As an adventurer who has uncovered immense lost treasures, you might expect Nathan Drake of the Uncharted video games to be enjoying the high life of a billionaire. But while this daring fortune hunter locates mythic riches across the globe, does he manage to hold on to them? Let‘s analyze Drake‘s net worth throughout the series.
In short – Nathan Drake acquires fortunes during his adventures, but usually ends up losing them due to betrayals, traps, or other circumstances. By the end of Uncharted 4, he has accumulated enough wealth to retire comfortably, with an estimated net worth around $350,000. For Drake, the true reward of treasure hunting is the thrill of discovery, not getting rich.
Now let‘s explore this in more detail across each game:
Uncharted 1: Drake‘s Fortune – Finds £400 Million But Loses It All
In the first game, Nathan recovers the coffin of his ancestor Sir Francis Drake, filled with over £400 million in 16th century Spanish gold coins and treasures. However, villain Gabriel Roman betrays Nathan and takes the treasure for himself.
In the climactic fight on Roman‘s plane, the missiles and explosions cause the cargo hold to open, dropping the entire haul into the sea. Nathan escapes with his life, but zero monetary gain.
Estimated Treasures Found: £400 million
Treasures Kept at End: £0
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – Discovers Shambhala‘s Stone But Returns It
Nathan searches for the mythical Cintamani Stone in a Nepalese city and battles war criminal Lazarevic to reach it. Once found, the blue sapient grants immortality. But an explosion buries the city and the Stone.
Nathan escapes and briefly keeps a single small fragment. But he voluntarily returns it to the Nepalese guardians, as he realizes its destructive power. No monetary gain here.
Estimated Treasures Found: Priceless mythical artifact
Treasures Kept at End: £0
Uncharted 3: Drake‘s Deception – Pirates‘ Treasure Sinks Into The Desert
Sailing to deserted Arabia, Nathan enters Atlantis of the Sands and recovers the cursed treasure of British pirate Henry Avery, worth over £300 million.
But villain Talbot forces him to open the chest, creating a strange reaction that sinks the city into the desert sand before he can take any gold. No riches once again.
Estimated Treasures Found: £300+ million
Treasures Kept at End: £0
Uncharted 4: A Thief‘s End – Settles Down With Some Savings
In this finale, Nathan searches for Captain Avery‘s pirate utopia Libertalia and its hoard of treasures. Though he finds gold and jewels worth over £300 million, the whole place is rigged to explode. He has to escape empty-handed as Liberatalia is buried at sea.
But Nathan does not end penniless. He and wife Elena have evidently held onto some of Drake‘s earlier recovered artefacts, as we see them living in a luxury beach house. They also co-run a salvage company, implying Nathan has accumulated wealth.
Estimated Net Worth: £300,000 – £400,000
Based on the opulent house, business assets, and retired lifestyle, I estimate Nathan Drake‘s net worth by Uncharted 4 to be in the region of $350,000. While far from a billionaire, he has clearly gained enough from his adventures to retire comfortably.
Wealth For Nathan Drake Is Not The True Reward
As we have seen, Nathan locates immense treasures but usually ends up losing them again. It is not for lack of trying – the forces against him are simply too great.
More importantly, he comes to realize over the series that wealth is not what truly motivates him. In the early games he is obsessed with proving himself by acquiring Drake‘s lost fortune, but this shifts.
Nathan values the sense of discovery, adventure, and making a mark on history more than money. By Uncharted 4, relationships matter most to him. He abandons the hunt for Libertalia to save his brother Sam, and retires happily with Elena, willing to give up his old obsession.
This character growth shows Nathan maturing into a man who cares more about the people in his life than chasing glory with increasing risks. He learns that adventures may build legends, but relationships build lives. The responsibility of wealth takes a backseat to building a simple, happy future with Elena.
Final Analysis
In summary, while Nathan Drake locates immense lost treasures in each Uncharted game, he usually loses them by the climax through explosive circumstances. His net worth accumulates to around $350,000 by Uncharted 4.
But most importantly, Nathan is never motivated solely by becoming rich. His character evolves across the games to realize relationships matter far more than fortune or glory. In the end, he steps back from dangerous adventures, wealth no longer blinding him to what is truly precious in life.
