Cloud Strife- Most popular Final Fantasy character ever?

When it comes down to iconic video game characters within the past 30 years outside of video games produced by Nintendo one of the most popular names that people think about is Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII. The reason why many within the gaming world including casuals know about Cloud Strife is because of how successful Final Fantasy VII became following its initial release for the PS1 during 1997. Since its release Final Fantasy VII had managed to sell over 10 million copies on the PS1 and was remade for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC utilizing the Unreal Engine 4 and reaching over 3.5 million copies in sales. One of the main reasons why Final Fantasy VII was a massive commercial success following its initial release was because it was the first 3D installment within the entire series following the SNES era of FF games. Also, Final Fantasy VII had both a charismatic deuteragonist & antagonist in both Tifa Lockheart and Cloud Strife who were also very memorable video game characters. Cloud Strife was popular mainly because he considered anti-hero and during the late 90’s many people were getting sick of paragon one dimensional heroes who were presented as role models. Instead, Cloud Strife was a mercenary who worked for an eco-terrorist insurgent group that was trying to save the world from the diabolical plans of Shinra Electric Power Company. Also, if you look at Cloud’s story his life was considered to be somewhat tragic mainly because he was treated as a outcast during youth only to eventually end up suffering from PTSD after losing his mother and a childhood friend named Zack. Even though, it was eventually discovered that Zack was alive in the FFVII: Remake it had been believed that Cloud Strife was considered to be mentally unstable due to a series of traumatic events that has occurred throughout his life. Despite, everything Cloud Strife has been through he is presented as cocky and stotic while being a very determined individual in the face of adversity. As it relates to legendary RPG characters Cloud Strife is often considered to be one of the greatest of all-time while Sephiroth is often seen as the popular super-villain within the entire Final Fantasy series.