely only a matter of time until that musician enters the video game world. The unwaveringly strong identity that Ronnie Radke brings to these videos is undeniably impressive and easily translates from music to video games. Ideas to come:
Ronnie Radke
Why Ronnie makes a good anti-hero
Ronnie as an anti-hero in a video game
1. Ronnie Radke
Ronnie Radke is a multi-faceted musician known for his electrifying presence both on and off the stage. As the lead vocalist of the post-hardcore band Falling in Reverse, Radke has made a name for himself with his powerful voice, dynamic performances, and unapologetically bold persona. Born in Las Vegas, Radke rose to fame in the mid-2000s as the frontman of Escape the Fate before forming Falling in Reverse in 2008. From their Spotify account, the biggest tracks have upwards of 100 million plays.
His career has been marked by both critical acclaim and controversy, with a style that blends at least rock, hip-hop, and metal, and music videos that often feature cinematic narratives and high production values. Radke's ability to reinvent himself and push artistic boundaries has solidified his place as a prominent figure in the modern rock scene.
(WAIVER: I don’t condone or support these things for the record, I’m purely looking at this as if I were in charge of getting Ronnie into a video game. As we were)
He’s also got a consistent social media presence that mirrors his attitude:
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Epitaph Records, a renowned independent label known for its roster of influential punk and alternative bands, has played a significant role in Ronnie Radke's career. Signing with Epitaph in 2010, Radke's band Falling in Reverse released their debut album "The Drug in Me Is You" under the label, which was met with critical and commercial success. This partnership has continued since then and has allowed Radke the creative freedom to explore and expand his musical boundaries, contributing to the band's continued evolution and the production of high-quality music videos.
2. Why Ronnie is an Anti-Hero
Epitaph's level of support has enabled Ronnie’s visual presence as a frontman to elevate in ways that other artists aren’t doing. Nowadays I see more of a focus on social media presence, sampling and collaboration rather than Ronnie’s method of springboarding off of good and bad press and playing up to being a villain.
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He has forged a new identity with the aggression of his music, acting unapologetically, openly standing on his controversy, telling his thoughts and his story through his lyrics, and then finally creating a striking, consistent supernatural visual identity through his music.
Let’s see an example. I saw ‘Watch The World Burn’ back in early 2023 when it was doing the works in the press and a number of reaction videos were made in the community given its extreme fluctuations in impressive musical executions and…well, violence:
(I fully expect you to take a few minutes after watching this to make a cup of tea and decompress from its intensity, so feel free to come back when you’re ready. Ready for round 2?)
….But then I saw ‘Ronald’, released 16th May 2024:
He did not just obliterate stuff with his laser eyes once. He did it twice.
Then it suddenly occurred to me - Ronnie is an artist who is going all out to the otherworldly extremes to prove the extent of his identity, consistently.
Abilities and characteristics of Ronnie so far:
Laser Eye Vision: A powerful and destructive ability, used not once, but twice.
Flight: He defies gravity, soaring through the air with ease.
Telekinetic Powers: He can manipulate floating rocks around him (see Dragon Ball Z).
Extraplanar Travel: He is seen chatting with fiends/patrons from likely other planes.
Invincibility: He's seemingly unkillable and re-materialises occasionally.
Fearless: He faces off against Balrog-like creatures without hesitation.
BUT
Human Vulnerability: Despite his powers, he is at least afraid of being shot. Every supervillain needs a weakness, right?
Creating a larger-than-life identity is not an original move. Look at David Bowie’s ‘Ziggy Stardust’. What about Slipknot? Ghost? Marylin Manson? Alice Cooper? KISS? Wes Borland from Limp Bizkit? Buckethead? Even heavyweight pop artists from today transcend the average person with their presence and performances too, look at Lady Gaga and Prince as prime examples. Of course, I could go on, but let’s get back to Ronnie.
3. Ronnie as an Anti-Hero in a video game
There are so many instances where having a clear cut symbol like him can slot into games so easily. All of these instances I’ve mentioned below can easily integrate the Falling In Reverse music.
1. Fortnite: Fortnite is known for its dynamic and ever-changing content, frequently incorporating pop culture icons into its universe. Ronnie Radke would be best introduced as a non-playable character, equipped with his own unique set of abilities, but one that all players have to come together to defeat during a special event. Imagine a character who can fly, use telekinesis, and shoot laser beams from his eyes - c’mon. His inclusion could come with themed events, special missions, and exclusive in-game items like skins, emotes, and weapons inspired by his music videos.
2. Action-Adventure Games: Games like "Devil May Cry" or "Bayonetta" could feature Ronnie Radke as a guest character (Outside of their fantastic lore of course, so a game DLC is more likely). His over-the-top abilities and rockstar persona would fit seamlessly into these high-octane, stylish action games.
3. First Person Sooters (FPS): In First Person Shooters like "DOOM”, “Prey”, “The Darkness 2” (or 3…who knows), “Psy:Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy”, “Singularity” etc, Ronnie Radke could appear as a significant non-playable character. The good thing about FPS games is the experience of the game being from the avatar’s perspective, meaning immersion here would be great. Also, we know Ronnie is weak to bullets, so this is quite handy. As before, everything is game-dependent, as story-oriented games may want to keep this as a DLC to not affect the lore of a partnership, or live-service games can have this as a limited time experience.
4. Fighting Games: In the vein of "Mortal Kombat" or "Street Fighter," Ronnie Radke could be a guest fighter with a unique move set. His fighting style could incorporate his telekinetic powers, laser eyes, and flight abilities, making him a versatile and formidable opponent. Special moves and combos could be designed around his persona, creating a character that is both challenging to master and exciting to play. His inclusion could come with a themed arena inspired by his music videos, complete with interactive elements and Easter eggs for fans.
5. Virtual Reality (VR) Experiences: VR games and experiences could bring Ronnie Radke's character to life in an immersive and interactive way. Players could step into his shoes, experiencing his powers and battles firsthand. VR could also offer concert experiences, where players can attend a virtual Ronnie Radke performance, complete with stunning visuals and interactive elements that mirror his music video aesthetics. This could provide a unique way for fans to connect with Ronnie's music and persona on a deeper level. Here is a superman-like VR game called Megaton Rainfall VR that this would work great for.
6. Music-Based Games: Games like "Fortnite Festival" or "Beat Saber" could feature Ronnie Radke's music and character. Players could rock out to his tracks, unlocking special in-game content and challenges themed around his music videos. This could also include rhythm-based mini-games where players use Ronnie's powers to overcome obstacles and defeat enemies in sync with the music, creating a seamless blend of gameplay and musical experience.
7. Narrative-Driven Games: In games similar in structure to "Life is Strange" or "The Walking Dead" (but obviously not narrative), Ronnie Radke's character could be part of a gripping narrative where players make choices that affect the story's outcome. His character could have a complex arc, with moral dilemmas and branching paths that explore his identity and struggles. Supermassive would do this really well after games like The Quarry. This type of game could delve into the psychological aspects of his persona, offering players a deep and emotionally engaging experience, creating an opportunity to link his story with other album tracks.
8. His Own Game: Developers could craft a storyline around Ronnie's character, exploring his journey from rockstar to anti-hero but within his own story and world, complete with cinematic cutscenes and intense boss battles. Players could unlock special abilities and upgrades by progressing through the story, making Ronnie's character even more powerful and customizable. This could easily start off as an 8-bit mobile side scroller or a rogue-like game similar to “Vampire Survivors”
TLDR:
Ronnie Radke's bold, supernatural persona, characterized by his unique personality and consistent supernatural abilities in his music videos, is primed for integration into video games—especially as a villain. You don’t need to have videos of you shooting lasers out of your eyes to do this as an artist; if you create a supernatural visual identity, you can pair with other supernatural fictional universes too. Vice versa for non-supernatural identities too.
If we see Vampire Survivors DLC with Ronnie and 8-bit versions of Falling In Reverse music, I wont be surprised at all.
If ronnie ever joins saraya in wrestling, he wud also be an mega heel there and its games!