History Main / MyNameIsQuestionMarks

* In ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone'', all characters whose names have not yet been said are identified as "???" even though [[StreetFighter for]] [[VideoGame/MegaManX some]], it should be painfully obvious who they are. This also creates a bit of InterfaceSpoiler in the cutscene that introduces [[VideoGame/GodEater1 Soma, Alisa]] and [[VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate Vashyron.]] When Soma asks for Alisa and Lindow to tell him what the hell's going on, "Lindow" speaks up but the name on his text box still reads "???", hinting that he's not actually Lindow.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretShow'': When the Chief of U.Z.Z. isn't being referred to as "Changed Daily" by fans and online sources, his name is given as a bunch of asterisks in scripts. This is due to him [[ConstantlyChangingName always having a different name]] in every episode.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', when a character you don't yet know speaks, their name is displayed in subtitles as "???". The names of zones from ''Shadowbringers'' and ''Endwalker'' that you have yet to unlock are displayed as "???" too, because even knowing what these zones are is a spoiler.

* Every main series ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' game has a character whose Ultimate/Super High School Level talent is unknown, and thus is listed in the Report Card menu and character introduction screen as "Ultimate ???". [[VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc The first game]] has Kyoko Kirigiri (actually the [[spoiler:[[GreatDetective Ultimate Detective]]]]), ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' has the PlayerCharacter Hajime Hinata, [[spoiler:who is actually a talentless Reserve Course student]], and ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'' has Rantaro Amami ([[spoiler:Ultimate Survivor/Ultimate Adventurer]]).

* ''Pinball/TheTwilightZone'' prints the name of each primary mode on a door panel in the playfield artwork. The WizardMode is instead represented by a single "?" on the doorknob - only upon reaching it is its name revealed to be "Lost in the Zone".

* ''The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel)'' by Ellen Raskin says at the beginning of the book that Leon Carillon "changed his name to ?". What the "?" ''really'' stands for is part of the solution of the mystery.

* In most ''[[VideoGame/TokyoXtremeRacer Shutokou Battle]]'' installments, the TrueFinalBoss' code name is given this treatment. They'll appear from thin air after you defeat all the Wanderers.

* In ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone'', all characters whose names have not yet been said are identified as "???" even though [[StreetFighter for]] [[VideoGame/MegaManX some]], it should be painfully obvious who they are. This also creates a bit of InterfaceSpoiler in the cutscene that introduces [[VideoGame/GodsEaterBurst Soma, Alisa]] and [[VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate Vashyron.]] When Soma asks for Alisa and Lindow to tell him what the hell's going on, "Lindow" speaks up but the name on his text box still reads "???", hinting that he's not actually Lindow.

[[folder: Puzzle Games]]
* ''VideoGame/TheCodexOfAlchemicalEngineering'' gives approximately 13 question marks for the mysterious Level 15 compound.
* ''VideoGame/ThisStarryMidnightWeMake'': As seen in some [[https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/320090/ss_95ed968dcde5671adc281a3db705c9af341a79ae.1920x1080.jpg official]] [[https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/320090/ss_31549cf15b5e7ef9c9e56af53195e9e6f4235db3.1920x1080.jpg screenshots]], unnamed characters who speak, get "?" as their name in the English version.
[[/folder]]

* The secret planet in ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'''s "Milky Way Wishes" is named "?". Its name was changed in ''[[UpdatedRerelease Kirby Super Star Ultra]]''... to "???".
* In ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror'', what appears to be Meta Knight is labeled only as "???" on his health bar when fighting him. When it's later revealed [[spoiler:he's not actually Meta Knight but his Mirror World counterpart]], his name changes to [[spoiler:"Dark Meta Knight" for the penultimate boss fight]].

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', when a character you don't yet know speaks, their name is displayed in subtitles as "???". The names of zones from ''Shadowbringers'' and ''Endwalker'' that you have yet to unlock are displayed as "???" too, because even knowing what these zones are is a spoiler.

** The BonusBoss [[spoiler:Hush]], introduced in the ''Afterbirth'' update to ''Rebirth'', is located in an area named ???.

** The BonusBoss [[spoiler:Hush]], introduced in the ''Afterbirth'' update to ''Rebirth'', is located in an area named ???, though its appearance as a blue-colored PaletteSwap of the Womb floors led to the FanNickname of "Blue Womb".

** In the ''VideoGame/CrashBandicootNSaneTrilogy'' version of ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot1996'', when Dr. N. Brio [[HulkingOut Hulks Out]] in his boss fight, the name above his health bar changes to "?!?".
** In ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot4ItsAboutTime'', when you first play as Tawna's AlternateSelf, the subtitles refer to her as "???" until you reach the end of the level and Coco recognizes her.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'', [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext the hand in the Stock Pot Inn's toilet]] is entered in Link's Bomber's Notebook as "???". In a MythologyGag, the same character appears in the past in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames Oracle of Ages]]'' and in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]''. In the latter, it belongs to a ghost girl who Fi does not know the name of, but is named Phoeni [[AllThereInTheManual according to the strategy guide]].

* In ''VideoGame/CrashBandicootNSaneTrilogy'', when Dr. N. Brio [[HulkingOut Hulks Out]] in his ''[[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot1996 Crash 1]]'' boss fight, the name above his health bar changes to "?!?".

* In the ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'' GameMod, ''VideoGame/FriendlyNightFunkin'', [[spoiler:the stand-in for Monster is only referred to as "???"[[note]]Though WordOfGod states their name will be revealed in a future update.[[/note]].]]

* In the ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'' GameMod, ''VideoGame/FriendlyNightFunkin'', [[spoiler:the stand-in for Monster is only referred to as "???"[[note]]Though WordOfGod states their name will be revealed in a future update.[[/note]]

** This is the name given to [[BigBad Antasma]] when you face him during the intro battle in ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam''.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'', [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext the hand in the Stock Pot Inn's toilet]] is entered in Link's Bomber Notebook as "???". In a MythologyGag, the same character appears in the past in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames Oracle of Ages]]'' and in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]''. In the latter, it belongs to a ghost girl who Fi does not know the name of, but is named Phoeni [[AllThereInTheManual according to the strategy guide]].

[[folder: MMORPG]]

[[folder: Role Playing Games]]

[[folder: Stealth Based Games]]

[[folder: Turn Based Strategy]]

[[folder: Game Mod]]

* UTF8 Coding. Should your name contain Unicode characters, those may come out as question marks in media like email or Usenet with a wrong charset.

** In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'', the character Geno is labeled "???" at first. His actual name isn't much better: it's ♥♪!? in other languages and a set of unique hieroglyphs in Japan.