History Main / MyNameIsQuestionMarks

** In the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch remake of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', the pile of bones in Yarna Desert that hints to the location of a Piece of Heart if Link sprinkles Magic Powder on it is also called "???" in the dialogue box.

* The [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 PS2]] [[FightingGame fighter]] ''[[Manga/SaintSeiya Saint Seiya: The Sanctuary]]'' has "Gemini ???" as a character. In the series the game is based on, his name is revealed to be [[spoiler:Gemini Kanon]].

[[folder Turn-Based Strategy]]

[[folder: Action Adventure]]

[[folder: Adventure]]

* ''VideoGame/CardCityNights2'': When entering the wharf, a person whose name is only "???", asks the player to get into the storage room.

[[folder: Card Battle Games]]

[[folder: Fighting Games]]

* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'': The credits list "??????" as the voice actors for Hakumen and V-13 to hide [[spoiler:the fact that they are alternate versions of Jin and Noel and therefore [[SignificantDoubleCasting have the same voice actors]].]]

[[folder: First-Person Shooters]]

[[folder: Minigame Compilations]]

[[folder: [=MMORPGs=]]]

[[folder: Platformers]]

[[folder: Point-and-Click Games]]

[[folder: Puzzle Games]]

[[folder: Racing Games]]

[[folder: Rhythm Games]]
* 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]]]]

[[folder: Role-Playing Games]]

[[folder: Roguelike]]

[[folder: Sports Games]]

[[folder: Simulation]]

[[folder: Stealth-Based Games]]

[[folder: Turn-Based Strategy]]

[[folder: Game Mods]]

[[folder: Non-Video Game Examples]]

* In most ''VideoGame/TokyoXtremeRacer'' entries, the TrueFinalBoss, who'll appear upon defeating every single other opponent in the game, is given this treatment in both street name and real name. Alternatively, they're referred to as "UNKNOWN".

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

* ''VideoGame//DeusExHumanRevolution'': In the Missing Link DLC, when Janus first makes contact with Adam, it's over a faulty connection, so he is represented as a blank avatar with ??????????????. Adam first assumes its Pritchard.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', when there is a character who hasn't been introduced yet or someone is speaking off screen before they come into view, their name plate in the subtitles is labeled as "???" until the idenity of the character is made clear. 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.

** ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', [[TropeNamer your rival gives his own name as "???"]]. You're supposed to [[HelloInsertNameHere enter]] his name later, but many a small child ended up permanently naming him ??? when asked, thinking that was actually his name. Averted in the remakes, which instead call him Passerby Boy in the battle dialogue, which is more obviously a description. If you somehow didn't realize that, it's also too long to fit in the naming prompt. Similarly, he no longer tells you his name in dialogue; he instead drops his Trainer ID and the player character sees it, but the player doesn't, a better hint that [[SchrodingersQuestion whatever you tell the officer will become reality]].

** In Generations II-IV, a "???" type existed which was neutral against all other types. However, this only appeared as the type of unhatched Eggs and the move Curse (which as a status move isn't normally affected by ElementalRockPaperScissors anyway), and in a few other niche situations.[[note]]Using moves like Conversion to become a mono-typed Flying Pokémon, then using Roost (heals the user but removes their Flying type); using Weather Ball in ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness'' when the game-exclusive Shadow Sky is in effect; hacking a "??? Plate" into the game and equipping it to Arceus.[[/note]] In Generation V it was removed (and Curse changed to a Ghost-type move), presumably for the number of headaches it created for the programmers.

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

* ''VideoGame/GunWitch'': In the cutscene after defeating 10 Snails, Itsuka is called "???" until Claire says her name, even though Itsuka can be talked to before the cutscene and her dialog box has her name labelling her.

* The DS game ''VideoGame/GloryOfHeracles'' uses this for the main character at the start. Early in the game, he is told he is the great hero Heracles. After ''another'' Heracles joins the group, Leucos asks him to come up with a name for himself to differentiate the two... at which point the player is finally allowed to input a name.

* ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork3WhiteAndBlue'': To stop a haywire tank, you must defeat a trio of viruses named ????. This is to obfuscate that they are [[spoiler:small pieces of [[MechanicalAbomination Alpha]]. They have an UndergroundMonkey form in the room with the final boss called Alpha Bug, which more clearly states what they are.]]

** In the ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'' ROMHack ''Parallel Worlds'', the Frozen World counterpart of "Your House" (Link's house) is "?'s House" and the owner is never met.
*** There is also the final overworld area in the Light World, from where you can enter the final boss and get the ending, which is simply called "?" like the area in ''Ocarina of Time''. It's heavily implied to be the top of Parallel Tower, but it's not confirmed.

** Aversion in the series: In the first game, one character (who is a [[OldWindbag talkative, old lady]]) is hilariously referred to as "Oldbag" upon first meeting her; later we find out her name [[spoiler:is actually Wendy Oldbag]]. One of the witnesses in chapter 2 of ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsPhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' is labelled as "Some Guy" until we find out his name [[spoiler:which is Emeer Punchenbaug]].

** ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', [[TropeNamer your rival gives his own name as "???"]]. You're supposed to [[HelloInsertNameHere enter]] his name later, but many a small child ended up permanently naming him ??? when asked, thinking that was actually his name.
*** Averted in the remakes, which instead call him Passerby Boy in the battle dialogue, which is more obviously a description. If you somehow didn't realize that, it's also too long to fit in the naming prompt. Similarly, he no longer tells you his name in dialogue; he instead drops his Trainer ID and the player character sees it, but the player doesn't, a better hint that [[SchrodingersQuestion whatever you tell the officer will become reality]].

*** It came back with a vengeance in ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' in the form of Burn Up and Revelation Dance, with not only a ???-type Pokémon, but also a ???-type damage-dealing move. Like Roost to the Flying type, Burn Up removes the Fire type from its user, but it does not add a type back when the user is left with no type. The mono-Fire Cyndaquil and Growlithe lines get this move, as well as Moltres who is left as a Flying-type. On the other hand we have Oricorio with its signature ability Dancer and signature move Revelation Dance. The former causes the Pokémon with the ability to follow up someone else's dance move immediately, and the latter is a dance move whose type depends on the primary type of the user. Now Skill Swap Dancer onto Arcanine that have used Burn Up, put the Oricorio back into the field, and Revelation Dance. The Arcanine will immediately follow up with its own Revelation Dance, which due to it losing its typing become a legit ???-type damage-dealing move.
*** The interaction of ???-type and Wonder Guard is also interesting in Gen VII. This setup requires a Mimic Shedinja which can only be created by teaching Ninjask the move Mimic all the way back to Gen III. Now the setup requires Shedinja learning Entrainment through Mimic off a teammate, bestowing its Wonder Guard ability to an Arcanine and the Arcanine using Burn Up. Due to the ???-type having no weakness, this Arcanine cannot be targeted by any damaging move, so only status conditions and weather can take it down without changing the Arcanine's type again if the Arcanine cannot use Rest. Otherwise either the opponent has to use Soak, Forest's Curse or Trick-or-Treat to add a type to the Arcanine or faint it with a Perish Song.

* In ''VideoGame/PopnMusic'', there is a character who is simply called "?"[[note]]fans call him "Hatena", which is just Japanese for "question mark"[[/note]] that acts as MZD's shadow and companion.

The reasons for this vary (see below), and the result can range from confusion to an InterfaceSpoiler. See also NoNameGiven.

** The BonusBoss [[spoiler:Hush]], introduced in the ''Afterbirth'' update to ''Rebirth'', is located in an area named ???, which is nicknamed "Blue Womb" by fans since it's a blue-colored PaletteSwap of the Womb floors.

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

*** Averted in the remakes, which instead call him Passerby Boy in the battle dialogue, which is more obviously a description, and if you somehow didn't realize that it's also too long to fit in the naming prompt. Similarly, he no longer tells you his name in dialogue; he instead drops his Trainer ID and the player character sees it, but the player doesn't, a better hint that [[SchrodingersQuestion whatever you tell the officer will become reality]].